Outside Centre choices for the Lions tour to Australia

First topic message reminder :

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.

THERE ARE TWO THREADS ON CENTRES ONE IS FOR INSIDE CENTRE THE OTHER IS FOR OUTSIDE CENTRE.



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

Number 8 - https://www.606v2.com/t42518-number-eight-choices-for-the-lions-tour-to-australia#1958144

Scrumhalf - https://www.606v2.com/t42531-scrumhalf-choices-for-the-lions-tour-to-australia

Flyhalf - https://www.606v2.com/t42539-flyhalf-choices-for-the-lions-tour-to-australia#1958609

Inside Centre - https://www.606v2.com/t42557-inside-centre-choices-for-the-lions-tour-to-australia#1959728

maestegmafia wrote:Pretty sure he has played wing, and very convinced he would be a lot better at it than he is at centre. Tuilagi doesn't have the skills to be a top centre.

Pretty sure that Manu has never played on the wing in adult rugby.

He quite clearly has the skills to be a top centre. Anyone who watches him play regularly will have seen that he can pass the ball well, he can offload and he has a decent kicking game. He has pace and an eye for the gap - not just a run into someone guy. He has the skills - no matter how many times you come onto these boards and claim he has not.


What we do not know is if he has the awareness/brain needed to be a truly top notch centre. He has the skills - but does he know when to use them. Often at the moment he does not - but then often he does. Some times he is kept quiet - sometimes agianst the same centres he shines. He is still a young man learning the game. Personally I believe that he is good enough to go and may indeed start the tests. That you believe that he is not good enough is a valid opinion. That you insist he has no skill is myopic.

He quite clearly has the skills to be a top centre. Anyone who watches him play regularly will have seen that he can pass the ball well, he can offload and he has a decent kicking game. He has pace and an eye for the gap ...

but he never does it consistently for England, he fails time and time again to fix his defender and off-load, rarely uses his initiative on dummy runs (they all look pre-set and telegraphed). In fact I don't think I've ever seen him kick in a England shirt, or create the start of a good run/try with a great off load (his try vs NZ the exception as he created that with a run, not a pass.)

Until he starts to interact better with the players either side of him then he'll be far, far less of a player than he is already. In other words his potential is MUCH greater. He also switches off in some games

Agreed damage he does not do the things he can do consistently. Often this is his fault for just not looking - but equally the england support runners are really poor atm

IF he can develop his rugby brain he will be an outstanding player - if not well he will still be pretty good, but not as good as he could be.

If Gatland chooses not to select him for the tour I will be surprised but not shocked.

LondonTiger wrote:Agreed damage he does not do the things he can do consistently. Often this is his fault for just not looking - but equally the england support runners are really poor atm

IF he can develop his rugby brain he will be an outstanding player - if not well he will still be pretty good, but not as good as he could be.

If Gatland chooses not to select him for the tour I will be surprised but not shocked.

I think he'll be in the squad, I would be very surprised to see him picked ahead of players that have the skills and know when to use them.