Clubs won't be able to refuse Lions their places.

by maestegmafia Mon Sep 10, 2012 5:16 pm

The Lions tour will fall within the IRB window and players will be released five days before the first match by IRB mandate.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/19531991

by Knowsit17 Mon Sep 10, 2012 5:19 pm

Excellent news, unrestricted access to everyone they need. Can see the French clubs fuming over this.

by maestegmafia Mon Sep 10, 2012 5:23 pm

Knowsit17 wrote:Excellent news, unrestricted access to everyone they need. Can see the French clubs fuming over this.

Not all. It appears only Toulon are uncooperative towards International demands.

by Pete C (Kiwireddevil) Mon Sep 10, 2012 5:28 pm

maestegmafia wrote:
Knowsit17 wrote:Excellent news, unrestricted access to everyone they need. Can see the French clubs fuming over this.

Not all. It appears only Toulon are uncooperative towards International demands.

Have any of the others been asked?

French attitudes may change depending on the condition of French-based Pumas players after the Rugby Championship - we've already seen Contepomi retire from international level in favour of club.

by red_stag Mon Sep 10, 2012 5:29 pm

However there is nothing to stop players turning down the Lions.

I doubt any of them would refuse what is usually a once in a lifetime honour.

by maestegmafia Mon Sep 10, 2012 5:30 pm

If the players choose the tour over their club, then the IRB will back the plays and th lions.

by maestegmafia Mon Sep 10, 2012 5:31 pm

red_stag wrote:However there is nothing to stop players turning down the Lions.

I doubt any of them would refuse what is usually a once in a lifetime honour.

As well as a potentially big one off earner for the cynical world of modern rugby.

by Guest Mon Sep 10, 2012 5:40 pm

I think Wilkinson and Gethin will be needed from Toulon,so this is great news.

1.Corbs
2.Ford
3.Adam

4.Wyn-Jones
5.POC

6.Ferris
8.Denton
7.Robshaw

9.Care
10.Wilkinson

12.Roberts
13.Davies

11.North
15.Kearney
14.Chutbert

Bench
Cole
Best
Gethin
Lydiate
Shingler or Croft
Phillips
Flood
Halfpenny

am i right to assume Cole and Corbs can play both sides of the scrum?

by BigTrevsbigmac Mon Sep 10, 2012 5:47 pm

I know a lot of the talk has been over the release of Gethin Jenkins but Andy Sheridan is keeping him out of the the Toulon starting team.

by thebandwagonsociety Mon Sep 10, 2012 5:48 pm

viewtothegym wrote:I think Wilkinson and Gethin will be needed from Toulon,so this is great news.

1.Corbs
2.Ford
3.Adam

4.Wyn-Jones
5.POC

6.Ferris
8.Denton
7.Robshaw

9.Care
10.Wilkinson

12.Roberts
13.Davies

11.North
15.Kearney
14.Chutbert

Bench
Cole
Best
Gethin
Lydiate
Shingler or Croft
Phillips
Flood
Halfpenny

am i right to assume Cole and Corbs can play both sides of the scrum?

Not a bad side. Put Hartley on the bench in front of Best, Bring Foden onto the bench and 1/2p in for Kearney, RichieG in for POC and replace Ferris with Warburton as he will probably be injured and that should be the side.

by thebandwagonsociety Mon Sep 10, 2012 5:52 pm

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:I know a lot of the talk has been over the release of Gethin Jenkins but Andy Sheridan is keeping him out of the the Toulon starting team.

Sheridan is the kind of big lump and destructive set piece player that would suit the Top14's attritional nature more than flanker style open play of Jenkins. Plus Toulon have loads of players who love to play that tackling flanker style role in that team.

by ChequeredJersey Mon Sep 10, 2012 6:05 pm

viewtothegym wrote:I think Wilkinson and Gethin will be needed from Toulon,so this is great news.

1.Corbs
2.Ford
3.Adam

4.Wyn-Jones
5.POC

6.Ferris
8.Denton
7.Robshaw

9.Care
10.Wilkinson

12.Roberts
13.Davies

11.North
15.Kearney
14.Chutbert

Bench
Cole
Best
Gethin
Lydiate
Shingler or Croft
Phillips
Flood
Halfpenny

am i right to assume Cole and Corbs can play both sides of the scrum?

Haven't seen Cole play LH, but Corbs can even if he hasn't for a while. I think the Lions may have 8 man benches though

by maestegmafia Mon Sep 10, 2012 6:07 pm

I would presume that he intended Cole as Tighthead cover and Jenkins as Loosehead cover on his 8 man bench.

by ChequeredJersey Mon Sep 10, 2012 6:08 pm

maestegmafia wrote:I would presume that he intended Cole as Tighthead cover and Jenkins as Loosehead cover on his 8 man bench.

Yeah, but he asked if they could play both sides of the scrum. It doesn't really matter any more. If the 23 man squads are kept that is

by HammerofThunor Mon Sep 10, 2012 6:23 pm

Those rules don't clearly show that the players must be released 5 days before the 01/06 game. It says the release period is generally 01/06 but I imagine it would the appropriate Monday (which would be 03/06 in this case). It then says that the players must be released for training 5 days before the tour starts. Does the Barbarians game count or not? It's not generally considered a test (except the Welsh) and the Lions tour is to Australia. So the French clubs may still be able to with hold their players until 03/06.

Not sure in all this but there are no quotes from the IRB saying the French final falls inside the release window.

by TJ1 Mon Sep 10, 2012 8:37 pm

Wilkinson? he should be no where near the team.

by BigTrevsbigmac Mon Sep 10, 2012 8:50 pm

thebandwagonsociety wrote:
BigTrevsbigmac wrote:I know a lot of the talk has been over the release of Gethin Jenkins but Andy Sheridan is keeping him out of the the Toulon starting team.

Sheridan is the kind of big lump and destructive set piece player that would suit the Top14's attritional nature more than flanker style open play of Jenkins. Plus Toulon have loads of players who love to play that tackling flanker style role in that team.

Jenkins has always been on the bench.
However, I don't think there is much between Corbs & Healey & injuries permitting Jenkins so it would be a loss we could cope with.

by maestegmafia Tue Sep 11, 2012 6:50 pm

Western Mail Online Rugby wrote:
AMID all the fuss about French-based Welsh stars not being released for the Lions, let’s not lose sight of the fact the issue might never happen, probably never will.

The most encouraging thing is that none of our players play for Toulouse, who are by far and away the most likely of the Top 14 to be involved in the June 1 final which clashes with the Lions’ first game against the Barbarians in Hong Kong.

But considering Perpignan, home to James Hook and Luke Charteris, lost their first three games in the competition this term, they are already looking unlikely to go all the way.

And Mike Phillips’ Bayonne, who were involved along with Perpignan in a scrap to avoid relegation last season can be discounted too.

No, the only one who is a worry is Gethin Jenkins, whose Toulon side were unbeaten in their first trio of fixtures before playing Bordeaux yesterday and have the artillery to go all the way in their domestic championship.

But then again, is it really that much of a worry?

Jenkins is the type of player who, if he’s in form, isn’t going to be left behind simply because he can’t make the Lions’ exhibition run-out against the Baa-Baas.

My bet is that Gatland will allow him to join up with the Lions squad a few days late just as Sir Clive Woodward did with Gareth Thomas in 2005.

Let’s face it, with a player like Jenkins he’d be pretty silly not to.

Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbynation/rugby-news/2012/09/09/delme-parfitt-much-ado-about-nothing-over-lions-french-worry-91466-31796024/#ixzz26BVYot69

by ChequeredJersey Tue Sep 11, 2012 6:52 pm

Jenkins isn't too bad, we can cover LH easily enough

by mowgli Tue Sep 11, 2012 7:20 pm

all this speculation about wilko, sheirdan, jenkins etc is hilarious....noen of these guys are at the peak of their careers and i wonder what Gatland is up to.. I would be surprised if any of the players who play in France, perhaps with the exception of Philipps, are nailed on to go and i wonder if this is Gats masterful game plan to lead the Aussies to believe he is going to bring the old guard like SCW did.

by thebandwagonsociety Wed Sep 12, 2012 10:15 am

It is good strategy divert attention and debate towards this topic, when other aspects of the Lions tour are being sorted out.

What other decisions are being made at the minute?
What back room staff is he assembling?
Has he identified/approached who he wants to make captain?

by LordDowlais Wed Sep 12, 2012 10:18 am

mowgli wrote:all this speculation about wilko, sheirdan, jenkins etc is hilarious....noen of these guys are at the peak of their careers and i wonder what Gatland is up to.. I would be surprised if any of the players who play in France, perhaps with the exception of Philipps, are nailed on to go and i wonder if this is Gats masterful game plan to lead the Aussies to believe he is going to bring the old guard like SCW did.

I wouldn't start with Jenkins or Sheridan, for me the best loosie in GB and Ireland is Paul James.

by Jimpy Wed Sep 12, 2012 10:43 am

If I was a professional player under contract, i'd do the professional thing and honour my contract - rather than leaving my club in the lurch whilst I went off to pretend to be mates with a load of blokes who normally wouldn't be seen dead with me, whilst having myself torn a new one by southern hemisphere opposition (again).

Other opinions are available.

by maestegmafia Wed Sep 12, 2012 10:48 am

Jimpy wrote:If I was a professional player under contract, i'd do the professional thing and honour my contract - rather than leaving my club in the lurch whilst I went off to pretend to be mates with a load of blokes who normally wouldn't be seen dead with me, whilst having myself torn a new one by southern hemisphere opposition (again).

Other opinions are available.

What are your other opinions?

by FranklinTempleton Wed Sep 12, 2012 1:02 pm

LordDowlais wrote:
mowgli wrote:all this speculation about wilko, sheirdan, jenkins etc is hilarious....noen of these guys are at the peak of their careers and i wonder what Gatland is up to.. I would be surprised if any of the players who play in France, perhaps with the exception of Philipps, are nailed on to go and i wonder if this is Gats masterful game plan to lead the Aussies to believe he is going to bring the old guard like SCW did.

I wouldn't start with Jenkins or Sheridan, for me the best loosie in GB and Ireland is Paul James.

LOL

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