Your Lions squad- Final 6 Nations Week.

First topic message reminder :

Ok, so the trials are now over, and all the 6 nations matches done.

The Lions normally take 37 players on tour, 2 teams of 15 and 7 substitutes.

However now the substitutes bench is now 8 players (not 7), to include another specialist prop. So were looking at a squad of 38. So we need 2 players for each position, 1 extra front row forward in all 3 places, a lock, a back row player, a scrum half, a fly half and a utility back. The extra back row player is normally an Open side, so you'll want three Open sides in your squad.

Usual rules don't moan about my squad unless your going to post one yourself.

(1) Utility Back: James Hook (covers 10,12,13,15)

(2) Full backs: Leigh Halfpenny, Stuart Hogg
(2) Right Wing: George North, Tommy Bowe (if fit)
(2) Left Wing: Alex Cuthbert, Tim Visser

(2) Outside Center: Brian O'Driscoll, Manu Tuilagi
(2) Inside Center: Jamie Roberts, Luke Marshall (going to take a punt on him)

(3) Fly Hlaf: Dan Biggar, Owen Farrell, Jonathan Sexton
(3) Scrum Half: Mike Phillips, Conor Murray, Danny Care

(1) Utility Back Row Forward: Ryan Jones (4,5,6,8,)
(2) Number Eight: Toby Faletau, Sean O'Brien
(2) Openside Flanker: Sam Warburton, Justin Tipuric
(2) Blindside Flanker: Chris Robshaw, James Haskell

(1) Spare Lock: Geoff Parling
(2) Middle Lock: Paul O'Connell, Ian Evans
(2) Front Lock: Richie Gray, Alun Wyn Jones

(3) Tight Head Prop: Adam Jones, Dan Cole, Mike Ross
(3) Hooker: Richard Hibbard, Rory Best, Tom Youngs
(3) Loose Head Prop: Gethin Jenkins, Mako Vunipola, Cian Healy

Players in squad:
Wales: 16
Ireland: 10
England: 9
Scotland: 3

Morgannwg wrote:

Recwatcher wrote:Gatlands Lions selection and his justifications will be very interesting. Wales have recently played a very depleted Australian team four times and failed to record a win. The welsh pressure game won't work in Australia with SH refs. Walsh now represents Australia on the panel, so the Lions will not get him.,

As opposed to whenever England play them Aus are suddenly the best team in the world. Ireland versus England was the worst game in the 6 Nations but you all said it was a gripping, hard-fought, exciting win while the France/Wales game was terrible. Idiocy at it's finest. And yes of course, not forgetting we only smashed you yesterday because Walsh is anti-english. What a sweet victory. Bye bye chariots.

Finest day in the history of Welsh Rugby.
Beating "big brother by 27 points". Hilarious and tear jerking.
Completely ruthless. Intensity never dropped. No compassion.

Very disappointed we leaked 3 points.

And they were lucky to get those 3. I thought it was a good turnover by Warburton.

FB Halfpenny, Hogg
WINGS North,Cuthbert, Maitland, Bowe if fit/Zebo
Cen Bod, Roberts, Davies, Tuilagi
OH Sexton, Biggar, Farrell
SH Phillips, Laidlaw, Youngs
UB Kearney
TH Jones, Cole, Murray
Hooker Best, Hibbard Ford
LH Jenkins, Healy, Corbisiero/Grant
SR AWJ, Evans, Launchberry, Grey if fit/Parling
BS Robshaw, SOB
OS Tipuric, Warburton
8 Faletau, Morgan if fit/Beattie
UF R Jones, K Brown
16 Welsh, 8 English 7 Scottish, 7 Irish

LH: Jenkins, Healy, Corbs ( Vunipolo if not fit)
Hooker: Hibbard, Youngs, Best
TH: Jones, Cole, Murray
Locks: Jones, Evans, Launchberry, Gray, Hines
Blindside: Robshaw, Wood, O Brien
Openside: Warburton Tipuric
No 8: Faletau, Morgan,

SH: Phillips, Youngs, Laidlaw
OH: Farrell, Sexton
LW: North, Zebo
IC: Roberts, Twelvetrees
OC: J Davies, Tuilagi, BOD
RW: Halfpenny, Cuthbert
FB: Hogg, Brown

14 Welsh 12 English 5 Irish 5 Scottish

Utility Back:Ian Madigan

Full backs: Leigh Halfpenny,Rob Kearney
Right Wing: George North, Tommy Bowe (if fit)
Left Wing: Alex Cuthbert,Sean Maidment

Centers: Brian O'Driscoll, Manu Tuilagi Jamie Roberts, Jon Davies

Fly Hlaf: Dan Biggar, Owen Farrell, Jonathan Sexton
Scrum Half: Mike Phillips, Conor Murray, Danny Care

Utility Back Row Forward: Ryan Jones
Number Eight: Toby Faletau, Billy Vunipola
Openside Flanker: Sam Warburton, Justin Tipuric
Blindside Flanker: Chris Robshaw, Sean O'Brien

Spare Lock: Geoff Parling
Middle Lock: Paul O'Connell, Ian Evans
Front Lock: Richie Gray, Alun Wyn Jones
Tight Head Prop: Adam Jones, Dan Cole, Euan Murray
Hooker: Richard Hibbard, Rory Best, Tom Youngs
Loose Head Prop: Gethin Jenkins, Mako Vunipola, Cian Healy

Is it tradition for the Lions to take one uncapped player? I've added Billy Vunipola for this reason....bit got a feeling he might have been capped?

pioden gorllewin wrote: Utility Back:Ian Madigan

Full backs: Leigh Halfpenny,Rob Kearney
Right Wing: George North, Tommy Bowe (if fit)
Left Wing: Alex Cuthbert,Sean Maidment

Centers: Brian O'Driscoll, Manu Tuilagi Jamie Roberts, Jon Davies

Fly Hlaf: Dan Biggar, Owen Farrell, Jonathan Sexton
Scrum Half: Mike Phillips, Conor Murray, Danny Care

Utility Back Row Forward: Ryan Jones
Number Eight: Toby Faletau, Billy Vunipola
Openside Flanker: Sam Warburton, Justin Tipuric
Blindside Flanker: Chris Robshaw, Sean O'Brien

Spare Lock: Geoff Parling
Middle Lock: Paul O'Connell, Ian Evans
Front Lock: Richie Gray, Alun Wyn Jones
Tight Head Prop: Adam Jones, Dan Cole, Euan Murray
Hooker: Richard Hibbard, Rory Best, Tom Youngs
Loose Head Prop: Gethin Jenkins, Mako Vunipola, Cian Healy

Is it tradition for the Lions to take one uncapped player? I've added Billy Vunipola for this reason....bit got a feeling he might have been capped?

No.You are confusing the lLions with the Barbarians.

thanks taff, that makes more sense. think i also got confused cause remembered derek quinnell getting picked for the lions before his 1st welsh cap.

Loosehead I would go with the guy who keeps Gethin out of Toulon. Sherdian is fit and playing well and clearly better than Vunipola and Marler. As back up to Healy I think he provides an excellent option.

1.Utility back- James Hook

2.Full backs- Alex Goode, Leigh Halfpenny
2.Right wing- Tim Visser, Tommy Bowe
2.Left wing- Mike Brown,Alex Cuthbert

2.Outside center- Jonathon Davies, Manu Tuilagi
2.Inside center- Jamie Roberts, Luke Marshall

3.Fly-Half- Jonny Sexton, Owen Farrell, Toby Flood
3.Scrum Half-Ben Youngs, Mike Phillips, Greig Laidlaw

1.Utily back row forward- Ryan Jones

2.Number eight- Toby Faletau, Sean O'Brien
2.Openside Flanker-Justin Tipuric, Sam Warburton
2.Blindside Flanker- Chris Robshaw,Jamie Heaslip

1.Spare Lock- Geoff Parling
2.Middle Lock- Paul O'Connell, Ian Evans
2.Front lock- Richie Gray, Alan Wyn-Jones

3.Tight-head prop-Adam Jones, Mike Ross, Paul James
3.Hooker- Richard Hibbard,Rory Best, Tom youngs
3.Loose-head prop- Gethin Jenkins, Mako Vunipola,Joe Marler

My touring team :

Loosies : Healy, Jenkins, Grant

Tight Heads : A. Jones, Cole, Murray

Hookers : Best, Hibbard, Youngs

Locks : AW Jones, Evans, Parling, Ryan, Gray (if he plays again this season) Hines,

Blind Side : Robshaw, Brown

Openside : Warburton, Tipuric

No. 8 : Faleteu, Beattie

Utility Backrower : SOB

Scrum Half : Laidlaw, Phillips, Youngs

Fly Half : Sexton, Biggar, Farrell

Inside centre : Roberts, Scott Twelvetrees

Outside Centre : BOD, Tuilagi

Wings : North, Cuthbert, Maitland, Brown, Bowe/Gilroy

Fullbacks : Halfpenny, Hogg

Utility Back : Kearney

41 Tourists : 14 Welsh, 9 English, 9 Scots, 7 Irish

From that lot my test team would look like :

1 Healy
2 Hibbard
3 Cole
4 AW Jones
5 Hines
6 Robshaw [C]
7 Tipuric
8 Faletau

9 Laidlaw
10 Sexton / Biggar
11. North
12 Roberts
13 Tuilagi
14 Cuthbert
15 Halfpenny

16 Jones
17 Best
18 Jenkins
19 Parling
20 SOB
21 Phillips
22 BOD
23 Hogg

The aim to use the first XV to break the game down and then bring on BOD into the centre to find spaces for North, Cuthbert and Hogg to rip the game apart.

Just looking through everyone's choices.. It is amazing surprising that not many people including me have picked Jamie Heaslip in their squads.. A month ago he was favourite to be captain...

Heaslip will be a political pick, as it would be a major slight to leave him out, despite being at least fourth on merit.

The Great Aukster wrote:Heaslip will be a political pick, as it would be a major slight to leave him out, despite being at least fourth on merit.

I agree I think he is at least 4th pick... behind Faletau, Beattie and Morgan.
Clive Woodward even picked Robshaw to be no 8 in a back row with Warburton and Tiperic... Not sure I agree with that one but those 3 are probably the current the best back row players..

LH : Healy, Jenkins, Grant

TH : A. Jones, Cole, Murray

Hookers : Best, Hibbard, Owens

Locks : AW Jones, Evans, Launchbury, Ryan

Blind Side : Robshaw, O'Brien

Openside : Warburton, Tipuric

No. 8 : Faleteu, Beattie

Utility Backrower : R Jones

Scrum Half : Phillips, Youngs, Murray

Fly Half : Sexton, Biggar, Farrell

Inside centre : Roberts, Davies,

Outside Centre : O'Driscoll, Tuilagi

Wings : North, Cuthbert, Maitland, Gilroy

Fullbacks : Halfpenny, Hogg, Kearney

Sheridan would have been one of my selections but should still be playing for Toulon in the French play-offs, conveniently leaving Gethin Jenkins free to go with the Lions.

People seem to forget that A W Jones started the 1st Lions test in South Africa and was then dropped and disappeared for the rest of the tour. That would put a big question mark against his name as a possible captain. There is with the Lions the question whereby some players are great for their country, but don't have the same 'passion' when playing for the Lions. I am not doubting his quality as a player - subject to the occasional red mist he is the most complete second row for me in world rugby. It may be with Gatland and Howley running the tour he will feel more at home. I can't see who else is a definite starter on ability - Robshaw and Warburton aren't for me, unless you shoehorn Warburton in at 6.

The Great Aukster wrote:Heaslip will be a political pick, as it would be a major slight to leave him out, despite being at least fourth on merit.

I think you could take out the 'potential' and add in an r somewhere. He was a brilliant no.8 once upon a time. He could be again. Maybe its just the environment but he's currently lost his mojo and has completely failed to provide Ireland leadership when the team really really needed it. That interview post Italy - well the best you could say is that asking him anything at that point was unkind.

Tuilagi is a lad who has dropped out of the reckoning massively on the last two weeks. He didn't have a good six nations and the finale showed him up as a player who has great pace and power but nothing else.

I certainly wouldnt take him as a centre, in my opinion he is a much better winger and could solve a lot of England issues if he was played wider, with Twelvetrees and Barritt given time to play together inside him.

If he was to go to Australia, I would take him as a back up winger. I think he could be the next Tuigamala