Lions 2017 [MOD WARNING IN OP]

whatawaster · 07-09-2016 11:47AM

I'd say the following all have at least outside shouts

Payne
Henshaw
Zebo
Marshall
Murray
Sexton

S O'Brien
Heaslip
Stander
O'Mahony
Henderson
McGrath
Best

I'd say if fit we would likely have:
Sexton, Murray, McGrath, O'Brien, Henshaw, Henderson

Winters · 07-09-2016 12:00PM

I can see Stander travelling .

irishbucsfan · 07-09-2016 12:07PM

Warren G confirmed!

It's the G-Funk era, funked out with a taffy twist

Dog Botherer · 07-09-2016 12:18PM

My hopes for this tour:

1. Lions put up a good showing in at least two of the tests, perhaps even finishing within a try of NZ.
2. As few Irish players involved as possible, to minimise injuries.
3. Good performances against the Super sides, winning most of them.

My expectations for this tour:

1. Lions humiliated in all 3 tests. AB make a raft of changes for the final test and still win by 25 points.
2. Career ending injury for Sexton in a pointless midweek game.
3. Disjointed dirttrackers taken apart by clinical club sides, much like how the Chiefs embarassed Wales' A side.

Joys of being a positive ****.

Teferi · 07-09-2016 12:23PM

This is the darkest timeline.

razorblunt · 07-09-2016 12:25PM

This is bloody great news for Sean Maitland.

Someone is getting dragged over the coals in the sponsors building today I'd say, a "quick" photoshoot outside their HQ, sure what could go wrong.

awec · 07-09-2016 12:25PM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/37295281

Former Wales fly-half Jonathan Davies says he has "a sneaky feeling" the Lions could run Steve Hansen's world champions close next year.

:pac: :pac:

Teferi · 07-09-2016 12:34PM

Boards went down there for a few minutes. Thanks, Gatland.

kilns · 07-09-2016 12:40PM

The Lions is now only a money making machine and to give a few blazers something to do and have a trip out of it. How could you cheer for a team led by Gatland and most likely having guys like Mike Brown and Dylan Hartley in it

Hopefully the majority of the Irish players are kept away from the pending humilation

bilston · 07-09-2016 12:45PM

awec wrote: »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/37295281

Former Wales fly-half Jonathan Davies says he has "a sneaky feeling" the Lions could run Steve Hansen's world champions close next year.

:pac: :pac:

Look (as the Antipodeans like to say)...I think we'll lose 3-0...but I honestly think the English tight 5 can put it up to NZ if given a chance, and for that I don't see any hammering like the 2nd test in '05 when DC blew all our minds with arguably the greatest individual test performance of the professional era.

PTH2009 · 07-09-2016 01:00PM

The ABs will be beaten either in November or next June I think. Apart from them, the rugby championship seems weaker with Australia and South Africa struggling and Argentina still finding there feet

We came close in 2013(sum guys on here were in comas/had a fallen out with the game when it took place a few years ago lol), England are improving and would not fear them and this will be the biggest lions tour in history

thomond2006 · 07-09-2016 01:15PM

The Lions will win the series 3-0 if awec makes the All Blacks logo his profile pic.

awec · 07-09-2016 01:21PM

The Telegraph have put up their choice of Lions 15:

15: Stuart Hogg (Scotland) - a brilliant counter-attacker who would light up any back division, but will Welshman Leigh Halfpenny's prolific goalkicking edge it in selection?

14: Anthony Watson (England) - a proven high-quality finisher, who has scored 12 tries in 24 Tests for England.

13: Jonathan Joseph (England) - an outside centre in the classic mode, he offers pace, creativity and try-scoring prowess.

12: Robbie Henshaw (Ireland) - has all the skills, with defensive power to match. Star quality, but could be a toss of the coin between him and Wales' Jamie Roberts.

11: George North (Wales) - had his injury troubles, but a proven top-level performer who is capable of terrorising any defence.

10: Owen Farrell (England) - George Ford, Dan Biggar and Johnny Sexton are all set to be in the fly-half mix, but Farrell is currently a short distance ahead of them.

9: Rhys Webb (Wales) - Ireland's Conor Murray is likely to push hard for a Test spot, yet Webb's all-round game nudges him clear.

1: Mako Vunipola (England) - arguably England's most improved forward of the Eddie Jones coaching reign. Powerful and consistent.

2: Dylan Hartley (England) - has led England superbly since being appointed captain by Eddie Jones. Also the best hooker in Britain and Ireland by a proverbial mile.

3: WP Nel (Scotland) - the South Africa-born tighthead prop is an immense scrummager, and just the set-piece cornerstone Gatland will require, as is England's Dan Cole. Tight call.

4: Alun Wyn Jones (Wales) - skippered the Lions to victory in the third Test decider against Australia three years ago, and should keep the job. World-class in every area.

5: George Kruis (England) - has produced magnificent form in England colours. An exemplary lineout operator with a mighty work-rate.

6: Maro Itoje (England) - might be a lock for England, but blindside flanker for the Lions? Too good to be left out of Gatland's Test team.

7: Sam Warburton (Wales) - a fit and in-form Warburton is head and shoulders above anyone else as the best openside flanker available to Gatland. Class act.

8: Taulupe Faletau (Wales) - the battle for Test selection with England's Billy Vunipola will be fascinating, but Faletau is a more complete footballer.

No way does Farrell start at 10 and no way does Henshaw start at 12 for me.

swiwi_ · 07-09-2016 01:46PM

AWJ has been borderline crap at international level recently, although apparently might be somewhat injury-related.

The Lions won't beat NZ if they pick on reputation and not form.

Liam Williams was outstanding in NZ, along with Webb and probably Faleatu their best tourists.

I'd be tempted to play Farrell at 12, it has worked pretty well for England recently, and he's a match winning goalkicker. Might see a few Polynesian lads sent down his channel though.

In any case the FH job is open, on recent enough form Sexton is by no means a certainty to start there.

Dave_The_Sheep · 07-09-2016 01:54PM

swiwi_ wrote: »

The Lions won't beat NZ if they pick on reputation and not form.

The last Lions tour showed that form - or reputation - doesn't really matter as much as "being able to play the way Gatland wants you to" with a related side helping of "being Welsh".

I know a lot can change in a year, but on NZ's current form, I can't see anything other than a 3-0 home series win... I'd almost say regardless of who Gatland brings and what gameplan they play.

Then again, I'm a pessimistic f*ck.

awec · 07-09-2016 01:55PM

I think it'll be Biggar at 10 tbh. Of course this season could change that but I fancy he'll go with Biggar as his first choice.

dub_skav · 07-09-2016 02:15PM

awec wrote: »

I think it'll be Biggar at 10 tbh. Of course this season could change that but I fancy he'll go with Biggar as his first choice.

Probably best choice.
Fight the haka with the macarena

Much more scary than this

Scythica · 07-09-2016 02:16PM

Teferi wrote: »

This is the darkest timeline.

I agree Evil Teferi. Now where's my hand whisk

CatFromHue · 07-09-2016 02:32PM

I know a lot of posters reckon Gatland will pick a lot of welsh players as that's what he did before but you have to remember Wales won a GS in 2012 and won the 6N again in 2013. Ireland didn't do very well in either of those comps.

They also had a better showing at the 2011 RWC than we had.

kilns · 07-09-2016 02:40PM

If Joe is still there, I fully expect Ireland to win the 2017 six nations - with France and England at home.

Still however, do not see Gatland picking many Irish players. McGrath, Henderson, OBrien (if fit), Murray, Sexton - the only potential starters

swiwi_ · 07-09-2016 03:00PM

Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »

The last Lions tour showed that form - or reputation - doesn't really matter as much as "being able to play the way Gatland wants you to" with a related side helping of "being Welsh".

I just find this kind of analysis a bit lame. It smacks more of chip on shoulder than anything else.

It's entirely reasonable that the coach wants you to play his way.

I don't think there was systematic Welsh bias. Of course, Gatland may know certain players better than others from coaching Wales, which helps him with the 50/50 calls...but no different to Joe Schmidt whisking Fergus McFadden up from mediocre provincial form into the starting XV during last year's 6N...

I mean at times you could argue the Irish XV is selected on "being able to play the way Schmidt wants you to" with a related side helping of "being known to Joe".

Dave_The_Sheep · 07-09-2016 03:18PM

swiwi_ wrote: »

I just find this kind of analysis a bit lame. It smacks more of chip on shoulder than anything else.

You're quite right, I've no time for Gatland, however I can recognise his many achievements in rugby, which are many and say he's been a good/great coach for various teams down the years.

Swiwi wrote:

It's entirely reasonable that the coach wants you to play his way.

I don't think there was systematic Welsh bias. Of course, Gatland may know certain players better than others from coaching Wales, which helps him with the 50/50 calls...

Obviously - of course a coach will want you to play his way, in this case, a way that hasn't had much success if any against Southern Hemisphere opposition. It's why I said "related side helping". Welsh players have been playing his style of play for a long while now. It's not just because they're Welsh, but being Welsh helps for that very reason.

This links into a problem I have with it, which is why I've got a problem with the coach being one of the head coaches of the four nations. I mean, if we're going to take it seriously, surely it should be someone without such massive links to one of the teams player pools.

Swiwi wrote:

...but no different to Joe Schmidt whisking Fergus McFadden up from mediocre provincial form into the starting XV during last year's 6N...

I mean at times you could argue the Irish XV is selected on "being able to play the way Schmidt wants you to" with a related side helping of "being known to Joe".

I'm not sure what Schmidt has to do with it, he's not Lions coach. For what it's worth though, I didn't agree with putting Ferg in then, wouldn't now. And also, I wouldn't want Schmidt in charge either for the reason I brought up above (and for others).

07-09-2016 03:24PM

37/41

(Jeopardy)

Utopia Parkway · 07-09-2016 03:52PM

kilns wrote: »

If Joe is still there, I fully expect Ireland to win the 2017 six nations - with France and England at home.

Still however, do not see Gatland picking many Irish players. McGrath, Henderson, OBrien (if fit), Murray, Sexton - the only potential starters

Think Murray will be the only Irish starter. Maybe McGrath with a chance also.

Just don't trust SOB to be healthy enough at this stage.

Buer · 07-09-2016 04:20PM

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Think Murray will be the only Irish starter. Maybe McGrath with a chance also.

I'd be quite surprised if Rhys Webb doesn't start barring injury or a dramatic loss of form.

Teferi · 07-09-2016 05:55PM

Lads, if I were you I would sign up to try and win this absolutely unreal, once in a lifetime prize from the Lions.

molloyjh · 07-09-2016 06:12PM

Teferi wrote: »

Lads, if I were you I would sign up to try and win this absolutely unreal, once in a lifetime prize from the Lions.

I want to say something witty, but I've got nothing. I honestly can't come up with anything more sarcastic or amusing than the title of that page.

ClanofLams · 07-09-2016 06:32PM

Teferi wrote: »

Lads, if I were you I would sign up to try and win this absolutely unreal, once in a lifetime prize from the Lions.

Wow that's bad. Could they not at least make it a jersey? A competition for an autograph on a piece of paper, Christ.

07-09-2016 06:33PM

Teferi wrote: »

Lads, if I were you I would sign up to try and win this absolutely unreal, once in a lifetime prize from the Lions.

It's not even a one-of-a-kind!

http://www.lionsrugby.com/news/terms-amp-conditions-signed-press-release-from-the-2017-head-coach-14672#.V8_mg_krLIU

There is five (5) prize available.

Some would use 'are', but Lions do not.

Competition closes at 10pm lads, get cracking.

swiwi_ · 07-09-2016 06:33PM

ClanofLams wrote: »

Wow that's bad. Could they not at least make it a jersey? A competition for an autograph on a piece of paper, Christ.

They couldn't even spell New Ziland right.

Lions 2017 [MOD WARNING IN OP]

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