Lions tour to Australia

my point is that he hasnt learned though? he is doing the same thing in 'big' moments that he always has, imo

i would say he has also played very well at times on this tour, absolutely. but as mentioned already, my original reply was in response to a poster saying he managed the final sequences of phases brilliantly and i disagreed as i believe the try was scored out of luck and some poor one on one defending, rather than being a well-worked 'team' try, and that FR should have went for a drop goal much earlier

Tuipolotu fit again too - I wouldn't be shocked to see him come back in for Bundee too.

Goodman is quoted in the IT as saying they'll pick the best team for the third test, so I suppose wholesale changes are unlikely.

McCarthy will likely come back in, which might mean Ryan loses out but based purely on last weekend, I'd keep him ahead of Chessum. Tuipolotu being fit again might be bad news for Aki.

It will be interesting to see if Hansen features, Freeman was good on Saturday and they seem to really like Kinghorn.

Wouldn't consider Stuart the best in his position.

Nor do I think Farrell will go with 7 subs 😂

Furlong would be starting his 9th consecutive Lions test if he's picked (I think) which is a pretty impressive feat. Not sure anyone else in the squad would come close.

Smart kid though - its not worth the long term issues.

Imagine being Steve Thompson, having won a World Cup and not being able to remember it.

Yeah - rumours also saying they expect Nic White to come in at scrum half for Jake Gordon, with Dylan Pietsch coming in on the wing for the injured wizard.

Yeah, but the eras aren't that far apart either. I'm not comparing Sheehan to Ronnie Dawson or even Ciaran Fitzgerald, I'm comparing him to someone who retired just 22 years ago (and he was young in doing so at 31 years old).

As I said, I think Keith Wood would have absolutely thrived in the modern game and in some of the better Irish teams that followed his era, I still just think Dan Sheehan is a guy who is materially bigger, stronger, faster and a better set piece operator.

Yeah, I think I'd go along with most of those.

JGP v peak Conor Murray would still be up for debate IMO - I think there was a period of time when Aaron Smith slightly fell off from his peak level (around the Lions tour in 2017 and the 2018 season) and Conor Murray was probably the best 9 in the world.

Furlong is definitely and indisputably the best tight head we've ever produced.

I think Doris is the most talented No 8, but doesn't quite have the medals cabinet to show for it yet. Really unfortunate injury robbed him of his chance to probably captain this Lions team.

Agreed with Furlong at TH, and Beirne (along with O'Connell) as 2nd row. At the moment, you could flip a coin between Doris vs Heaslip and Keenan vs Kearney, but I expect both the current players to be considered ahead by the end of their career.

But whatever about the rest, I don't think JGP comes close to Murray in any discussion around our best ever in their respective positions.