Lions 2009 thread

[Dinny Breen]

Sorry it's about 6 weeks I think from last week in May to July 1st. That would be their basic, once you throw in the sponsorship, appearances newspaper columns etc the top guys could earn close to 100K

[bingobus]

Sorry it's about 6 weeks I think from last week in May to July 1st. That would be their basic, once you throw in the sponsorship, appearances newspaper columns etc the top guys could earn close to 100K

Will these be curtailed after the last tour? Didn't some players spill alot into their weekly blogs/reports during the tour. Austin Healy been one.

[gallsman]

Lions will be weaker without Delon Armitage and Tom Croft

Nobody is ever completely happy when a touring squad is chosen in any sport; the recently announced British and Irish Lions squad is no different. There are four or five choices I could argue, but only the exclusion of England's Delon Armitage and Tom Croft would see me debate with vehemence.

Both players excelled during the recent Six Nations and would have given the Lions options they may not have if they are forced to choose between the gameplans that I have set out below.

Armitage's counter-attack running is better than that of the full-backs chosen and although he may lack the physical bulk of Lee Byrne, this has not proved an exploitable weakness. His speed would also have made him an option on the wing.

This is really starting to piss me off about Armitage and Croft. Croft played twice in the 6 Nations: once aganist an awful French performance that managed to make Steve Borthwick look good and once in a dour match against Scotland. English papers (that *insert personal insult of choice here* Steve Jones in the English Times in particular) speak as if he was pencilled in for a starting spot on the Test XV. Some people might not have noticed it, but the standout number 6 in the 6 Nations was Ferris by a country mile. McGeechan has clearly decided to take the Boks on up front with physicality, so I have no doubt that when picking the squad, he had Ferris in his head for the Test spot, and wanted another tough bastard who loves getting stuck in to come along, hence Quinlan's inclusion. If anyone (I know English people don't, the world doesn't exist beyond the overhyped Guinness Premiership to most English columnists. For some reason they still have the cheek to look down on the Magners League. Three out of four Heineken Cup semi-finalists anyone?) bothered there arse to watch the Magners League, they'd recognise the form Quinlan has been in recently has been outstanding. A lot is also being made about the fact that Croft is a line out option. Is Ferris not or something? Never mind Croft, if anyone in the back row was unlucky, it was Denis Leamy.

As for Armitage, I can really only speak based on the 6 Nations. I've seen bits of Premiership highlights and I know Conor O'Shea is a big fan of his. He does indeed look good, but based on the international games, Byrne and Kearney were far superior. Kearney is as safe under a high ball as any full back on the planet and looks to run immediately, and Byrne is perhaps the best strike runner in the Northern Hemisphere. A lot of the press are talking about the benefits of Armitage's "massive boot"- I wasn't aware he was any longer than either Byrne or Kearney, each of whom can absolutely leather the thing. McGeechan decided to take two specialist full-backs, and he picked the two best based on their international performances. If Armitage had travelled, it would have been as a utility back, and there can be no real complaints about Halfpenny getting in- he's been outstanding for Kearney. And can kick. Perhaps Armitage is slightly unlucky, but the outrage some people are insinuating? Bollocks.

[INDIANA]

Croft's omission is extraordinary- a class act and would give something different. Its one of the most one dimensional Lions pack in history. I'm baffled by Ellis's inclusion ahead of Blair. Ellis can't make the leicester team regularly. They are simply trying to match the Boks for size and weight in the pack. Whether its the best policy time will tell- but there is a lack of flexibility in that squad if it goes pear shaped. I'm very concerned about scrum half and outhalf.
No problem with O Gara and Jones but where is the option to change things. No point in picking one and having the other on the bench if it goes pear shaped-because they both play exactly the same way. Scrum half will be a struggle- because the Lions haven't the class the Boks have there.
Have to win the first test otherwise its curtains. I'll be honest if Mc Gechan wasn't there I wouldn't give the Lions a prayer.

[bcarrier]

100k for ten weeks is a relative pittance compared to soccer, golf, tennis .

Rugby players and NH jockeys underpaid IMO.

[gawa316]

This is really starting to piss me off about Armitage and Croft. Croft played twice in the 6 Nations: once aganist an awful French performance that managed to make Steve Borthwick look good and once in a dour match against Scotland. English papers (that *insert personal insult of choice here* Steve Jones in the English Times in particular) speak as if he was pencilled in for a starting spot on the Test XV. Some people might not have noticed it, but the standout number 6 in the 6 Nations was Ferris by a country mile. McGeechan has clearly decided to take the Boks on up front with physicality, so I have no doubt that when picking the squad, he had Ferris in his head for the Test spot, and wanted another tough b**tard who loves getting stuck in to come along, hence Quinlan's inclusion. If anyone (I know English people don't, the world doesn't exist beyond the overhyped Guinness Premiership to most English columnists. For some reason they still have the cheek to look down on the Magners League. Three out of four Heineken Cup semi-finalists anyone?) bothered there arse to watch the Magners League, they'd recognise the form Quinlan has been in recently has been outstanding. A lot is also being made about the fact that Croft is a line out option. Is Ferris not or something? Never mind Croft, if anyone in the back row was unlucky, it was Denis Leamy.

As for Armitage, I can really only speak based on the 6 Nations. I've seen bits of Premiership highlights and I know Conor O'Shea is a big fan of his. He does indeed look good, but based on the international games, Byrne and Kearney were far superior. Kearney is as safe under a high ball as any full back on the planet and looks to run immediately, and Byrne is perhaps the best strike runner in the Northern Hemisphere. A lot of the press are talking about the benefits of Armitage's "massive boot"- I wasn't aware he was any longer than either Byrne or Kearney, each of whom can absolutely leather the thing. McGeechan decided to take two specialist full-backs, and he picked the two best based on their international performances. If Armitage had travelled, it would have been as a utility back, and there can be no real complaints about Halfpenny getting in- he's been outstanding for Kearney. And can kick. Perhaps Armitage is slightly unlucky, but the outrage some people are insinuating? Bollocks.

Well said

[GalwayBayBoy]

Lions will be weaker without Delon Armitage and Tom Croft

Nobody is ever completely happy when a touring squad is chosen in any sport; the recently announced British and Irish Lions squad is no different. There are four or five choices I could argue, but only the exclusion of England's Delon Armitage and Tom Croft would see me debate with vehemence.

Both players excelled during the recent Six Nations and would have given the Lions options they may not have if they are forced to choose between the gameplans that I have set out below.

Armitage's counter-attack running is better than that of the full-backs chosen and although he may lack the physical bulk of Lee Byrne, this has not proved an exploitable weakness. His speed would also have made him an option on the wing.

This is really starting to piss me off about Armitage and Croft. Croft played twice in the 6 Nations: once aganist an awful French performance that managed to make Steve Borthwick look good and once in a dour match against Scotland. English papers (that *insert personal insult of choice here* Steve Jones in the English Times in particular) speak as if he was pencilled in for a starting spot on the Test XV. Some people might not have noticed it, but the standout number 6 in the 6 Nations was Ferris by a country mile. McGeechan has clearly decided to take the Boks on up front with physicality, so I have no doubt that when picking the squad, he had Ferris in his head for the Test spot, and wanted another tough b**tard who loves getting stuck in to come along, hence Quinlan's inclusion. If anyone (I know English people don't, the world doesn't exist beyond the overhyped Guinness Premiership to most English columnists. For some reason they still have the cheek to look down on the Magners League. Three out of four Heineken Cup semi-finalists anyone?) bothered there arse to watch the Magners League, they'd recognise the form Quinlan has been in recently has been outstanding. A lot is also being made about the fact that Croft is a line out option. Is Ferris not or something? Never mind Croft, if anyone in the back row was unlucky, it was Denis Leamy.

As for Armitage, I can really only speak based on the 6 Nations. I've seen bits of Premiership highlights and I know Conor O'Shea is a big fan of his. He does indeed look good, but based on the international games, Byrne and Kearney were far superior. Kearney is as safe under a high ball as any full back on the planet and looks to run immediately, and Byrne is perhaps the best strike runner in the Northern Hemisphere. A lot of the press are talking about the benefits of Armitage's "massive boot"- I wasn't aware he was any longer than either Byrne or Kearney, each of whom can absolutely leather the thing. McGeechan decided to take two specialist full-backs, and he picked the two best based on their international performances. If Armitage had travelled, it would have been as a utility back, and there can be no real complaints about Halfpenny getting in- he's been outstanding for Kearney. And can kick. Perhaps Armitage is slightly unlucky, but the outrage some people are insinuating? Bollocks.

I think Armitage was unluckier than Croft. Croft will be a very good player and already is an excellent lineout option but maybe lacks a bit of physicality to take on the Boks right now.

Armitage genuinely had a very good 6 Nations and I was certain he would get selected especially as he can also play wing. Kearney if we're being honest had a fairly average 6 Nations although he was excellent last year. I thought all three full-backs would tour but Armitage ended up getting squeezed out by a combination of Earls and Halfpenny.

[INDIANA]

Based on the last 6 weeks Armitage should have been selected ahead of Kearney. i still think they have the ill fated notion Kearney is a winger and thst why he got the nod. Croft is already a very good player- I fail to understand what people don't see in him. In general english players are over hyped -for example- easter,worsely,ellis,flutey etc.
But Croft is class and he's been class since he was a kid. i've seen him destroy Irish teams at underage level. He's be ideal for the hard grounds over there rather than bringing a woodcutter like Worseley.

[FermPundit]

Tomas O'Leary has just been carried off the field on a Stretcher with a serious looking leg injury. Paul O'Connell put his head in his hands (sitting in the stands) when he was told about the extent of the injury. Let's hope its not too bad 

Apparently he's away to hospital with a suspected broken leg. Awful news

[ExiledGael]

Tomas O'Leary has just been carried off the field on a Stretcher with a serious looking leg injury. Paul O'Connell put his head in his hands (sitting in the stands) when he was told about the extent of the injury. Let's hope its not too bad 

Apparently he's away to hospital with a suspected broken leg. Awful news

Broken ankle someone said on TV. Devastating for him.

[Capt Pat]

What a disaster for O'Leary. Still it is not the end of the world he won a Heineken Cup and a grand slam in the last year and at least earned his Lions selection. Never a good time for these things but if it had happened at this time last year he never would have won any of these things. I heard the team lineup today and that they were resting O'Connell today and the rest of the first 15 were playing. I thought to myself that they were right to rest O'Connell and they maybe should have rested half of the rest of the team as well but that is the way way things go, bad luck Tomas and get well soon. I rate this guy really highly and even though they may not know it the Lions will miss him on the tour

A big loss for Munster but they have Stringer who has been in good form to come in. They will still win the European Cup though.

In relation to Armitage, he is a very good player but he was beaten to the 2 spots fairly and squarely by Byrne and Kearney who are superb, I thought they might have taken 3 full backs including Armitage but they didn't and i thought they might have taken Sackey on the wing as well instead of Halfpenny or one of the Irish lads but that didn't happen either.

[FermPundit]

Who is the third choice scrum half at Munster after O'Leary and Stringer?

[magickingdom]

thats desperate sad news about tomas if its true

[gerrykeegan]

Its AZ or KerryMike I think

[Tankie]

This looks bad for O'Leary, i really hope something aint broken and he can make a quick recovery but look at all reports they are saying its the ankle or the leg that is broken. Very sad news.