Right Winger 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.

THERE ARE TWO THREADS ON WINGERS ONE IS FOR LEFT WINGER AND THE OTHER IS FOR THE RIGHT WINGER.



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

Outside Centre - https://www.606v2.com/t42556-outside-centre-choices-for-the-lions-tour-to-australia

I would say the best two Irish wingers this season have been Trimble and Zebo

Christian Wade could be a bolter for the Lions and could well get the left wing spot...However i do think it will go to Alex Cuthbert

Mike Brown all though filled in ok for England is not a winger by any stretch of the imagination... I dont think David Strettle will go on the Lions tour.

Can we add Neil Halfpenny and Hogg please as they have been wacked there by a lot of pundits

Standulstermen wrote:I would say the best two Irish wingers this season have been Trimble and Zebo

Trimble has looked good, though Gilroy is special, I really like him.

Sean Matland showing his pace in the Poll there....! Exciting stuff, could make a great Lion.

Who the feck is Neil Halfpenny? - you back on the whisky FHF

Didn't you hear Ruby? The reason 1/2p became capable of taking all kicks and not just the long, straight ones like he used to was because Neil Jenkins, in coaching him, has also been discretely injecting him with samples of his own DNA over the last couple of years. Hence the prototype name: Neil Halfpenny

Oh No!! A ginger Halfpenny - NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A ginger, balding Halfpenny! Just imagine... though why you'd want to I don't know

Knowsit17 wrote:A ginger, balding Halfpenny! Just imagine... though why you'd want to I don't know

If anything happened to that boy Halfpenny's looks you would be able to hear the welsh girls hearts break in Japan so loudly they would be running for their tsunami shelters...

North plays left wing?

And North plays right wing.

I'd like North on both wings please

Wouldn't we all

Make it so Maestegmafia!

I don't think even with the miracles of modern science that cloning is actually possible.

They've done it with sheep, surely the Welsh have something up their sleeve?

RubyGuby wrote:Who the feck is Neil Halfpenny? - you back on the whisky FHF

Neil!!! ........... what I meant was Dave Halfpenny


By the way I still think that Halfpenny should be a shoe-in for the Lions but not at FB as I believe after Hoggs sublime performance against Munster he should have nailed the Lions 15 shirt, with 1/2p on the wing with North

Wack Dave and Hogg is the wingers option please Maes

Halfpenny on the right wing for me (with Hogg at FB and North on the left)

Cuthbert on one wing, Halfpenny on the other. Hogg at full back.

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:Cuthbert on one wing, Halfpenny on the other. Hogg at full back.

I think thats my choice - with North as sub to come on on the wing and if Hogg goes off 1/2p to FB

Has Halfpenny ever played 10?

He just looks like he should be a natural in that position and if he could cover there for Sexton then we'd A. Not have to play Farrel and B. have more back three space.

maestegmafia wrote:

Knowsit17 wrote:A ginger, balding Halfpenny! Just imagine... though why you'd want to I don't know

If anything happened to that boy Halfpenny's looks you would be able to hear the welsh girls hearts break in Japan so loudly they would be running for their tsunami shelters...

Not just the Welsh girls Maes, even I'd shed a slight tear over it...

Andrew Trimble

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

yappysnap wrote:Has Halfpenny ever played 10?

He just looks like he should be a natural in that position and if he could cover there for Sexton then we'd A. Not have to play Farrel and B. have more back three space.

Often thought this. He'd definitely need to play there for the Blues first though, at least half a season of games

I've often thought of 1/2P at 10 as well.

Anyways, the best right winger in the UK at the moment has to be a toss up between, Iain Duncan-Smith, Boris Johnson and Paulo Di Canio who's qualified on residency

ChequeredJersey wrote:

yappysnap wrote:Has Halfpenny ever played 10?

He just looks like he should be a natural in that position and if he could cover there for Sexton then we'd A. Not have to play Farrel and B. have more back three space.

Often thought this. He'd definitely need to play there for the Blues first though, at least half a season of games

Halfpenny is not a flyhalf, doesnt have the right game to be a flyhalf. Halfpenny is a great player at what he does well but he has never displayed the vision and game reading skills you need to be a flyhalf. He is far more of a tackle it, run at it, run round it score it kind of player.

A finisher, not a creator.

1/2P is an intelligent player Maesteg and your appraisal does him a disservice

As a first class full back myself the key to your role is game awareness and positioning and 1/2p more than excels in these areas as well as having an intelligent boot - these skills are transferable to 10 IMO

No, no, no. Leave halfpenny at Fullback or wing. Hook should have been left to blossom at 10. I remember when the 2008 grand slammers turned around that match at Twickers, Hook looked like a Welsh Dan Carter, he was sublime. Incisive, powerful and read the game very well.

Paterson for Scotland was also a victim of his versatility. He had the brains, guts and skill to play 10 but for shifted all around the backline. Had he been left at 10 we wouldn't have had to put up with Parks.

A Patterson/Blair or Cusiter combination would have made Scotland a much tougher prospect to play in the 2000s.

leave halfpenny in the back 3. He can maximize his skill set there.

RubyGuby wrote:1/2P is an intelligent player Maesteg and your appraisal does him a disservice

As a first class full back myself the key to your role is game awareness and positioning and 1/2p more than excels in these areas as well as having an intelligent boot - these skills are transferable to 10 IMO

Having played 10 and been forced a few times to play fullback they are completely different positions. I agree that you need to read a game well at fullback, but what you are looking for are different things to what you are at Ten.

At ten you have to boss the game, from Fullback you are adding and assisting to that bossing not organising it.

Halfpenny is a back three player, a very good winger and an excellent Fullback. I really do not think he has what it takes to play ten whatsoever.

Yet Neil Jenkins moved from 10 to 15 quite easily for the Lions - Probably esier to go form 10 to 15 than 15 to 10 but I wouldn't rule it out completely - Probably a moot point anyway with Biggar and Priestleand fully fit and Patchell showing some decent development - 1/2p's distribution isn't all that great anyways

RubyGuby wrote:Yet Neil Jenkins moved from 10 to 15 quite easily for the Lions - Probably esier to go form 10 to 15 than 15 to 10 but I wouldn't rule it out completely - Probably a moot point anyway with Biggar and Priestleand fully fit and Patchell showing some decent development - 1/2p's distribution isn't all that great anyways

Distribution is quite a fundemental part of playing in the halfbacks.

Yes Maest, that's why I mentioned it

maestegmafia wrote:
Distribution is quite a fundemental part of playing in the halfbacks.

Nobody told Phillips that

Radge

Anyone Irish want to switch their vote to Wade

Also, Madigan surging in the rankings too. Other (kind of) non-Ints with a lot to show this weekend -

Hines, Byrne, Wilko, les Armitages, Easter, Brown in his actual position, the return of the Zebo, POC, Henry, Bowe, Fraser, Hodgson on the bench, a fit Croft, so much to see!

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:
Distribution is quite a fundemental part of playing in the halfbacks.

Nobody told Phillips that

Radge mate,

I don't think he has a problem with distribution at all, just plays a different type of game. The lad has done really well, considering that we can't all have the natural skills of Greig Laidlaw, or any of the Laidlaws, they have been quite a dynasty.

I see Cuthbert is resurgent in the poll.

Sean Maitland might have surprised a few people. He is a very popular selection.

Cuthbert and Wade with North at 13.

who is Wade? English winger?

bsando wrote:who is Wade? English winger?

yes real and electric pace but quite small...i think there are some questions over him but right now i can't see why on earth Ashton is in the side and he is not

100%beefy wrote:

bsando wrote:who is Wade? English winger?

yes real and electric pace but quite small...i think there are some questions over him but right now i can't see why on earth Ashton is in the side and he is not

To Answer your question why is Ashton in the England side and Wade is not. Is because Ashton was all ready in the team. And Wade was still in the learning process.

100%beefy wrote:

bsando wrote:who is Wade? English winger?

yes real and electric pace but quite small...i think there are some questions over him but right now i can't see why on earth Ashton is in the side and he is not

Don't mind small wingers if they're fast and nimble, I'll check him out. Ashton played well today vs Ulster, good defence and lovely try.

Bowe looked good too but its still early days. He came on when everyone looked a bit knackerd so will be interesting to see his form in the Rabbo because he ran some nice lines and some clever passes.

majesticimperialman wrote:

100%beefy wrote:

bsando wrote:who is Wade? English winger?

yes real and electric pace but quite small...i think there are some questions over him but right now i can't see why on earth Ashton is in the side and he is not

To Answer your question why is Ashton in the England side and Wade is not. Is because Ashton was all ready in the team. And Wade was still in the learning process.

That's not really justifying it though, is it Madge

bsando wrote:

100%beefy wrote:

bsando wrote:who is Wade? English winger?

yes real and electric pace but quite small...i think there are some questions over him but right now i can't see why on earth Ashton is in the side and he is not

Don't mind small wingers if they're fast and nimble, I'll check him out. Ashton played well today vs Ulster, good defence and lovely try.

Bowe looked good too but its still early days. He came on when everyone looked a bit knackerd so will be interesting to see his form in the Rabbo because he ran some nice lines and some clever passes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL8JQTtNmjM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7TY3E1OD4k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAnq1K3qkDE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03ynjaUQIa4
http://balls.ie/rugby/video-highlights-of-leinsters-ridiculously-entertaining-win-over-wasps-last-night/

10 tries in the Premiership, plus muchos assists, for Wasps who hardly dominate possession, 20 tries in 34 starts overall for Wasps

Risca Rev wrote:

majesticimperialman wrote:

100%beefy wrote:

bsando wrote:who is Wade? English winger?

yes real and electric pace but quite small...i think there are some questions over him but right now i can't see why on earth Ashton is in the side and he is not

To Answer your question why is Ashton in the England side and Wade is not. Is because Ashton was all ready in the team. And Wade was still in the learning process.

That's not really justifying it though, is it Madge

I do understand what you are saying, But Wade all though a try scoring machine is still learning at Wasp.

I would like too see Wade and Vandell start at the same time, For England.

majesticimperialman wrote:

100%beefy wrote:

bsando wrote:who is Wade? English winger?

yes real and electric pace but quite small...i think there are some questions over him but right now i can't see why on earth Ashton is in the side and he is not

To Answer your question why is Ashton in the England side and Wade is not. Is because Ashton was all ready in the team. And Wade was still in the learning process.

can you elaborate on learning process, surely he would have learned more comin goff the bench for England when Ashton was having a mare in the 6 Nations than not even being considered

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