Homepage

First topic message reminder :

Fantasy Aviva Premiership Current League Table

---

---

Teams

Bath RFC	InTheFastLane
Exeter Chiefs	Driver - RIP 606
Gloucester	Anonmattyt
Harlequins	Steven_Sharks
Leicester Tigers	LukeLovesLuka
London Irish	stnick88
London Wasps	Arry
Newcastle Falcons	Sgt_Pooly
Northampton Saints	Dammit_Chris
Sale Sharks	SirJohnnyEnglish
Saracens	Ozzy3213
Worcester Warriors	prop_lyd

---

Links
Rules
Fixtures
Aviva Premiership League Table
European Homepage
LV Cup homepage
Budgets
Domestic Confirmations
Transfer Homepage
Foreign Transfers
Press Releases
National League Players

---

Waiting List
1. pullthestrings
2. Bathite

Cole or Jones is a tough one. I think Cole offers more in the loose.

I like Ford , he has his odd hiccups at the throw but otherwise he's a good all round hooker.

Pete

Who do you think will overtake Rees? Huw Bennett is off to D2 , Do you think Lloyd Burns will push him out?

The prop positions are competitive, you could make reasonable arguments for a number of players, likewise the lock jerseys.

I would say at this stage barring injury or a dramatic loss of form only Best and Warburton can really be in any way certain of a starting berth.

Burns has retied through injury hasn't he?

I would say Ken Owens will nudge ahead of Rees for the Scarlets and Wales in the next 12 months, and possible Richard Hibbard too if he can stay injury free.

Lloyd Burns retired didn't he?

I'd have said that Richie Grey is nailed on to start in the 2nd row.

agree think grey will definitely start.

Ken Owens sorry , it's just Burns being in the media light i got them confused. I think that they are 3 nailed on starters in the Lions squad.

4.Richie Grey
7.Sam Warburton
9.Connor Murrey

Grey is a talent, but I've not seen him dominate really at international level. You also have other players in those jerseys who for me are of a similar level or not a million mile behind him, which is why I wouldn't say he is nailed on just yet.

Summer tours will likely gives us a few more pointers.

Conor Murray isn't even nailed on for Ireland, he has been terrible since the turn of the year for Munster.

I'd say that 9 is really up in the air.

Dickson, Care, Youngs, Murray, Phillips and Blair all have a claim to it.

I think Murrey is pretty nailed on , I don't think Gats will start with Youngs.

I honestly think Lee Dickson is no where near Danny Care , Ben Youngs , Connor Murrey , Mike Phillips or Mike Blair.

I guess it all boils down to form.

my side would currently be

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Cole
4. Grey
5. POC
6. Denton
7. Warburton
8. Heaslip
9. Phillips
10. Sexton
11. Cuthbert
12. Tuilagi
13. Davies
14. North
15. Kearney

Lee Dickson has been twice the player of Youngs and Murray since Xmas.

You only have to look at how he changed England's fortunes when he was brought into the side.

Tuilagi is a big call at 12 , especially over Roberts.

Roberts for me has been lacking something this season. Tuilagi offers more than just the crash ball.

I think Gatland would go for something like

1. Healy
2. Hartley
3. Jones
4. Grey
5. Lawes
6. Lydiate
7. Warburton
8. Morgan
9. Phillips
10. Sexton
11. Halfpenny
12. Roberts
13. Tuilagi
14. North
15. Kearney

I still can't see Tuilagi moving there unless he gets a serious run of game time there over the next 12 months

I think he will be encouraged to move there by England but not Leicester.

Injuries will likely make selection much easier.

Will be so very interesting.

I mean it is very unlikely that a fit and firing BOD will be left at home and even more difficult to leave him out of the test side when out there.

1. Jenkins
2. Best
3. Cole
4. Grey
5. POC
6. Lydiate
7. Warburton
8. Heaslip

09. Youngs
10. Sexton
11. North
12. ROberts
13. BOD
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

16. Healy
17. Hartley
18. Lawes
19. Ferris
20. Murray
21. Flood
22. Tuilagi

Hell of a side with so many tough calls.

i am not sure BOD or POC will make it out there - their bodies must be in constant agony.

BOD always amazes me, each game I see him in he looks like he is playing with injuries - incredible player, he must be 33 or so now though?

so many tough calls.

be a smaller england representation than usual I think.

Scotland should have a few more than usual I'd have thought.

How he played like he did on Saturday having had a knee injury is beyond me. Still so classy and so solid. Amazing guy really.

for me care is the form 9, then phillips.

currently id go...

1 healy
2 best
3 cole
4 grey
5 poc
6 ferris
7 warbs
8 denton
9 care
10 sexton
11 north
12 roberts
13 tuilagi
14 halfpenny
15 kearney

I'm more optimistic about this tour than the 09 tour that's for sure.

But anyway if i was Gats it would be

1.Cian Healy
2.Rory Best
3.Dan Cole
4.Richie Grey
5.Paul O'Connell
6.Tom Croft
7.Sam Warburton
8.Ben Morgan

9.Connor Murrey
10.Johnny Sexton
11.Tommy Bowe
12.Jamie Roberts
13.Brian O'Driscoll
14.George North
15.Rob Kearney

16.Ford/Rees/Hartley 17.Adam Jones 18.Courtney Lawes 19.Sean O'Brian 20.Ben Youngs 21.Rhys Priestland 22.Manu Tuilagi

Think you'v got to get the balance right of the whole squad and have a 'counter' player on the bench.

for me croft wont even travel would prefer SOB, ferris, lydiate

Croft offers something different to the others though, so I think it will come down to the balance of the squad.

See now think Lydiate is massively overhyped! I'm not saying he's poor but he's not as good as he's made out to be

first time for a while the Lions haven;t been touring the best side in the world. Oz 2001, AB;s 2005 SA 2009 all the best sides in the world at the time.

Defensively he is as good as any 6 out there, just doesn't offer anything in attack really.

Ozzy3213 wrote:Defensively he is as good as any 6 out there, just doesn't offer anything in attack really.

That's what i think about him. I think having Croft at 6 lets you play with a higher tempo with Warburton doing the hard graft at 7.

im not a huge croft fan but appreciate he has certaing good attributes

If you don't mind me putting in my thoughts guys, long time reader, first time poster (...the other board is dead atm and no point in creating two stories on different threads!)

Surprised no one has included Faletau in the discussion for a lions shirt?

saw a rugby journalist describe Lydiate as the new Richard Hill - defensively awesome, don't think there is a better player than him in that, he doesnt attack as well, so need the balance in a no8 who can, Heaslip or Morgan for me.

can't see Robshaw making it

Lydiate suits Wales as they have two good carriers in Warbs, Faletau. He's there to cut things up and offers little else really, suits the way Wales play but not anywhere near the class of Croft or Ferris.

Best & Warburton on nailed on for me, Gray and Sexton pretty nailed on too.

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Jones/Cole
4. POC
5. Gray
6. Ferris
7. Warburton
8. Morgan/Faletau

9. Phillips
10. Sexton
11. North
12. JD
13. BOD
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

16. Ford
17. Cole/Jones
18. Jenkins
19. Parling/Evans
20. SOB/Croft
21. Youngs
22. Flood
23. Halfpenny

Bowe needs to hit the ground running for Ulster next season if he's going to get a starting shirt as he's been well below par this season.

Wasn't Bowe top try scorer in 6N? He was fantastic for Ireland

You must have watched different games to me if he was fantastic in the ones you were watching Pooly.

http://www.irishrugby.ie/sixnations/25934.php

Yea he was top try scorer with 5......Bowe was fantastic in the 6N. Hard to knock a winger for bagging 5 in 5. Find it hard to believe you honestly think other wise tbh, I know it final time and stuff but Bowe was one of Irelands best players.

bowe was below par for his usual high standards - I can't see beyond North and Halfpenny for wing spots at the moment.

which means Foden wouldnt make the 22! he's my favourite all round fb but Kearney is in special form and possibly the best fb I have seen under the high ball!

Ozzy3213 wrote:You must have watched different games to me if he was fantastic in the ones you were watching Pooly.

Obviously I did, he even played ok in England match when most were pretty terrible.

do you reckon they'll move him to 13 once BOD hangs up his boots?

I think what you've got to consider is that besides the Wales game , Ireland kept to a narrow minded game plan and didn't use there wingers in midfield as much as they usually do hence why Bowe saw less of the ball but still 5 tries is pretty good

Nothing to do with final time at all mate. For me he was well below his best and has been all year. Not slagging him at all, and he has a shot at a shirt, but on current form he would not start.

I think he's been back to best personally after going off the boil last year. Only time he struggled a little was when North was battering everyone. He was fantastic against France & Italy.....tough to say the 6N top try scorer was "below par" ?!?!

Halfpenny doesn't play wing anymore on Int stage so be very surprised if he did for Lions.


Against France:

14. Tommy Bowe – 9

His speed up to the French backs in defence created the first try (along with the ‘cadeaux’ from Rougerie) and almost created two more interception tries in a crazy first half. You could argue he should have passed for Kearney for the second, but ultimately, he scored, so it’s hard to criticise. 5 tries in 3 games for Ireland’s finisher, a great all round game

Against Italy:

14. Tommy Bowe – 8/10

If Kearney is due a try, how about poor Tommy? Should have had two but for shoddy officiating. Back to his best in the line-running department and set up his captain’s opening try.

halfpenny is as comfortable on wing as he is at 15 so would have no problem playing him there

As well as finishing top scorer Bowe also made team of 6N's for the following:

BBC
Telegraph
RugbyBlog
The Guardian
Setanta
Yahoo/Eurosport
RTE
Etc....etc....

Perhaps you watched different games Pete as Bowe came out pretty well on the whole.

I think Halfpenny will travel as back 3 cover, great bench option.

Halfpenny easily most invform back alongside Kearney - if Lions were picked today Bowe wouldn't be starting ahead of him or North on the wings I dont think.

Still a long way to go - hopefully a few more English put their hands up for selection - can see Hartley, Cole, Morgan, Tuilagi as most likely to get a spot in the match day 22.

I disagree, Halfpenny has been great but at FB. I think he's a better FB than wing. Bowe/North streets ahead for wing spots imo.

Ulster are going to be some team next year....