How are the Lions Tourists Playing this Season?

A comment by someone on the Saints/Ospreys thread got me thinking. How many of the guys who toured with the Lions in the summer playing well and looking good? Any updates and I will amend this post.



Rory Best
Richard Hibbard
Tom Youngs
Dan Cole Out of form
Alex Corbisiero Injured
Tom Court  Out of favour with Ireland
Ryan Grant
Cian Healy
Adam Jones  Struggling a little
Matt Stevens
Mako Vunipola
Ian Evans Injured
Richie Gray
Alun Wyn Jones
Paul O'Connell
Geoff Parling
Tom Croft Injured
Dan Lydiate
Sean O'Brien
Justin Tipuric
Sam Warburton Just back from injury
Toby Faletau
Jamie Heaslip
Conor Murray
Mike Phillips
Ben Youngs Struggling with injury and form
Owen Farrell
Jonathan Sexton
Brad Barritt Injured
Jonathan Davies Loosk in good form, but being outshone by Scott Williams at scarlets?
Brian O'Driscoll Injured
Jamie Roberts Injured
Manu Tuilagi Injured
Billy Twelvetrees
Tommy Bowe Coming back from Injury
Alex Cuthbert Newly injured
Christian Wade Struggling?
Sean Maitland
George North Adapting to AP
Simon Zebo   Struggling for form?
Leigh Halfpenny Team around him struggling
Stuart Hogg Injured
Rob Kearney

Best - exceptional
Court (undefeated Lion) - good
Healy - maybe not quite at his best but good
POC - ok. havent seen enough to suggest otherwise
O'Brien - exceptional
Heaslip - very, very good
Murray - ok. not on his lions form but not bad
BOD- injured
Bowe - rusty but dangerous.
Zebo - looked out of sorts imo before injury
kearney - has been hit and miss imo. looked really good last week though. Early dys with a new coach

Thats my bastardized version of the Irish lions. Open to correction regarding players from Leinster and Munster.

Standulstermen wrote:Best - exceptional

Has he overcome the throwing yips?

Zebo is out injured for a while now I believe

From Welsh point of view

Jenkins - (Well he went) Seems to be finding form for the Blues
Hibbard - Usual abrasive self seems in same form
A Jones - Form seems to have dipped a bit but still one of best around
AWJ - Seems in top form
Evans - Out of favour with the Os at the moment
Lydiate - Not starting regularly for Racing so not sure
Faletau - On fire
Warburton - Few good games after injury
Tipuric - On top form
Phillips - On very good form according to Maes
North - Adapting to the AP broke his duck and starting regularly
Roberts - Injured
JD - Very good form
Cuthbert - Seemed in good form injured yesterday
Halfpenny - As per normal

You describe the Ospreys boys as being in good form, yet they have seemed to really struggle in the last two weeks. Or am I being unduly pessimistic?

VietGwentRevisited wrote:

Standulstermen wrote:Best - exceptional

Has he overcome the throwing yips?

Yup lineout going well, his work rate in defence and on the deck is outstanding.

Bowe is coming back from injury but has 2 tries and an assist in the last 3 games.

O'Brien is in barnstorming form from what I've seen. BOD had one very good game against the Blues and then got injured. Sexton hasn't quite found his feet at Metro.

Viet,

I think they are individually in good form but as a team they are playing poorly if that makes sense. I thought Biggar and Tipuric especially were very good in a losing side today.

Scott Williams (Scarlets), is playing very well but didn't your with the lions, he was injured.

I really expected the Ospreys scrum to mangle Northampton, but the entire front 5 just did not look ready for such an important game. As they included 3 of the front 5 that demolished Australia - and Saints were without Corbs - well that came as a shock.

Bit off topic but what is going on with I Evans anyone know?

bedfordwelsh wrote:Bit off topic but what is going on with I Evans anyone know?

Apparently the coaches didn't think he was performing well enough at the Ospreys but he now has an injury.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/frustrated-ospreys-lock-ian-evans-6210814

He's not on the international radar but I've heard Matt Stevens has started the season in decent knick for Saracens.

Gray is back to his best. Maintland is playing really well. Hogg is injured. ~However none of them actually were lions in reality. Just a token scots presence and 10 mins of tests between them

That's a LOT of Lions either out injured or just coming back from injury.

Cyril,

Price of a long season really but these days is a player ever really 100% fit. They are almost always carrying knocks n bumps of one sort or another.

bedfordwelsh wrote:Cyril,

Price of a long season really but these days is a player ever really 100% fit.  They are almost always carrying knocks n bumps of one sort or another.

Yep, there's no real break for some of them (even with the staggered re-integration employed by some sides).

There's going to be some bruised bodies after this weekend's games too. It's that nervous time now where you see how many of your internationals are left standing for the Autumn games.

As an England fan I'm sooo disappointed that Corbs is injured (again!).

Sean Maitland was very good today

The Tigers Lions:

Cole - rock solid as per usual and starting to gather momentum. Not hit top form yet.

Tom Youngs - slow adapting to the new scrum laws but is now up and running and playing out of his skin. Already won head to head lineout battles vs Hartley and Best.

Parling - solid but not spectacular, lineout calls are spot on and work rate is high. Under pressure for his shirt at Tigers.

Croft - looked quality before injury but will now miss the season.

Ben Youngs - returned injured and has been slow getting up to speed, playing at only 75% of what he's capable of.

Manu Tuilagi - played whilst injured by the Lions and as such missed the start of the season, returned with a bang but has picked up another injury. Should be back before the December HEC double header.

VietGwentRevisited wrote:

Standulstermen wrote:Best - exceptional

Has he overcome the throwing yips?

No problems at all. And he's all over the pitch, guy would have made an outstanding openside. His workrate is exceptional.

formerly known as Sam wrote:The Tigers Lions:

Cole - rock solid as per usual and starting to gather momentum. Not hit top form yet.

Tom Youngs - slow adapting to the new scrum laws but is now up and running and playing out of his skin. Already won head to head lineout battles vs Hartley and Best.

Parling - solid but not spectacular, lineout calls are spot on and work rate is high. Under pressure for his shirt at Tigers.

Croft - looked quality before injury but will now miss the season.

Ben Youngs - returned injured and has been slow getting up to speed, playing at only 75% of what he's capable of.

Manu Tuilagi - played whilst injured by the Lions and as such missed the start of the season, returned with a bang but has picked up another injury. Should be back before the December HEC double header.

Cough! Splutter! Ahem!?  

Watching on TV - I had thought Leicester's lineout went better than Ulsters - hence my question earlier.

Looking at the stats Ulster won 10/11 and Leicester 10/12 which suggests my memory is faulty.

Ah here they both had strong games. Its all down to opinion























... but he's wrong

Standulstermen wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:The Tigers Lions:

Cole - rock solid as per usual and starting to gather momentum. Not hit top form yet.

Tom Youngs - slow adapting to the new scrum laws but is now up and running and playing out of his skin. Already won head to head lineout battles vs Hartley and Best.

Parling - solid but not spectacular, lineout calls are spot on and work rate is high. Under pressure for his shirt at Tigers.

Croft - looked quality before injury but will now miss the season.

Ben Youngs - returned injured and has been slow getting up to speed, playing at only 75% of what he's capable of.

Manu Tuilagi - played whilst injured by the Lions and as such missed the start of the season, returned with a bang but has picked up another injury. Should be back before the December HEC double header.

Cough! Splutter! Ahem!?  

Yes Ulster beat us at Ravenhill... that doesn't change that Youngs got the better of Best.

Haha very good, Youngs missed 3 tackles and Best didn't miss one. Plus Best is a machine at the breakdown. You would have to be very one eyed to say Best was outplayed by Youngs around the park. You have to take into account every facet of the game.
Look at Sean Cronin... He is very eye catching and carries like Sean O'Brien, but not good at set piece

It's all good natured toml.

Was a bit confused thanks, pity Rory didn't give a proper account of himself for the Lions. He seems to play best in White

Best had a very good second half in that game, particularly at the breakdown. Tom Youngs was however key in making the big hits which drove the big Ulster forwards back and kept Tigers in the game. He also carried like an 8 and had Best in all kinds of bother in the scrum. Not saying Best played badly, quite the opposite, but Youngsy edged it.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Best had a very good second half in that game, particularly at the breakdown. Tom Youngs was however key in making the big hits which drove the big Ulster forwards back and kept Tigers in the game. He also carried like an 8 and had Best in all kinds of bother in the scrum. Not saying Best played badly, quite the opposite, but Youngsy edged it.

Eye, right enough  

Sarries Lions perspective.


Matt Stevens - been pretty good but struggled vs Toulouse

Mako Vunipola- same as above.

Owen Farrell - in good form. Still learning but progressing nicely.

Sam

Best was just behind Wilson for MOTM. Can't see how you could believe youngs came out on top (although I agree he played well). That said thats why we support different teams. We always have more of an eye towards our own guys positives and less so for the negatives

beshocked wrote:.

Owen Farrell - in good form. Still learning but progressing nicely.

I saw he is still missing high pressure kicks at goal...

maestegmafia wrote:

beshocked wrote:.

Owen Farrell - in good form. Still learning but progressing nicely.

I saw he is still missing high pressure kicks at goal...

You really are a numpty aren't you? Perhaps watch a rugby game once in a while? You might actually learn something.

maestegmafia wrote:

beshocked wrote:.

Owen Farrell - in good form. Still learning but progressing nicely.

I saw he is still missing high pressure kicks at goal...

Touch harsh - after all the missed penalty was from a long way out by all accounts. Plenty of kickers missed much easier kicks without getting slated.

The actual error was in taking a kick outside his range. For every Paul Thorburn or Tim Stimpson "boomer" we probably have hundreds that come up short. It would be like criticising 1/2p for missing that kick at the end of the 2nd Lions test (yes I know people did). We had already seen he did not have the range, so a tap and go to get closer would have been a more sensible call.

Well said viewgwentrevisited. 

I agree with the Leighhalfpenny example too.

I criticise players more for taking kicks out of their range than for missing. Farrell did make those two errors - trying to kick from 60 metres and his drop goal attempt but other than those he played well.

beshocked wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

beshocked wrote:.

Owen Farrell - in good form. Still learning but progressing nicely.

I saw he is still missing high pressure kicks at goal...

You really are a numpty aren't you? Perhaps watch a rugby game once in a while? You might actually learn something.

Hey don't get angry, everyone saw it, under pressure form the drop goal and let it get to him. Seen it before by him.
A lot of people saw it not just Masteg. Maybe you need a Patchell or Biggar type figure who seem to to pretty well under pressure.  

beshocked wrote:Well said viewgwentrevisited. 

I agree with the Leighhalfpenny example too.

I criticise players more for taking kicks out of their range than for missing. Farrell did make those two errors - trying to kick from 60 metres and his drop goal attempt but other than those he played well.

Were Sarries under pressure at the breakdown at the end of the game?  Could they have gone through a few more phases of play to get the ball closer to goal.  Also, the chase from Toulouse was very good, it looked like it was obvious that the next play was an attempted drop goal and there weren't any dummy options available to the scrum half to distract the Toulouse defensive line.

For the long penalty, what is the downside from being short?  If he made it, it would have been a great call.  If he is short, then the defending team kicks to touch from under their own posts and chances are you have a lineout outside the 22 but inside the 10 metres line (usually around there), which is only 5-10 metres further back the field than if they had kicked for touch to start with? Maybe I'm too simplistic.

Stand, this board would be dull if we all had the same opinion.

Farrell should have kicked for touch instead of the 60m kick but that's an experience thing more than anything else and he's still a young player.

Jhamer25 wrote: Maybe you need a Patchell or Biggar type figure who seem to to pretty well under pressure.   

I have been singularly disappointed with Patchell in the two HEC matches.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Stand, this board would be dull if we all had the same opinion.

Farrell should have kicked for touch instead of the 60m kick but that's an experience thing more than anything else and he's still a young player.

Captain has a big part to play in the decision making process. Farrell though should know his own abilities well enough to be able to tell Borthwick to sod off. However then perhaps he would be criticised for that instead?

 We all know Maes loves Farrell. That's why he devotes so many posts to him

I imagine the conversation went:

Borthwick: What do you reckon, you have the range?

Farrell: It's right on the edge, probably 50:50

Borthwick: Ok, it's still worth a shot, give it your best

Anyone who's played the game or has half an ounce of intelligence would understand that.  It's probably also the reason why some on here are struggling with it though.

Toohey wrote:
Anyone who's played the game or has half an ounce of intelligence would understand that.  

Damn - only have one of those.

Maybe Toohey. Young Farrell might have said "well I got them from this range in the warm up". Borthwick gives him the nod and unfortunately for Sarries there's a bit too much fatigue in his legs for him to make the kick. If Farrell turns round and says It's 50/50 then you'd have though Borthwick would have backed himself at the lineout and taken the territory to try and force another penalty closer in.

Youngs got the better of Best apparently. Put that in. Thats definitely true!  

formerly known as Sam wrote:Maybe Toohey. Young Farrell might have said "well I got them from this range in the warm up". Borthwick gives him the nod and unfortunately for Sarries there's a bit too much fatigue in his legs for him to make the kick. If Farrell turns round and says It's 50/50 then you'd have though Borthwick would have backed himself at the lineout and taken the territory to try and force another penalty closer in.

I'd say whatever Farrell said, Borthwick is a seasoned captain and would have factored in the exuberance of youth in his reply when making his decision! It's a tough call for a captain but if it was me I'd go for a 50:50 shout with the likelihood we'd have one more chance with possession. I can see the argument for going the other way too mind, it’s a tough call.

Sam you are right. Sarries didn't lose a lineout the whole game.

It was a 60 metre kick. Even without fatigue I am not sure he could make it.

bandwagonsociety well they strung a lot of phases to together so it looked like Sarries were protecting the ball good enough. I thought they were making reasonable ground with ball in hand. I thought they should rumble it up a bit more.

Was that kick not at the very end of the game with no time for the lineout?

Or am I misremembering???

 

MrsP the Leighhalfpenny was that.

The Farrell one was with 4 minutes to go.

maestegmafia wrote:Scott Williams (Scarlets), is playing very well but didn't your with the lions, he was injured.

You really think he would have toured anyway? Maybe would have been called up through injury at some point, but was more than comfortably behind the four that got selected, at least back then.