Shane Williams gets Lions call up (this is not a joke)

by GLove39 Sun Jun 16, 2013 10:04 am

First topic message reminder :

Named in team for Brumbies!!!!!

How many extra backs have they called up now???
Will Williams be fit given he's retired and gone onto commentary?

by dragonbreath Mon Jun 17, 2013 7:18 pm

The Saint wrote:A retired Shane is still better than Chris Ashton, this proves it .

A retired Shane is still better than any of them

by Breadvan Mon Jun 17, 2013 7:36 pm

It sort of makes sense. SW is aleady out there, fit and still playing rugby.He'll do a job. Suprised if he remians with the squad for the remainder but you never know....

I wonder if there's a rugby forum version of godwins law? Any subject online will eventually turn into a tirade against chris Ashton... chin

by scoi Mon Jun 17, 2013 7:37 pm

With only a day and a half's notice you can get someone who can complete a couple of training sessions or fly someone straight to the ground and hope they fit in. It happened in 2001 for a test match.

It's unfortunate the number of injuries to the backs but a number sound like they are only a few days off being fit (north, tuilagi, view). Why fly someone in when they won't arrive for the brumbies, won't be part of the test team and probably won't be needed for the last midweek game.

Garland et al, are protecting the few players they have fit and in a bind they have asked a semi pro to have a run out in a backline of call ups against a weakened team.

They may lose with such a short amount of time together. I'd prefer they lose tomorrow than on Saturday though.

Devaluing the Lions? Look back 8 years, and then look at the flight timetables.

by Pete C (Kiwireddevil) Mon Jun 17, 2013 7:38 pm

Breadvan wrote:It sort of makes sense. SW is aleady out there, fit and still playing rugby.He'll do a job. Suprised if he remians with the squad for the remainder but you never know....

I wonder if there's a rugby forum version of godwins law? Any subject online will eventually turn into a tirade against chris Ashton...

Make it a "tirade against Chris Ashton/Gavin Henson/Wayne Barnes" and you're probably right Wink

by Scrumpy Mon Jun 17, 2013 7:40 pm

I guess this will help sell more Lions shirts in Wales

by RuggerRadge2611 Mon Jun 17, 2013 8:08 pm

The thing is Gatland shouldn't be doing this to a national treasure. Williams is a Legend of Welsh rugby and one of the best players I have ever had the honour of watching.

It's not inconceivable for him to go out and embarrass himself here.

by BlueNote Mon Jun 17, 2013 9:21 pm

There's some hysteria on here - it's just a desparate stop-gap solution to avoid injuring someone they may need in the test team. I doubt there was any other practical option. He may even do okay, but that's barely the point anyway. If they need to call up a winger for the rest of the tour, it wouldn't be him, unless he has a surprisingly good game tomorrow.

by **George Carlin** Mon Jun 17, 2013 9:28 pm

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:
Breadvan wrote:It sort of makes sense. SW is aleady out there, fit and still playing rugby.He'll do a job. Suprised if he remians with the squad for the remainder but you never know....

I wonder if there's a rugby forum version of godwins law? Any subject online will eventually turn into a tirade against chris Ashton...

Make it a "tirade against Chris Ashton/Owen Farrell/Sean Maitland/Sam Warbuton's knee/Gavin Henson/Wayne Barnes" and you're probably right

Amended.

by Scarpia Mon Jun 17, 2013 10:01 pm

The Great Aukster wrote:
Scarpia wrote:
The Great Aukster wrote:
This opportunity should have been used to give a potential future tourist valuable experience that would have stood them in good stead for the future rather than the aggrandisement of a retired has-been.

And exactly how much valuable experience would a player get by jetting in Monday, playing Tuesday and jetting off again on Wednesday?

Some would consider being kitted out in a Lions shirt as an honour and valuable experience - however brief.

It would be An experience. Rather than experience

by SecretFly Mon Jun 17, 2013 10:08 pm

Has William actually been forewarned/armed well in advance of this 'surprise' call up, I wonder?

Has he been already doing the purification cryo stuff to get up to speed on his big cameo?

Over to you Gats - just when was the first time you ever had a phone call with William about the Lions?? Wink

by BlueNote Mon Jun 17, 2013 10:14 pm

According to his BBC interview, the first he heard was 1.30 on Saturday.

by pioden gorllewin Mon Jun 17, 2013 10:44 pm

SecretFly wrote:If players need resting before tests (and I'm not saying they don't) - but if they do, why have the extra games at all and just have a three test tour against a bunch of players who are also only going to have three tests.

If players can come in a week before the first test, play a game and then perhaps be seen to have done more than enough to actually stick around for one of the later tests (and Williams very well could!), then I don't really see the point in all this publicity about needing all the little games to work on combinations and separate the men from the boys.

None of these Lions boys are boys, they don't need the extra games in the first place, they don't need the extra risks of getting injured or exhausted before the true games of meaning actually happen.

I know it's tradition but increasingly in this professional world - when the back-ups can fly in at a moment's notice - the long tour idea is becoming less valid.

Agreed totally with the last bit. Personally all these call ups has taken away the excitement of listening to the initial squad being announced. My earliest memory of a lions tour was Australia 1989.....prior to that I can't comment how many replacements had been called up on a lions tour. But this tour stands out as replacements are being called up to allow other tourist rest periods rather than covering injuries. to me that's not in keeping with the lions tradition. I personally think (i'll put my tin helmet on how) there should be a limit on the number of replacements you can call up on a lions tour.....possibly only 2-3 players. would mean WG would have to think carefully before calling anyone up.

by The Great Aukster Mon Jun 17, 2013 11:32 pm

Scarpia wrote:
The Great Aukster wrote:
Scarpia wrote:
The Great Aukster wrote:
This opportunity should have been used to give a potential future tourist valuable experience that would have stood them in good stead for the future rather than the aggrandisement of a retired has-been.

And exactly how much valuable experience would a player get by jetting in Monday, playing Tuesday and jetting off again on Wednesday?

Some would consider being kitted out in a Lions shirt as an honour and valuable experience - however brief.

It would be An experience. Rather than experience

There's a difference? Shocked

by Scarpia Tue Jun 18, 2013 3:56 am

The Great Aukster wrote:
Scarpia wrote:
The Great Aukster wrote:
Scarpia wrote:
The Great Aukster wrote:
This opportunity should have been used to give a potential future tourist valuable experience that would have stood them in good stead for the future rather than the aggrandisement of a retired has-been.

And exactly how much valuable experience would a player get by jetting in Monday, playing Tuesday and jetting off again on Wednesday?

Some would consider being kitted out in a Lions shirt as an honour and valuable experience - however brief.

It would be An experience. Rather than experience

There's a difference?

You don't see it? OK, I'll explain. If you do something once, or for the first time ever, then it is an experience. If you do something regularly over a period of time you gain experience and become experienced.

by glamorganalun Tue Jun 18, 2013 6:03 am

pioden gorllewin wrote:
SecretFly wrote:If players need resting before tests (and I'm not saying they don't) - but if they do, why have the extra games at all and just have a three test tour against a bunch of players who are also only going to have three tests.

If players can come in a week before the first test, play a game and then perhaps be seen to have done more than enough to actually stick around for one of the later tests (and Williams very well could!), then I don't really see the point in all this publicity about needing all the little games to work on combinations and separate the men from the boys.

None of these Lions boys are boys, they don't need the extra games in the first place, they don't need the extra risks of getting injured or exhausted before the true games of meaning actually happen.

I know it's tradition but increasingly in this professional world - when the back-ups can fly in at a moment's notice - the long tour idea is becoming less valid.

Agreed totally with the last bit. Personally all these call ups has taken away the excitement of listening to the initial squad being announced. My earliest memory of a lions tour was Australia 1989.....prior to that I can't comment how many replacements had been called up on a lions tour. But this tour stands out as replacements are being called up to allow other tourist rest periods rather than covering injuries. to me that's not in keeping with the lions tradition. I personally think (i'll put my tin helmet on how) there should be a limit on the number of replacements you can call up on a lions tour.....possibly only 2-3 players. would mean WG would have to think carefully before calling anyone up.

You have a very valid point if the the Australians were playing ball and fielding their strongest teams as they did in the past. Why risk your top players if the Aus are not in their state teams, Gatland is fielding a team that is good enough to win on Tuesday without risking further injuries to the test team. The Lions starting team on Tuesday have no chance of playing in the test, the subs will be subs for the test.

by Sponsored content

Shane Williams gets Lions call up (this is not a joke)

Shane Williams gets Lions call up (this is not a joke)

Re: Shane Williams gets Lions call up (this is not a joke)

Re: Shane Williams gets Lions call up (this is not a joke)

Re: Shane Williams gets Lions call up (this is not a joke)

Re: Shane Williams gets Lions call up (this is not a joke)

Re: Shane Williams gets Lions call up (this is not a joke)

Re: Shane Williams gets Lions call up (this is not a joke)

Re: Shane Williams gets Lions call up (this is not a joke)

Re: Shane Williams gets Lions call up (this is not a joke)

Re: Shane Williams gets Lions call up (this is not a joke)

Re: Shane Williams gets Lions call up (this is not a joke)

Re: Shane Williams gets Lions call up (this is not a joke)

Re: Shane Williams gets Lions call up (this is not a joke)

Re: Shane Williams gets Lions call up (this is not a joke)

Re: Shane Williams gets Lions call up (this is not a joke)

Re: Shane Williams gets Lions call up (this is not a joke)

Re: Shane Williams gets Lions call up (this is not a joke)