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Author Topic: Lions 2017  (Read 10054 times)
ruud
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« on: February 16, 2017, 12:52:37 PM »

No idea if this will generate any interest here but me and a few mates have been coming up with our Lions squads for the tour to New Zealand later in the year.

Mine is below, with the next in line for each position in brackets. I.e. If someone gets injured the bracketed player would fly out.

All thoughts and opinions welcome!

Loosehead Prop:
Jack McGrath
Mako Vunipola
Gethin Jenkins
(Joe Marler)

Hooker:
Rory Best
Dylan Hartley
Jamie George
(Ken Owens)

Tighthead Prop:
Tadhg Furlong
Dan Cole
WP Nel
(Kyle Sinckler)

Lock:
Alun Wyn Jones (capt)
Joe Launchbury
Maro Itoje
Richie Gray
Jonny Gray
(George Kruis)

Back Row:
Sean O'Brien
Sam Warburton
Stander
Chris Robshaw
James Haskell
Jamie Heaslip
Billy Vunipola
(Ross Moriarty)

Scrum-Half:
Conor Murray
Ben Youngs
Rhys Webb
(Greig Laidlaw)

Fly-Half:
Jonny Sexton
Dan Biggar
(George Ford)

Centre:
Owen Farrell
Robbie Henshaw
Jonathan Davies
Jonathan Joseph
(Huw Jones)

Wing:
Elliot Daly
Anthony Watson
Sean Maitland
George North
(Simon Zebo)

Full Back:
Stuart Hogg
Leigh Halfpenny
Liam Williams
(Rob Kearney)

14 English
9 Irish
9 Welsh
5 Scottish

Haven't bothered with a starting 15/23 as all dependant on form on tour for me, but you are welcome to offer your own!
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TightEnd
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« Reply #1 on: February 16, 2017, 01:05:56 PM »

cannot wait! love Lions tours

my squad (with those also in consideration in brackets)


1

McGrath
M Vunipola
Rob Evans
(Marler)

2

Hartley
George
Owens
(Best, Brown)

3

Furlong
WP Nel
Cole

4-5

AWJ
Itoje
Launchbury
Gray x 2

(Kruis, Lawes, Ball, Toner, Henderson). Probably the most strength in depth of any position we have

6-7

Stander
Tipuric
Warburton
Haskell
Sean O'Brien
(Robshaw, Watson, Barclay)

8

Vunipola
Moriarty
Faletau
(Heaslip, Strauss, Hughes)

9

Murray
Youngs
Webb

(Laidlaw, Care, G Davies)

10

Sexton
Biggar

(Russell, S Davies, Ford)

12-13

O Farrell capt
Henshaw
S Wlliams
Joseph
J Davies

(Ringrose, Dunbar, H Jones)

11,14

Watson
North
Daly
Seymour

(Nowell, Maitland, Zebo, Earls, May

15

Hogg
Halfpenny
L Williams

but thats 39 players which is too many. going to be leaving some good ones behind

AWJ is probably captain but lock os so competitive. Farrell at 12 is an auto astarter and developing leader for me



crack at a 23

Vunipola
Owens
Furlong
Itoje
Launchbury
Stander
Tipuric
Vunipola
Murray
Sexton
O Farrell
Joseph
North
L Williams
Hogg

McGrath
Hartley
Nel
AWJ
Warburton (covers 6,7 and 8 at a push)
Youngs
Halfpenny (OF moves to 10 if Sexton is crokced)
Daly (covers all the back 5)
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ruud
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« Reply #2 on: February 16, 2017, 02:12:09 PM »

Gatland is on record as saying 37 or 38 to go, so think you'll need to lose a centre Rich. Daly can play there after all.

Farrell as Captain is an absolutely brilliant shout imho. Instantly converted - not sure Gatland has ever had a back as captain though?
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TightEnd
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« Reply #3 on: February 16, 2017, 02:17:07 PM »

ok

i really rate Scott Williams but its tough to get in ahead of Henshaw or Farrell next to Sexton

Possibly Joseph's form needs to pick up to get in

one of those two stays behind

--

i think the captain will be AWJ, its been setting up that way since the last tour. Don't want to leave out Itoje and a Gray or Launchbury though to get him in the test team

similarly I don't have Hartley as an automatic choice

Farrell is, I think
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My eyes are open wide
By the way,I made it through the day
I watch the world outside
By the way, I'm leaving out today
ruud
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« Reply #4 on: February 16, 2017, 05:15:21 PM »

Joseph would shade it for me, but yes his form needs to improve.

Think to be honest that only Farrell, Hogg, Sexton and probably Murray are guaranteed starters for me in the test team, and of them Faz the only 100% certainty.

If it's 38 rather than 37, it will be 8 back rowers and then I would also take Moriarty.

Did a quick count and we are taking 33/38 the same - we would make a good tour committee!

Jenkins/Evans
Best/Owens
Robshaw/Tipuric
Heaslip/Faletau
Maitland/Seymour

I can't persuade you with the experience/test match animal argument in any of these cases?
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TightEnd
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« Reply #5 on: February 16, 2017, 05:21:58 PM »

Gethin is very long in the tooth. Rob Evans is good and i think can play both sides?

Never really rated Rory Best. went on the last tour, got nowhere near the test team and Owens is v good. rate jamie george highly too

Tipuric is the out and out open side flyer i want against the all blacks. Robshaw is yet another fridge freezer at 6, and i have those covered

Vunipola is my test 8 but faletau is too good not to take. moriarty or heaslip is close

seymour is a great finisher, but neither of the scottish wings get in my test team

i will be doing well to get 70% of my selected names right. he'll pick some combinations we won't expect and can be expected to favour some Welsh names he knows well
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By the way, I'm leaving out today
ruud
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« Reply #6 on: February 16, 2017, 05:44:25 PM »

Gethin can also play both sides and would be making a 4th tour. Mako or McGrath would start the test anyway so take Gethin to captain the midweek side and show the young uns what makes a good tourist etc.

Faletau needs to get back to his form of 2-4 years ago for me - Heaslip has been fantastic whenever I have watched him over the last 12 months.

I could live with Tipuric over Robshaw but I'd actually be looking to SOB to start the tests at 7. The guy is phenomenal on the floor and we have to slow down their back row somehow.

Owens or Best I'm ok either way. Owens is a little on the small side for me, but I'm really expecting Jamie George to be the test hooker anyway - Gatland loves his hookers to be aggressive and dynamic - think Hibbard 4 years ago.

I think the squad is actually easier to pick than previous years - only huge competition in the second and back row for me tbh. In most other positions it's a couple of definitely and then a toss up isn't it?
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« Reply #7 on: February 17, 2017, 11:28:43 AM »

Warren Gatland keeping cards close to his chest on Lions squad decisions

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/feb/16/warren-gatland-lions-squad?CMP=share_btn_tw
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I watch the world outside
By the way, I'm leaving out today
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« Reply #8 on: February 17, 2017, 11:29:41 AM »

Brilliant Owen Farrell is the only nailed-on selection for the Lions so far

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2017/02/16/brilliant-owen-farrell-nailed-on-selection-lions-far/
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I watch the world outside
By the way, I'm leaving out today
ruud
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« Reply #9 on: March 13, 2017, 07:09:17 PM »

One round of the six nations to go then, who needs a big game to give themselves a chance of touring?

Rob Evans
Kyle Sinckler
Courtney Lawes
Ross Moriarty
Finn Russell
George Ford
Huw Jones
Jack Nowell

Have all given me food for thought recently - I could find an opening for all of the above in my squad if they continue the way they're going.......
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Ironside
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« Reply #10 on: March 13, 2017, 07:17:09 PM »

are there any scots left without injuries?
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« Reply #11 on: March 14, 2017, 12:30:36 AM »

Alan Wun Jones is the best name in sport at the moment.
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TightEnd
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« Reply #12 on: March 19, 2017, 02:27:55 PM »

i thought i would have another go post yesterday

my squad

changes from last time shown by *


1

McGrath
M Vunipola
Marler *

2

Owens (clearly the best British/Irish hooker)
George
Best * I have dropped Hartley, after a really disappointing championship.


3

Furlong
Cole
Fargerson *

4-5

AWJ
Itoje
Launchbury
Gray x 2

I have to leave out Lawes, Kruis, Henderson but just can't fit them in

6-7

Stander
Tipuric
Warburton
O'Mahoney * (for Haskell, played his way into the squad yesterday)
Sean O'Brien


8

Vunipola
Moriarty
Faletau


9

Murray
Youngs
Webb

10

Sexton
Russell * (over Biggar and Ford)


12-13

O Farrell
Henshaw
H Jones *
Joseph
J Davies

tough on all of S Williams, Ringrose, Dunbar

11,14

Watson
North
Daly
Nowell *


15

Hogg
Halfpenny
L Williams (utility)


England 13
Ireland 9
Wales 11
Scotland 6

AWJ Capt, Farrell vice.



crack at a 23

McGrath
Owens
Furlong
AWJ
Launchbury
Stander
Tipuric
Vunipola
Murray
Sexton
O Farrell
Joseph
North
L Williams
Hogg

M Vunipola
George
Cole
Itoje
Warburton
Webb
Halfpenny (OF moves to 10 if Sexton is crocked)
Daly (covers all the back 5)
« Last Edit: March 19, 2017, 02:31:47 PM by TightEnd » Logged

My eyes are open wide
By the way,I made it through the day
I watch the world outside
By the way, I'm leaving out today
Woodsey
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« Reply #13 on: March 19, 2017, 03:27:07 PM »

Can never get anyone to go with me on these trips, think next time around I might just do a short 10 dayer that straddles 2 games.
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rinswun
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« Reply #14 on: March 19, 2017, 04:05:51 PM »

Only Scottish back that I'd have in there is Hogg. Russell struggles when put under any sort of pressure and Huw Jones looks very, very green to me. Very exploitable in defense and pretty predictable going forward.

Test team barring injury:

Tight Head: Tagdh Furlong
Hooked: Jamie George
Loose Head: Mako Vunipola
Lock: Joe Launchbury
Lock: Jonny Gray
Blindside: Ross Moriaty
Openside: Sam Warburton
Eight: Billy Vunipola

Scrum Half: Conor Murray
Fly Half: Johnny Sexton
Wing: George North
Inside Centre: Owen Farrell (capt)
Outside Centre: Jonathan Joseph
Wing: Liam Williams
Full Back: Stuart Hogg

Bench: Dan Cole, Cian Healey, Ken Owens, Maro Itoje, Stander, Ben Youngs, Robbie Henshaw, Elliot Daly
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