My take on the Lions squad.

First topic message reminder :

Missed the chat as I had to work (Yeah I know that is unbelieveable), so I had a quick squiz over the selections.

Not surprised at seeing the Welsh starters there, but two ommssions glares at you from the monitor.

NO Rory Best, I would love to know how he is overlooked. a 67 match veteran and Gatland decides to leave him at home?

You can almost bet your bottom dollar that Stephen Moore will be the Wallalby hooker, so you want an experienced campaigner to take him on, and when you consider Healy who in my book is the best loose head prop in the home nations is in the squad you would think that it is only common sense to pair him up with Best. Hibbard has not been a regular starter for Wales and has a third of the test experience Best has, Hartley has discipline problems half the time and isn't even in the class of Best.


I think Robshaw is rather unlucky as well.

It is understandable that Gatland has decided to focus most of his squad on Welsh players, in fact most coaches will go with the players they know best and beleive in the most.

Depending on selection it seems the starting 15 might be heavily weighted towards wales which in my humble opinion will not be the way to go.

Wales have had more than enough shots at australia without success, at this point in time I can really only see 4 or so players that Gatland is going to put in his starting XV that will not be welsh.

I don't know we'll have to wait for the first test match.

The only two that are not welsh that I can see Gatland will select at this point in time is Jonny Sexton and Cian Healy.

I definitely think Gatland has misses a trick with making Warburton captain, I don't think he is one of the better back rowers in the home unions and being captain means he must play.

weird.

Oh jebus...is this still being discussed....a team made up of four countries against Aus = playing population of 1000/1. In Lions terms its not even a big deal...but its going to be fun watching Aus suddenly become world beaters again.

DOD wrote:Oh jebus...is this still being discussed....a team made up of four countries against Aus = playing population of 1000/1. In Lions terms its not even a big deal...but its going to be fun watching Aus suddenly become world beaters again.

Biltong wrote:

DOD wrote:Oh jebus...is this still being discussed....a team made up of four countries against Aus = playing population of 1000/1. In Lions terms its not even a big deal...but its going to be fun watching Aus suddenly become world beaters again.

Why? Don't we all like an underdog?

asoreleftshoulder wrote:

SecretFly wrote:It strikes me as a determination ( a bloody and stubborn one on the part of Gatland) to have the bulk of his Welsh players,led by Warburton, finally win a sequence of games and prove themselves against the Australians. It seems a little bit of a personal crusade to achieve respect down under after all the failed attempts.

Thus the Lions Captain on his first day says he's confident about the many Welsh leaders around him.....................?

Now, he's happy, he's young, he's spirited, he sees it as a great potential for carving his name into the history books (and it is)...but Lions Captain mentioning specifically the Welsh section (22 non-Welsh players on Lions duty) on his first day?

The days to come better be more carefully worded than the first one.

In fairness Fly he mentioned that PoC and BoD would be the first guys he'd look to when he wanted advice.

Yea, Gatland is hoping that POC & BOD will carry the Welsh over the line.

Its really going to be interesting to see what happens in the same team with POC & Warburton in the pack. Its a while since POC would have been in a team that he wasn't pack leader (around 2006 when Axel was the Munster captain). BOD & POC worked well for Ireland because they are both big characters with different areas of responsibility (pack and backs). It will be hard for Warburton to muscle in on that relationship, especially if Sexton is outhalf. This is going to be some test for Warburton.

BOD has played for years at Leinster with Cullen as his captain. POC has played for years with Ireland with BOD as his captain. Both are mature and experienced enough at this stage in their careers to just help Warbs out and lead in their own way by example.

If you watch Living with Lions, Johnson is the captain, but it's Keith Wood doing nearly all the talking and motivational speeches in the dressing room. Johnson just stands back quietly and lets him do it. In fact Wood and Dallaglio are constantly firing up their team mates. POC can have this role whether he starts or not; he's fantastic at it.

BOD's leadership style was always more like Warbs. He inspires by what he does and people follow, not as much with fire and brimstone speeches. And anyway neither POC or BOD are nailed on starters.

The captain is the ultimate leader and has the final say, but he can have his right hand men. I think POC and BOD will help Warbs a lot. As will others. I've never heard of any team mates having anything but loads of respect for Warbs, POC or BOD. They're not troublesome or contentious characters. They're team players.

Feckless Rogue wrote:BOD has played for years at Leinster with Cullen as his captain. POC has played for years with Ireland with BOD as his captain. Both are mature and experienced enough at this stage in their careers to just help Warbs out and lead in their own way by example.

BOD is in the backs - he doesn't interfere in the forwards. Its just that they are such established leaders who the ref is going to be drawn to anyway and look at what happened with Heislip & BOD in the 6Ns. Are you suggesting that BOD was not being helpful?

If you watch Living with Lions, Johnson is the captain, but it's Keith Wood doing nearly all the talking and motivational speeches in the dressing room. Johnson just stands back quietly and lets him do it. In fact Wood and Dallaglio are constantly firing up their team mates. POC can have this role whether he starts or not; he's fantastic at it.

I don't think Warburton is anything like Johnson.

BOD's leadership style was always more like Warbs. He inspires by what he does and people follow, not as much with fire and brimstone speeches. And anyway neither POC or BOD are nailed on starters.

The captain is the ultimate leader and has the final say, but he can have his right hand men. I think POC and BOD will help Warbs a lot. As will others. I've never heard of any team mates having anything but loads of respect for Warbs, POC or BOD. They're not troublesome or contentious characters. They're team players.

I'm not thinking of making speeches or getting everyone fired up. I'm thinking about decision making on the pitch and who the players will look to as POC & BOD are really big characters.

edit: as well as that, refs always were looking to POC & ROG even though Howlett was captain this season.

Sin é wrote:I'm not thinking of making speeches or getting everyone fired up. I'm thinking about decision making on the pitch and who the players will look to as POC & BOD are really big characters.

edit: as well as that, refs always were looking to POC & ROG even though Howlett was captain this season.

I think there are clear indications from Gatland that BOD and POC won't be in the test side so I don't think this situation will arise.

This is a Welsh tour in all but name and apart from a couple of political picks from the other nations - Bowe, Farrell, Brown, Cole, O'Brien - I can't see many non Welsh getting a look in for the tests.

rodders wrote:

Sin é wrote:I'm not thinking of making speeches or getting everyone fired up. I'm thinking about decision making on the pitch and who the players will look to as POC & BOD are really big characters.

edit: as well as that, refs always were looking to POC & ROG even though Howlett was captain this season.

I think there are clear indications from Gatland that BOD and POC won't be in the test side so I don't think this situation will arise.

This is a Welsh tour in all but name and apart from a couple of political picks from the other nations - Bowe, Farrell, Brown, Cole, O'Brien - I can't see many non Welsh getting a look in for the tests.

total and utter BBBBBBSSSSSSSSS

In my mind POC should be a nailed on starter.

Not BOD though. There are younger, faster stronger alternatives and Gatland favours power.

Feckless Rogue wrote: I've never heard of any team mates having anything but loads of respect for Warbs, POC or BOD. They're not troublesome or contentious characters. They're team players.

+ 1 - POC and BOD would both be starters for me; BOD in particular alongside Sexton

Feckless Rogue wrote:In my mind POC should be a nailed on starter.

Not BOD though. There are younger, faster stronger alternatives and Gatland favours power.

Brains are another good thing to have. Killer Instincts another. O'Driscoll has been showing at the tail end of this season that he still has a healthy supply of each, plus ironically an increasing pace if anything.

Oh the old dog ain't done yet. I can still see him having a slice of the action.