British and Irish Lions Tour 2013

[michaelg]

I do enjoy the Lions tours, one of the few amalgamation teams in any sport that actually works.

I am a fan of the Lions too but just as an alternative opinion this article may be worth a read

http://www.irishpost.co.uk/sport/british-and-irish-lions-are-an-embarassment

Acts the bollix, then quotes Thatcher, f**king p***k.

Interesting statistics relating to playing numbers for combined home unions vs NZ, SA and Australia.   

[trileacman]

I think Zebo will be on the plane, Gatland has seen him preform well several times and he has that edge that Gatland looks out for.

Heaslip won't make it on the plane. Sean O'Brien will, not sure if he'll make the 1st fifteen. Healy will travel and should be one of the 1st names on the teamsheet. Best possibly but I see nothing in his game that marks him superior to any of 10 other options. O'Connell and BOD will likely travel, BOD has stiff competition for a centres place, O'Connell less so and should be in the 1st fifteen.

Kearny will likely travel but is easily a step down from the level of Halfpenny, neither are linebreakers in attack like Hogg is. Actually the more I think about it the more I can see Hogg travelling and not Kearney, addresses the token Scot issue whilst it still offers something different from full-back. Wonder will Euan Murray be selected, he travelled the last time (didn't he?) despite refusing to play Sundays. Dan Cole has tight-head secured in my opinion.

Scrum-half will be Phillips, with Murray and Youngs shooting off for the last spot, could really be either player, two talented but inconsistent players. Farrell and Sexton at 10. Who'll be third choice flyhalf? Biggar? Would love to see Tim Visser playing in a top class backline but in reality he had a poor 6 nations and there is no room for all the "maybe this guy could work" talent (Bowe, Zebo, Visser, North, Ashton). Who are nailed on as being the wingers? Cuthbert and who?

[trileacman]

Laidlaw could be going, decent cover at 10 and 9. Nowhere near good enough to make the team but he's a utility back in a restricted squad.

Likely Starting team

1: Healy
2: Best???
3: Cole or Jones. Cole in my book.
4: POC
5: Launchbury
6: Warburton
7: Robshaw
8:Faletau

9: Phillips
10: Farrell
11: Cuthbert
12: Roberts
13: Tuliagi
14: Zebo
15: Halfpenny

[galwayman]

Farrell at 10?Hmm I dunno about that.
I think he is a bit overrated to be honest.

[Syferus]

Sexton is the 10 baring injury.

Likewise there is no way on Earth BOD doesn't start. He's exactly the sort of player you want going into a bear pit like Australia's back yard. Still absolutely amazing, he's probably the best passer on the planet and his skill in defence is well documented. I'd look for the Lions to replicate the success they had in 2009 with a wrecking ball and a smaller playmaker in the centre and I'd really like to see BOD and Roberts resume their partnership.

[rodney trotter]

BOD is in the frame to be Captain of the Lions, like he was in 05. So he would be a definite starter.

[muppet]

The player numbers thing is a stupid argument.

England distorts the picture completely and his analogy of Leitrim and Mayo is as idiotic as comparing Cork v Kilkenny in hurling on purely playing numbers, or senior clubs, or 131 car registrations or whatever.

How does playing the numbers argument add up in golf with 2 Ulster bies in the top 10? Or 6 majors in the last 5 years from this island?

[trileacman]

Farrell at 10?Hmm I dunno about that.
I think he is a bit overrated to be honest.

I agree but his dad is picking the team so I can't see him being left out. Farrell is an English poster boy and it will be a predominately English media focusing on the tour.

[trileacman]

Sexton is the 10 baring injury.

Likewise there is no way on Earth BOD doesn't start. He's exactly the sort of player you want going into a bear pit like Australia's back yard. Still absolutely amazing, he's probably the best passer on the planet and his skill in defence is well documented. I'd look for the Lions to replicate the success they had in 2009 with a wrecking ball and a smaller playmaker in the centre and I'd really like to see BOD and Roberts resume their partnership.

I would pick Sexton but I don't think Gatland will, especially pressurised by an English presence in the backroom team and in the media.

[Syferus]

Sexton is the 10 baring injury.

Likewise there is no way on Earth BOD doesn't start. He's exactly the sort of player you want going into a bear pit like Australia's back yard. Still absolutely amazing, he's probably the best passer on the planet and his skill in defence is well documented. I'd look for the Lions to replicate the success they had in 2009 with a wrecking ball and a smaller playmaker in the centre and I'd really like to see BOD and Roberts resume their partnership.

I would pick Sexton but I don't think Gatland will, especially pressurised by an English presence in the backroom team and in the media.

I just can't see it with Gatland there. Sexton suits the sort of game he had Wales playing and on top of it he's more than good enough from the tee and the boot. Farrell is way too green to throw into the 10 jersey in a Lions tour test, you'd be asking him to marshall a team of veterans not a bunch of plucky youngsters. Most recent tours have always leant towards experienced heads, particularly at out-half. It'd be an unholy shame if Sexton missed out because of politics.

[muppet]

Sexton will go. The warm up games will decide if he starts but he has to be in the box seat at the moment.

BOD & POC will also go and decent warm up game performances could see them start.

Healy, Heaslip, Kearney & O'Brien are too good to leave behind.

After that, Bowe is good enough but might not have played enough recently, Zebo & Murray might travel and who knows if they gets a good run in warm up games, Best will possibly travel and I would pick Ryan but I doubt if Gatland will.

[nrico2006]

Will Wilkinson go?

[Hardy]

I can't bring myself to give a shite about the (British, as they inevitably get called by 99% of fans and commentators) Lions but, for what it's worth, I think Madigan should go. He's as good as any and better than nearly all out-halves I've seen this year and the best place kicker around.

[Premier Emperor]

The British (and token Paddies) Loins Tour.
What is the big deal with this?
Some of the teams that make up the British Loins can beat the Aussies on their own. It seems like this amalgamation makes them weaker.

[orangeman]

Will Wilkinson go?

He has timed his run perfectly. Some performance at the weekend.