Number Eight choices for the Lions tour to Australia

Six nations is done. We are a year on since I last held one of these polls and the long term aim was to compare what we selected a year out, a month out and the final squad.

You can pick one player only as your first choice.

I think I have grabbed most of the names in the hat, though my apologies if anyone you consider worthy has been forgotten, if you ask nicely then I am sure one of our excellent moderators might take the time to be kind enough to offer their much valued assistance.

The players included either showed in the Six Nations squads or have been regularly talked of as prospects on the various threads on here.

Looseheads - https://www.606v2.com/t42452-loosehead-choices-for-the-lions-tour-to-australia

Hookers - https://www.606v2.com/t42471-hooker-choices-for-the-lions-tour-to-australia

Tightheads - https://www.606v2.com/t42486-tighthead-choices-for-the-lions-tour-to-australia

Lock No. 4 - https://www.606v2.com/t42501-number-4-lock-choices-for-the-lions-tour-to-australia#1956467

Lock no. 5 - https://www.606v2.com/t42502-number-5-lock-choices-for-the-lions-tour-to-australia

Blindside Flanker - https://www.606v2.com/t42514-blindside-flanker-choices-for-the-lions-tour-to-australia

Openside Flanker - https://www.606v2.com/t42515-ospenside-flanker-choices-for-the-lions-tour-to-australia#1956975

Froby Faletau!

If you go on club form you could make a case for Nick Easter. I very mutch doubt that Ben Morgan will go on the tour.

I think it will be close between Jamie Heaslip and Toby Faletau for the 8 shirt in my opinion.

majesticimperialman wrote:If you go on club form you could make a case for Nick Easter. I very mutch doubt that Ben Morgan will go on the tour.

I think it will be close between Jamie Heaslip and Toby Faletau for the 8 shirt in my opinion.

Do you not rate John Beattie?

Great club for for Montpellier and not a bad Six Nations either.

I do actualy. But it is not who i rate is it? I think Gatland will either go will Heaslip or Faletau.

majesticimperialman wrote:I do actualy. But it is not who i rate is it? I think Gatland will either go will Heaslip or Faletau.

This poll is on who you rate. I thought you understood that because you said you selected Launchbury because you are English...?

These lions polls are quite frankly pointless and a total bore. By all means have one thread discussing the lions xv, but to have 15 separate threads on each position is overkill.

It is the combinations that are important, not the individuals.

Scrumdown wrote:These lions polls are quite frankly pointless and a total bore. By all means have one thread discussing the lions xv, but to have 15 separate threads on each position is overkill.

It is the combinations that are important, not the individuals.

Then don't contribute. Free will and all that...!

As you can see many people disagree with you and enjoy them.

I'd say Faletau Beattie and Heaslip are the 3 main contenders at the moment, Morgan could be in there if gets some games and fitness back under his belt as I think he the only 'old school' No8 out there at the moment.

maestegmafia wrote:

Scrumdown wrote:These lions polls are quite frankly pointless and a total bore. By all means have one thread discussing the lions xv, but to have 15 separate threads on each position is overkill.

It is the combinations that are important, not the individuals.

Then don't contribute. Free will and all that...!

As you can see many people disagree with you and enjoy them.

Its a forum for people to discuss things, would be pretty damn boring and quiet on here if we didn't

Bedford/mastegmafia

You can't really discuss the lions number 8 in isolation. It is the backrow combination that is important.

Far better to have one thread on the lions xv or say a thread on the font 5, another on the backrow and then another on the backs.

The international section of this forum is now just a mess as Mastegmafia has hijacked it!!!

bedfordwelsh wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Scrumdown wrote:These lions polls are quite frankly pointless and a total bore. By all means have one thread discussing the lions xv, but to have 15 separate threads on each position is overkill.

It is the combinations that are important, not the individuals.

Then don't contribute. Free will and all that...!

As you can see many people disagree with you and enjoy them.

Its a forum for people to discuss things, would be pretty damn boring and quiet on here if we didn't

Hi Bedford,

So do you think you'll get one or Two dragons in the squad.

I hear Toby got a yellow card today.

Maes,

My heart says two its just dependant on how Lydiate goes and how fit he gets between now and the squad announcement.

One plus is that Gatland knows what he can and cant do, on the other hand one negative is that with our poor performances (today aside) and not being in the business end of the Amlin will he get enough high intensity game time.

If he gets in the squad then with the midweek games prior to the tests he has as good a chance as anyone of starting 1st test.

Scrumdown wrote:Bedford/mastegmafia

You can't really discuss the lions number 8 in isolation. It is the backrow combination that is important.

Far better to have one thread on the lions xv or say a thread on the font 5, another on the backrow and then another on the backs.

The international section of this forum is now just a mess as Mastegmafia has hijacked it!!!

You pick your man that balances the backrow in your mind then............. its fairly simple surely
Then you select the blindside and the openside etc

Its not rocket science even you should be able to suss it out

Its not a mess mate and fair dos to Maesteg for his efforts............... but you can always not post at all if you feel so strongly

I thought Toby had a fantastic six nations. He, like young guys such as Richie Gray and Joe Launchbury could really develop on this tour with the players likely to be around them.

They are the type of lads with all the skills naturally gifted to them they need the opportunity to realise their potential.

A lions tour is very often that catalyst. I remember Merfyn Davies before the 71 tour was an exceptional talent, when he returned he was a great of the game.

Tours are so much shorter these days, but it is the calibre of the best of the best surrounding them will develop them very quickly.

bedfordwelsh wrote:Maes,

My heart says two its just dependant on how Lydiate goes and how fit he gets between now and the squad announcement.

One plus is that Gatland knows what he can and cant do, on the other hand one negative is that with our poor performances (today aside) and not being in the business end of the Amlin will he get enough high intensity game time.

If he gets in the squad then with the midweek games prior to the tests he has as good a chance as anyone of starting 1st test.

What does your brain say or is it best not to go there?!

BillyV is a better option than Thomas the Tank Engine.

LondonTiger wrote:BillyV is a better option than Thomas the Tank Engine.

Robshaw is another option at eight although I can't see past the welsh for the backrow positions at the moment.

LondonTiger wrote:BillyV is a better option than Thomas the Tank Engine.

He is a better option than Tom Wood too... Unfortunately he hasn't really been given the opportunity to display that outside of Wasps.

Maes,

My head says its 50/50 at the moment, maybe the Welsh tour to Japan might be the better option for him to get full back to fitness and maybe be on s.by for injuries etc.

maestegmafia wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:BillyV is a better option than Thomas the Tank Engine.

He is a better option than Tom Wood too... Unfortunately he hasn't really been given the opportunity to display that outside of Wasps.

Well injury ruled Billy out of the 3 middle 6Ns tests. He was scheduled to feature against Italy otherwise - then who knows.

I am struggling with No8 as compared to Picamoles and Parisse, the lions contenders struggled.

I went with Morgan, mainly based on what i have seen him do in the past and how good i know he can be when he's on form. His fitness is pretty decent now but still seems to a be a bit too susceptible to injuries for a Lions tour. My backup would be Faletau and wild card would be Billy V, who is a very similar player to Morgan but slightly more dynamic.

I've heard from a source close to the lions management that shall remain nameless that due to a lack of options at 8,warren gatland is considering playing 7 forwards and 8 backs in the test matches. He is currently awaiting clearance from the IRB for this revolutionary selection.

The extra back will actually be nigel owens the welsh referee who will be shouting at the players throughout the game telling them what they can and cannot get away with in the scrums etc it is also hoped that he will be able to influence the referee in favour of the lions.

bedfordwelsh wrote:Maes,

My head says its 50/50 at the moment, maybe the Welsh tour to Japan might be the better option for him to get full back to fitness and maybe be on s.by for injuries etc.

If Lydiate is fit then he will be the first name on the teamsheet. A force of nature.

I was certain I had read people say that they wanted Ryan Jones at eight

The Pack so far is looking like this


Cian Healy 41% 27
Rory Best 47% 28
Adam Jones 61% 30
Geoff Parling 15.4% 17
AW Jones 15.4% 17
Kelly Brown 28% 12
Justin Tipuric 43% 13
John Beattie 39% 12

Thanks for doing the polls Maes - I know that they take a while to set up.

I wouldn't argue with a lot of the pack you mention above. Pure specialists in specialist roles, which is nice to see. Could it be that people on these boards actually know what they're talking about after all?

The only problem is with the locks. I could just about see Parling in there but I see no justification whatsoever for having Jones in there instead of Evans.

George Carlin wrote:Thanks for doing the polls Maes - I know that they take a while to set up.

I wouldn't argue with a lot of the pack you mention above. Pure specialists in specialist roles, which is nice to see. Could it be that people on these boards actually know what they're talking about after all?

The only problem is with the locks. I could just about see Parling in there but I see no justification whatsoever for having Jones in there instead of Evans.

i think it will be a close call in the poll regarding locks, Evans and Gray are both popular choices.

Personally i think Launchbury and Jones and Gray and Evans would be a good selection, if a fifth goes i would likely want to take Ryan.

Oh and you are welcome, sorry to not acknowledge your appreciation I do very much. Similarly really enjoyed your threads on previous players... Very well researched pieces one and all...

Hopefully this will create some clarity in the thinking...! Some of the random suggestions occurring on various threads don't bare anything in the polling where everyone seems rather like minded.

Easter's form, Sarries aside where all of Quins were dire, is excellent. However I voted Faletau and would be happy with him or Beattie atm

I dont think Easter will go, I feel the emphasis will be on an athletic eight rather than a canny one like Easter.

Good player having a great season at Quins but an unlikely prospect. That said if he has a belter end of season and Quins win the HEC he should be a very good prospect.

He and Beattie are the only candidates left in the HEC.

maestegmafia wrote:I dont think Easter will go, I feel the emphasis will be on an athletic eight rather than a canny one like Easter.

Good player having a great season at Quins but an unlikely prospect. That said if he has a belter end of season and Quins win the HEC he should be a very good prospect.

He and Beattie are the only candidates left in the HEC.

Because Easter is a big bloke I think he is unfairly judged as just a ball carrier. He actually has a good turn of pace for a big 'un. In actual fact he played in the sevens pre season for Quins. I don't think many 8s could have one that and not looked out odpf place.
On pure form all season long he should be picked for the Lions IMO.

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:I dont think Easter will go, I feel the emphasis will be on an athletic eight rather than a canny one like Easter.

Good player having a great season at Quins but an unlikely prospect. That said if he has a belter end of season and Quins win the HEC he should be a very good prospect.

He and Beattie are the only candidates left in the HEC.

Because Easter is a big bloke I think he is unfairly judged as just a ball carrier. He actually has a good turn of pace for a big 'un. In actual fact he played in the sevens pre season for Quins. I don't think many 8s could have one that and not looked out odpf place.
On pure form all season long he should be picked for the Lions IMO.

So you have voted Easter?

maestegmafia wrote:

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:I dont think Easter will go, I feel the emphasis will be on an athletic eight rather than a canny one like Easter.

Good player having a great season at Quins but an unlikely prospect. That said if he has a belter end of season and Quins win the HEC he should be a very good prospect.

He and Beattie are the only candidates left in the HEC.

Because Easter is a big bloke I think he is unfairly judged as just a ball carrier. He actually has a good turn of pace for a big 'un. In actual fact he played in the sevens pre season for Quins. I don't think many 8s could have one that and not looked out odpf place.
On pure form all season long he should be picked for the Lions IMO.

So you have voted Easter?

Yes. Why wouldn't I having sais the above.

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:I dont think Easter will go, I feel the emphasis will be on an athletic eight rather than a canny one like Easter.

Good player having a great season at Quins but an unlikely prospect. That said if he has a belter end of season and Quins win the HEC he should be a very good prospect.

He and Beattie are the only candidates left in the HEC.

Because Easter is a big bloke I think he is unfairly judged as just a ball carrier. He actually has a good turn of pace for a big 'un. In actual fact he played in the sevens pre season for Quins. I don't think many 8s could have one that and not looked out odpf place.
On pure form all season long he should be picked for the Lions IMO.

So you have voted Easter?

Yes. Why wouldn't I having sais the above.

You said he should not that you had.

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:I dont think Easter will go, I feel the emphasis will be on an athletic eight rather than a canny one like Easter.

Good player having a great season at Quins but an unlikely prospect. That said if he has a belter end of season and Quins win the HEC he should be a very good prospect.

He and Beattie are the only candidates left in the HEC.

Because Easter is a big bloke I think he is unfairly judged as just a ball carrier. He actually has a good turn of pace for a big 'un. In actual fact he played in the sevens pre season for Quins. I don't think many 8s could have one that and not looked out odpf place.
On pure form all season long he should be picked for the Lions IMO.

True, Easter does normally play in the Quins 7s team. But I have picked him because he is the best all round 8 in the four nations imo.

It's always difficult to choose loose forwards in isolation from the others.

I'm a traditionalist and think that you need specialists (in terms of their charactieristics as players rather than the numbers they regularly wear) so I would be happy with any of:

6. Robshaw (yes, I know he plays 7 for club & country)/Brown/O'Brien
7. Tipuric / Warbuton
8. Faletau / Beattie / O'Brien

What is key is that there has to be at least one big ball carrier in your front row, at lock and at loose forward. That's why Robshaw or O'Brien could be the choice at 6 and Beattie could be the choice at 8.

Oh, I don't know. I change my mind every day.

6. Robshaw
7. Armitage
8. Easter

Quality backrow that combines power and control with two x-factor players. Probably the best triumvirate we could select from the home unions.

Those 'x' factors being old age and lack of height, Yappy?

yappysnap wrote:6. Robshaw
7. Armitage
8. Easter

Quality backrow that combines power and control with two x-factor players. Probably the best triumvirate we could select from the home unions.

Wouldn't Tipruic, Warburton and Faletau be the best? They just put in some pretty fantastic work in the Six nations.

This is why I love the lions so much, Falatau and Morgan have probably been the 8's on form this year, yet Heaslip can offer so much, Beattie, SOB and Jones could do a job too!!!

SYNOPSIS OF THE POLL SO FAR...

Forwards

Cian Healy 41% 31
Rory Best 49% 37
Adam Jones 62% 36
Richie Gray 16% 22
Geoff Parling 14% 23
Chris Robshaw 27% 16
Justin Tipuric 44% 22
John Beattie 37% 22 (Toby Faletau 1 vote short)

Backs

Ben Youngs 54% 27
Jonny Sexton 44% 18
Jamie Roberts is tied with Billy Twelvetrees 31% 4
Manu Tuilagi 50% 7 (Brian O'Driscoll is 1 vote short)

Has to be Faletau

Faletau has over taken Beattie with 6 votes since lunchtime.

Faletau too, Beattie as back up.

Heaslip can be tea boy

The poll is open until a week before the squad is announced, there is still a decent amount of rugby to be played and peoples thoughts and views may change. As it stands currently these are the Squad choices by the mob that contributes to 606V2.

I dont know the make up or how many he really will pick so i am just running with top three options...


Loosehead Prop 89 votes so far

Cian Healy 39
Ryan Grant 20
Gethin Jenkins 15


Hooker 92 votes so far

Rory Best 45
Richard Hibbard 21
Tom Youngs 11


Tighthead 74 votes so far

Adam Jones 47
Dan Cole 19
Euan Murray 4

Locks 144 votes so far over the two polls so averaging 72 Votes

Geoff Parling 29
Richie Gray 29
AWJ 21
Ian Evans 20


Blindeside Flankers 78 votes so far

Chris Robshaw 19
Kelly Brown 18
Sean O'Brien 17


Openside Flankers 74 votes so far

Justin Tipuric 33
Sam Warburton 14
Chris Robshaw 13 (leading the Blindside option)
Ross Rennie 8 (Next best after Robshaw)


Number Eight 73 votes so far

Toby Faletau 28
John Beattie 26
Ben Morgan 10


Scrumhalf 73 votes so far

Ben Youngs 38
Mike Phillips 20
Greig Laidlaw 10


Flyhalf 59 votes so far

Jonny Sexton 30
Owen Farrell 13
Dan Biggar 6


Inside Centre 53 votes so far

Billy Twelvetrees 11
Jonathan Davies 13 (Also 3rd in the outside centre Poll)
Matt Scott 11
Jamie Roberts & Luke Marshall 7 (If we were to consider JD2 at outside)


Outside Centre

Brian O'Driscoll 22
Manu Tuilagi 22
Jonathan Davies 9


Right Winger 44 Votes so far

Sean Maitland 22
Alex Cuthbert 11
Christian Wade 7


Left Winger 45 votes so far

George North 21
Tim Visser 8
Simon Zebo 5


Fullback 59 votes so far

Stuart Hogg 25
Leigh Halfpenny 22
Rob Keaney 7

Another weekend done and dusted. The squad to be announced after the next...!

Ben morgan all the way, im 100 percent sure that if he didn't get injured early on he would have been favourite. Another strong player who along with my choices of sam warbs and chris Robshaw woulde creat one strong backsrow all of a varity of skills.
Sam = Turn overs
Ben = Get us over that gainline
Robshaw = tackling and ball carrying work rate

Faletau put in a huge game in Dragons win over Munster.

maestegmafia wrote:Faletau put in a huge game in Dragons win over Munster.

Munster A side! He had a very good 6N, he improved when R Jones came into the team at 6.

I voted R Jones, I prefer R Jones for his overall game skills, bulk and his workrate, at number 6 is not a problem but number 8 the Lions are curently lacking form and fitness. I don't go with picking all 6's in the backrow like England and Scotland or two 7's like Wales did against England (you need a very strong front 5 to get away with a lightweight backrow). I suspect Gatland will go for Toby and he will do a good job but he is no leader like Jones.