Lions injustices

by AsLongAsBut100ofUs Tue 24 Jan 2012, 9:56 pm

Which player(s) that made a Lions party and only turned out for the midweek dirt-trackers when they should have won a test cap(s)? Extend that to which players never made a Lions party at all but should have?

To get this going, Colin Deans is one that sticks in my memory - possibly the greatest hooker that Scotland has ever produced (no Leith jokes, pls!), but found himself behind the Lions captain for all test matches despite clearly being the better player and so had to be content with midweek games in the famous red shirt

by red_stag Tue 24 Jan 2012, 9:59 pm

Few Irish players Im surprised never made a lions tour - Anthony Foley, Trevor Brennan, Peter Stringer

by Looseheaded Tue 24 Jan 2012, 10:01 pm

Leonard on the 97 tour.

by Taylorman Tue 24 Jan 2012, 10:02 pm

Mike gibson was relegated to the midweek games during the 77 lions tour when even though on his 5th tour his experience could have made more of a difference than fenwicks efforts as he played his usual consistent game midweek. Perhaps they wanted a more solid midfield to combat osborne and robertson but that was one of the standout omissions in an otherwise brilliant tour.

by AsLongAsBut100ofUs Tue 24 Jan 2012, 10:02 pm

But didn't Smith and Wallace play out of their skins, Looseheaded?

by Looseheaded Tue 24 Jan 2012, 10:02 pm

I still think he deserved to at least feature, not start.

by red_stag Tue 24 Jan 2012, 10:05 pm

Charlie Hodgson in 2005 is biggest injustice I can remember.

by **rodders** Tue 24 Jan 2012, 10:05 pm

David Humphreys, Simon Geoghegan and Paddy Johns have never toured.

The great Alan Quinlan blew his chance and Rory Best is yet to tour.

by TJ1 Wed 25 Jan 2012, 12:34 am

Jason White. BY far the best in his posiiotion but overlooked for inferiot players altho he did tour

by maestegmafia Wed 25 Jan 2012, 1:25 am

Robert Jones playing second fiddle to the appalling Dewi Morris in 93 was a travesty that was hard to watch.

by gowales Wed 25 Jan 2012, 4:19 am

Non english players on the 05 tour

by aucklandlaurie Wed 25 Jan 2012, 4:37 am

1971,British Lion,Sandy Carmichael (Scotland) thought Canterbury were unjust.

by gowales Wed 25 Jan 2012, 5:53 am

Chris Patterson should have been selected for the 05 or 09 squad.
Tom Shanklin would be a contender for most unlucky, he was selected for both 05 and 09 but missed out on both through injury.

by **George Carlin** Wed 25 Jan 2012, 6:35 am

red_stag wrote:Charlie Hodgson in 2005 is biggest injustice I can remember.

Agreed Staggy - his partnership with Cusiter in the midweek games worked brilliantly.

by bedfordwelsh Wed 25 Jan 2012, 8:33 am

Looseheaded wrote:Leonard on the 97 tour.

I am a huge fan of the funbus but you can't say it was a travesty that he never got a cap in 97 as the others were just better than him and they went onto win the series.

by AsLongAsBut100ofUs Wed 25 Jan 2012, 8:35 am

gowales wrote:Non english players on the 05 tour

by AsLongAsBut100ofUs Wed 25 Jan 2012, 8:36 am

aucklandlaurie wrote: 1971,British Lion,Sandy Carmichael (Scotland) thought Canterbury were unjust.

Laurie, was that the tour where Big Eck refused to get involved in any handbags cos he didn't believe it was necessary? From memory the rest of the two packs were knocking lumps out of each other, but SC just stood and watched

by geoff998rugby Wed 25 Jan 2012, 8:48 am

red_stag wrote:Few Irish players Im surprised never made a lions tour - Anthony Foley, Trevor Brennan, Peter Stringer

Stag I know we have talked about this off line but one of the reasons Trevor Brennan never made it was his personality.

If memory serves me correctly the Munster contingent in the Ireland squad told the coach of the day that either he was kicked out of the Ireland squad or they were walking out on the team.

He was never going to play for the Lions when his fellow Irishmen didn't want to play with him.

Also on the pitch he was a bit of a penalty machine - was not able to maintain discipline in pressure cooker situations

by bedfordwelsh Wed 25 Jan 2012, 8:56 am

Jiffy.

by westisbest Wed 25 Jan 2012, 8:56 am

I know he was picked in 05, but I was surprised when Hickie wasnt picked in 01.

Stringer is one I thought would have been picked over the years.

by thomh Wed 25 Jan 2012, 9:21 am

gowales wrote:Chris Patterson should have been selected for the 05 or 09 squad.

As good a player as he has been, I don't really see what value he'd have added to the squad.

by Imperialbigdave Wed 25 Jan 2012, 9:39 am

thomh wrote:
gowales wrote:Chris Patterson should have been selected for the 05 or 09 squad.

As good a player as he has been, I don't really see what value he'd have added to the squad.

He was considered by all the pundits to be the best fullback of the 05 6N, so at that time it was quite a snub, although I dont think he sshouldve been there in 09.

by bedfordwelsh Wed 25 Jan 2012, 9:47 am

Getting selected for the Lions is in similar way getting slected for Country.

All you can ask of players is that throughout the season they do their best and put thier hand up for selection.

Paterson done that in 05 and was, has as been said the best XV in the 6 Nations that year so I think most would have expected him to be selected.

by RuggerRadge2611 Wed 25 Jan 2012, 10:00 am

bedfordwelsh wrote:Getting selected for the Lions is in similar way getting slected for Country.

All you can ask of players is that throughout the season they do their best and put thier hand up for selection.

Paterson done that in 05 and was, has as been said the best XV in the 6 Nations that year so I think most would have expected him to be selected.

I'm glad he missed out on that abortion of a tour. He deserved the cap for the Lions but it's not exactly a great tour to remember.

He would have almost certainly never have been picked for the tests and would have joined Geech's unbeaten dirt trackers.

by funnyExiledScot Wed 25 Jan 2012, 10:05 am

Doddie Weir in 1997. Injured by a disgraceful and deliberate blow to his knee - a different type of injustice but an injustice nonetheless. Jeremy Davidson was good, but Johnson and Weir could have been one of the great second row partnerships.

by **rodders** Wed 25 Jan 2012, 10:10 am

Agree Doddie Weir was very unlucky but Jeremy Davidson was voted players player of the series, so to say he was 'good' is a bit of an understatement.

He was outstanding and outshone even Johnson in that series and completely dominated the lineout against a very strong boks 2nd row pairing.

by Luckless Pedestrian Wed 25 Jan 2012, 10:37 am

Darren Morris on the 2001 tour of Australia.

by **rodders** Wed 25 Jan 2012, 10:44 am

Did Will Carling ever get a Lions cap? I know he toured in 1993 but not sure if he made the test team?

by AsLongAsBut100ofUs Wed 25 Jan 2012, 10:45 am

Yup, he played in one test

by Cymroglan Wed 25 Jan 2012, 10:50 am

Ahh Second Lieutenant Carling met him a couple of times when he served with the Royal Regiment of Wales nice guy and a good laugh.

by geoff998rugby Wed 25 Jan 2012, 11:05 am

funnyExiledScot wrote:Doddie Weir in 1997. Injured by a disgraceful and deliberate blow to his knee - a different type of injustice but an injustice nonetheless. Jeremy Davidson was good, but Johnson and Weir could have been one of the great second row partnerships.

Davidson was better than Johnson in that series.
Without injury he would have gone on more tours.

by funnyExiledScot Wed 25 Jan 2012, 2:28 pm

Perhaps, but had Weir not been injured I don't think Davidson would have played.

I agree that Davidson was outstanding, but it doesn't dampen the injustice for poor Weir who was in line to play.

A bit like Ferris on the last tour. Croft was ultimately an outstanding replacement, but had Ferris not been injured I don't think Croft would have played.

by ScarletSpiderman Wed 25 Jan 2012, 2:36 pm

Colin Paterson back in 2005 should have gone on the Lions tour but Woodwood said that Colin Paterson was a specialist and he wanted people who had gave wider options or some nonesence.

And yes I know it is Chris Paterson, but lets face it no matter how well he played he had no chance of being selected by a coach who couldn't even get his first name right!

by AsLongAsBut100ofUs Wed 25 Jan 2012, 2:36 pm

by funnyExiledScot Wed 25 Jan 2012, 2:43 pm

Colin Paterson, Jimmy White and Graham Bulloch - the Lions that could have been in 2005!!

by R!skysports Wed 25 Jan 2012, 4:46 pm

Me - toured in NZ in 2005 and did not get a call up. I would have gone straight on in the first test and told the guys - they have worked out the line out - STOP THROWING IT LONG

Maybe also told some of them that the granny bus is that way, and get off our land and let the young uns a chance

Then again, enjoyed drinking my fill with the local lassies - so might have refused anyway

by kiakahaaotearoa Wed 25 Jan 2012, 5:02 pm

Simon Taylor was unlucky with injuries. He always seemed to pick them up in the first match that took him out of contention.

Austin Healey caused rather than received injustice.

by Taffineastbourne Wed 25 Jan 2012, 5:10 pm

Mike Campbell-Lamerton getting the captaincy instead of Alun Pask.

by bedfordwelsh Wed 25 Jan 2012, 5:46 pm

roddersm wrote:Did Will Carling ever get a Lions cap? I know he toured in 1993 but not sure if he made the test team?

Yeah he played in the first test I think but was then replaced by a young up and coming Scott Gibbs if I am correct.

by dewplikuttukkawnt Wed 25 Jan 2012, 6:18 pm

Biggest lions injustices?

1. Anyone who started the 1st test in 2005
2. Anyone who didn't start the 1st test in 2005.

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