Definite starters for Lions 2013

First topic message reminder :

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10. Priestland

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dummy_half wrote:Rodders

Good team, apart from Boss at 9 :-)

Boss was the 1st name on the team sheet!

Why do so many posters feel the need to pick a Lions team without any English players in it.

History has shown if the Lions test XV don't have many English players then the tour is doomed from the start.

Unlike the 2011 WC where an average of 13 players were English and they won everything...erm?

Stay on topic Glas this is about the British an Irish Lions and not another England bashing thread.

Sorry, I'll go to the naughty step right away.

Say hi to TheGreyGhost.

OK.

HERSH wrote:Why do so many posters feel the need to pick a Lions team without any English players in it.

History has shown if the Lions test XV don't have many English players then the tour is doomed from the start.

Traditionally england would have had the best players.
Unfortunately at the moment they don't, however a time will come again where they do and when does people should pick them on merit.

HERSH wrote:Why do so many posters feel the need to pick a Lions team without any English players in it.

I just didn't feel the need to pick any.....

Seriously though I'm sure there would be a number of English players pushing for a place in the side.

History has shown that the test side rarely resembles what people expect prior to the tour. Some player excel on Lions tours and some don't so its impossible to forecast either who will be on tour or who will be in the test side this far out.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Assuming fit and on form....

15. Foden (Eng)
14.Ashton (Eng)
13. Roberts (Wales)
12. Davies (Wales)
11.North (Wales)
10. Priestland (Wales)
9.Youngs (Eng)

8.Faletau (Wales)
7. Warburton (Wales)
6.Ferris (Ire)
5.Lawes (Eng)
4.Gray (Scot)
3. Murray (scot)
2.Ford (Scot)
1.Jenkins (Wales)

Only 1 from Ireland? Is that ok by the rules?

oh no... (face in palm graphic)

I'TS 2011 PEOPLE!!!

roddersm wrote:

HERSH wrote:Why do so many posters feel the need to pick a Lions team without any English players in it.

I just didn't feel the need to pick any.....

Seriously though I'm sure there would be a number of English players pushing for a place in the side.

History has shown that the test side rarely resembles what people expect prior to the tour. Some player excel on Lions tours and some don't so its impossible to forecast either who will be on tour or who will be in the test side this far out.

History also has shown that players playing well in 2011, can lose form by 2013. It's incredible to believe I know but there you have it...

HERSH wrote:History has shown if the Lions test XV don't have many English players then the tour is doomed from the start.

Yep, the 1971 and 1974 sides were useless...

Ah yes, but more English players would have meant 100% records in both series.

Didn't Woodward pick mostly English players based on past repuation for the 2005 lions tour ?

How'd that work out ?

Thats cos he picked the WRONG English players

Ah yes, but he should have coached the 2001 tour instead of Grihim Hinri.

Glas a du wrote:Ah yes, but he should have coached the 2001 tour instead of Grihim Hinri.

Your'e onto something there...

1F'sgonnagetya! wrote:15) Foden
14) Bowe
13) Tuilagi
12) Roberts
11) North
10) Sexton
9) Young
8) SOB
7) Warburton
6) Ferris
5) POC
4) Gray
3) Jones
2) Best
1) Jenkins

2-1 win to the Lions!

Best was probably the Best hooker from Britain or Ireland at the WC.

Starter/Sub
Foden/Kearney
Ashton/Visser
BOD/Tuilagi
Roberts/Davies
North/Bowe
Priestland/Sexton
Phillips/Youngs

SOB/Heaslip - Faletau no sniff of the squad. Sorry over rated.
Warburton/No one else needed
Ferris/Croft
Grey/POC
AWJ/Charteris
Jenkins/Cole
Best/Hartley
Healy/forget

Sorry baby I can't see how anybody can pick a team on that basis. It's not an exercise in chosing the best two players as you see it in every position. The coach will have a philosophy of play and certain tactics in mind and the team will be chosen accordingly, not the other way around.

lloyd williams at 9 . get down the bookies

swooptoconquer wrote:lloyd williams at 9 . get down the bookies

+1

Josh Navidi is a name to remember as well.

Glas a du wrote:Josh Navidi is a name to remember as well.

Why? Because he looks like a vegetable rights protester?

luckless_pedestrian wrote:

Glas a du wrote:Josh Navidi is a name to remember as well.

Why? Because he looks like a vegetable rights protester?

In the style of Mr Tumble:

"Yees....waaaaaaiiiiit!"

He has now been noticed so can loose the dreads. He is just as good as Tipuric now. In two years he'll be approaching his prime as an open side. If either of Warburton/Tipuric/Turnbull are injured he'll be on the plane and will be a Warburton style revelation down under.

I cannot believe that no one has mentioned Lydiate on this thread as coach,s like to play combinations and in the World cup the Warby and Lydiate combination was just about the best one or did no one watch the Wales v Ireland game where Lydaite was top tackler and second most carries or is it as Shaun Edwards said in an interview in New Zealand that Lydiate was his Favorite player and that the fans and the press have no idea how much Lydiate contributes in the game but the coaches do

Lydiate is one of those players who is good at lots and lots of things but never seems to quite stand out or excel. Things may change hes still a young player and could develop quite nicely into something really special, but as has been noted there isnt exactly a shortage of 6's with something special right now

lostinwales wrote:Lydiate is one of those players who is good at lots and lots of things but never seems to quite stand out or excel.

No, Dan Lydiate is one of those players who excels at the things that don't seem to stand out (to some, at least).

But we also have Croft at 6. Played well for the Lions before. And Ferris and O'Brien. Who both have a real X-factor about them. Ferris for his strength, aggression and counter rucking. He's better than anyone in B&I at this. And O'Brien for his explosive ball carrying. Can't think of anyone who breaks the first tackle more. So I think that's why Lydiate isn't getting many mentions.

You're right about combinations though. It's especially important for the backrow. The three best individuals doesn't necessarily make the best back row combo. So I wouldn't rule Lydiate out.

But when Wales played Ireland, Ireland had more possession and more territory. So it's not really accurate to suggest it was the Welsh pack or Welsh backrow that won it. It was superiory ability to put points on the board when you did have possession. That's why I'd have the likes of Phillips, Roberts and North in my team without a doubt. But I think there's better 6's and 8's in B&I.

luckless_pedestrian wrote:

lostinwales wrote:Lydiate is one of those players who is good at lots and lots of things but never seems to quite stand out or excel.

No, Dan Lydiate is one of those players who excels at the things that don't seem to stand out (to some, at least).

Like tackling and tight work rather than fancy Dan but ineffective seagulling.
Well done sir, couldn't agree more.

Feckless, let's agree it's great that we have plenty of quality there to choose from!

With the current emphasis on youthful exuberance in all the home nations i hope their will be plenty of youngsters putting their case forward for the next tour. Sure to be a few old war horses but plenty of youthful exuberance too.

1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Ken Owens
3. Dan Cole
4. Richie Gray
5. Alyn Wynn Jones
6. Dan Lydiate
7. Sam Warburton (Capt)
8. Toby Faletau
9. Connor Murray
10. George Ford
11. Keith Earls
12. Jamie Roberts
13. Manu Tuilagi
14. George North
15. Felix Jones

Okay, we do. Anyway, to show some humility, where will the Lions be weak? I think we can put out world class players in most positions. 13 is one area of concern. Roberts and O'Driscoll was a great partnership because they complemented each other so well. O'Driscoll won't be on the next tour. My favourite 13 at the moment is Tuilagi. But he's similar to Roberts, in that he's more of a power house than a clever creative player. Who would best partner Roberts? Or should we play Tuilagi with a more creative 12?

I also think the 10 jersey is up for grabs. There's a bunch of players who could emerge as the best in that position over the next 2 years.

Overall I really think we can beat Australia in a test series (unless the Aussie's mange to remove the scrum from rugby union over the next two years. They'll try) . I know they're good and probably gonna get better. But we'll be able to field a serious team. Like we did in '09. I think the old tackle interpretations favoured South Africa in that series which tipped it in their favour. We were the better attacking team.

Glas a du wrote:Sorry baby I can't see how anybody can pick a team on that basis. It's not an exercise in chosing the best two players as you see it in every position. The coach will have a philosophy of play and certain tactics in mind and the team will be chosen accordingly, not the other way around.

I make my own rules.

1. Cian Healy (ire)
2. Ross Ford (sco)
3. Adam Jones (wal)
4. Ritchie Gray (sco)
5. Luke Charteris (wal)
6. Stephen Ferris (ire)
7. Sam Warburton (wal)
8. Toby Faletau (wal)
9. Lloyd Williams (wal)
10. Rhys Preistland (wal)
11. George North (wal)
12. Jamie Roberts (wal)
13. Manu Tuilagi (eng)
14. Tommy Bowe (ire)
15. Ben Foden (eng) / Leigh Halfpenny (wal)

16. Gethin Jenkins (wal)
17. Rory Best (ire)
18. Alun Wyn Jones (wal)
19. Sean O'Brien (wal)
20. Connor Murray (ire)
21. Jonathon Sexton (ire)
22. Ben Foden (eng) / Leigh Halfpenny (wal)


23. Alex Corbiseiro
24. Mike Ross
25. Matthew Rees
26. Courtney Lawes
27. Jamie Heaslip
28. Tom Croft
29. Dan Lydiate
30. Greg Laidlaw
31. Ben Youngs
32. ??? Replacement FH
33. Jonathon Davies
34. ??? A new centre
35. Chris Ashton
36. Keith Earls
37. Rob Kearney

I reckon Scotland will conteribute the following to the Lions :

Probables :
Ford, Gray, Barclay, Laidlaw, Weir, Visser

Possibles :
Brown, Murray, McInally, Jones, Beattie, Scott, M Evans

Tough to call with almost 2 years of rugby between now and then. Pretty much anything can happen, I remember Lions threads like this in 2009 looking ahead to the 2013 tour. Most people sais Thom Evans will tour in 2013, look how that turned out

Yep. And I was certain the 2013 Lions backrow would Ferris, Barclay, Heaslip. Would have put money on it. But now O'Brien and Warburton look brilliant and Lydiate, Faletau and Wood are on the scene too.

Even now we're too far away to say with any certainty who'll be there. The OP admits so himself: fourteen places in his XV are blank and the one name there - Rhys Priestland - isn't guaranteed his place either!

No stand out hookers in B&I atm, apart from Ross Ford. He can consider his name penciled in at the moment, same can be said for Warburton at 7 and Ben Foden at 15 I reckon. Would like to go on and see a lock partnership of Gray and Charteris aswell. The two fly-halves will be Sexton and Priestland. Another should emerge as a contender before 2013. I think this Lions team could have more of a balance of 4 nations unlike the previous two tours. There is an abundace of bind-sides that will be available and I think this could see Danny Lydiate miss out.

A lot of youngsters coming through in Wales who will be putting their hands up. Not sure of what's coming in from Eng, Ire and Scotland. Laidlaw, Jackson, Leonard, Visser, Lamont? Should definitely see more than 2 players from Scotland on this tour.

Morgannwg wrote:No stand out hookers in B&I atm, apart from Ross Ford. He can consider his name penciled in at the moment, same can be said for Warburton at 7 and Ben Foden at 15 I reckon.

Not so sure about Ben Foden - He was not great at the WC, and in my opinion, his defence isnt up to scratch - he could well be under a lot of pressure from Halfpenny and even Kearney if he can reclaim the Ireland 15 shirt.

wales606, I think those are likely to be the 3 full backs, perhaps Liam Williams can push on aswell. I do not agree with you about Foden, he had one bad game at the world cup. In every other game he's played in throughout his career he has been excellent. He certainly would have made a hell of a difference had he played for Saints last Friday night.

Morgannwg wrote:wales606, I think those are likely to be the 3 full backs, perhaps Liam Williams can push on aswell. I do not agree with you about Foden, he had one bad game at the world cup. In every other game he's played in throughout his career he has been excellent. He certainly would have made a hell of a difference had he played for Saints last Friday night.

I agree that he is a very good attacker, but i've seen him mess up defensively far to often.

Glas a du wrote:Josh Navidi is a name to remember as well.

Who?

Scottish qualified open side

Glas a du wrote:Scottish qualified open side

Surely not, since he played for the Wales U20s (and captained them) that makes him Welsh right? (cant remember the complicated rules, but he played against France - I think - who dont have an A-side so its classed as a second to full international game, so he cant be capped for anyone else)

The means I was gently ribbing, taking the pish, see?

Glas a du wrote:The means I was gently ribbing, taking the pish, see?

I know, I was just sayin...

Navidi has looked very good for the Blues and will no doubt get more opportunities with Warburton with Wales - Makes be regret the fact that Dia Young forced PT to offer Martyn a new contract. Martyn has hardly played and we dont really need him atm.

Glas a du wrote:The means I was gently ribbing, taking the pish, see?

Now you see, that's just cluver