Lions Watch: Six Nations Report

First topic message reminder :

Well we're nearly done with the Six Nations so if the Lions goes ahead who do you like the look of and who do you think will be touring?

formerly known as Sam wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:Tuilagi back next month. I expect he will go unless he breaks.

If he's approaching full fitness, he travels. Manu brings things no other option does, certainly not to his level anyway. He scares the life out of defences, he'd be a huge asset.

How do we know how fully fit he really is?  Of course, he would likely say he ready to go (who wouldn't?). but how likely do you think it is that he will travel?  Not a lot of games between now and selection.

Once you get Manu on the pitch he doesn't need much game time to get up to speed. A game or two will be fine. It's getting him well enough to be on the pitch that's the issue.

Totally agree, he's completely worth the risk.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

BamBam wrote:Simmonds has been capped he’s just not had much of a look in since those first few games

Simmonds has 7 caps and 1 good game from recollection? He really struggled against the more physical sides.....I can only imagine what SA would do to him. It would be like Brussow on the '09 tour all over again, throwing Martyn Williams around like a rag doll!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiVTDSEc8V8

Don't remember any bad games from him personally.

Ah....not suggesting bad, just one good. I can't recall him making any impact in the others, he was a passenger from memory.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:Tuilagi back next month. I expect he will go unless he breaks.

If he's approaching full fitness, he travels. Manu brings things no other option does, certainly not to his level anyway. He scares the life out of defences, he'd be a huge asset.

How do we know how fully fit he really is?  Of course, he would likely say he ready to go (who wouldn't?). but how likely do you think it is that he will travel?  Not a lot of games between now and selection.

Once you get Manu on the pitch he doesn't need much game time to get up to speed. A game or two will be fine. It's getting him well enough to be on the pitch that's the issue.

True but the trouble is, recently, once he gets on the pitch he doesn't need much game time to get injured again.

Oakdene wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:Tuilagi back next month. I expect he will go unless he breaks.

If he's approaching full fitness, he travels. Manu brings things no other option does, certainly not to his level anyway. He scares the life out of defences, he'd be a huge asset.

How do we know how fully fit he really is?  Of course, he would likely say he ready to go (who wouldn't?). but how likely do you think it is that he will travel?  Not a lot of games between now and selection.

Once you get Manu on the pitch he doesn't need much game time to get up to speed. A game or two will be fine. It's getting him well enough to be on the pitch that's the issue.

True but the trouble is, once he gets on the pitch he doesn't need much game time to get injured again.

There you go, fixed it. No need for the word recently.

Might help there's not much time to the end of the season. Get him fit, get a couple of games under his belt and then get him off to the Lions. He'll sign a new Sale deal return injured for the new season.

Another injury prone ex Lion but versatile player resuming in the near future is Jack Nowell.
Unfortunately not quite fit for this weekend.
Not as unique as MT but will surely be part of the conversation if he proves his fitness.

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:Another injury prone ex Lion but versatile player resuming in the near future is Jack Nowell.
Unfortunately not quite fit for this weekend.
Not as unique as MT but will surely be part of the conversation if he proves his fitness.

Great player but I doubt he will make the cut having not played for a while, lots of good form wingers at the moment from each country. Duhan, RZ, May, Watson, Adams, Earls. Some others could be included as wingers, North, Williams, Larmour, Stockdale etc.

Think he had a crappy six nations but I reckon Gatland will defo still have his eye on Lowe too as he does seem to nearly always have a few Kiwis in the squad sometimes from the leftfield. Id favour Nowell over Lowe personally as Lowe did himself no favours with uncharacteristically poor performances in the 6n.

I suppose sometimes on the Lions a winger can come out of nowhere too, like Seymour who was a top tourist last time around.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Oakdene wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:Tuilagi back next month. I expect he will go unless he breaks.

If he's approaching full fitness, he travels. Manu brings things no other option does, certainly not to his level anyway. He scares the life out of defences, he'd be a huge asset.

How do we know how fully fit he really is?  Of course, he would likely say he ready to go (who wouldn't?). but how likely do you think it is that he will travel?  Not a lot of games between now and selection.

Once you get Manu on the pitch he doesn't need much game time to get up to speed. A game or two will be fine. It's getting him well enough to be on the pitch that's the issue.

True but the trouble is, once he gets on the pitch he doesn't need much game time to get injured again.

There you go, fixed it. No need for the word recently.

Might help there's not much time to the end of the season. Get him fit, get a couple of games under his belt and then get him off to the Lions. He'll sign a new Sale deal return injured for the new season.

Manu is a freak of nature, 6' 1" and toned up massive 17st 4lbs, insanely aggressive, damn fast and scores tries. When you consider his competitors for the 13 shirt are Foxy Davies same height but 16st 5lbs, George North 6' 4" and 16st 5lbs, Robbie Henshaw 6' 3" & 15st 8lbs, he does offer a compact weighted aggression that very few have. The issue is, he will probably be back after Gats has named the squad

https://www.ruck.co.uk/sale-sharks-boss-delivers-brilliant-news-on-manu-tuilagi/
Sale Sharks boss delivers ‘brilliant’ news on Manu Tuilagi
6th April 2021  Rugby Rucker
England powerhouse Manu Tuilagi is set to return in time for the British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa.
Sale boss Alex Sanderson delivered the “brilliant” news today that the 29-year-old is set to return next month, having been ruled out with an achilles injury since September.
“We are saying May now, some time in May,” said Sanderson.
“That’s brilliant isn’t it? We’ll get him back for some big games for the back end of the season.”
Warren Gatland names his 36-man group on 6th May with the head coach also set to name a standby list due to his reduced squad size.

Henshaw is probably more a 12 but can play 13 too. Played against England at 13 but the other games at 12.

Collapse2005 wrote:

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:Another injury prone ex Lion but versatile player resuming in the near future is Jack Nowell.
Unfortunately not quite fit for this weekend.
Not as unique as MT but will surely be part of the conversation if he proves his fitness.

Great player but I doubt he will make the cut having not played for a while, lots of good form wingers at the moment from each country. Duhan, RZ, May, Watson, Adams, Earls. Some others could be included as wingers, North, Williams, Larmour, Stockdale etc.

Think he had a crappy six nations but I reckon Gatland will defo still have his eye on Lowe too as he does seem to nearly always have a few Kiwis in the squad sometimes from the leftfield. Id favour Nowell over Lowe personally as Lowe did himself no favours with uncharacteristically poor performances in the 6n.

I suppose sometimes on the Lions a winger can come out of nowhere too, like Seymour who was a top tourist last time around.

Cockasaniga is back scoring tries after a long injury and off field issues. If he finds some form...hes another wild card option..?

Collapse2005 wrote:Henshaw is probably more a 12 but can play 13 too. Played against England at 13 but the other games at 12.

I see Henshaw as more of a 13 that can play 12, he's a top notch centre either way.

Soul Requiem wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:Henshaw is probably more a 12 but can play 13 too. Played against England at 13 but the other games at 12.

I see Henshaw as more of a 13 that can play 12, he's a top notch centre either way.

Think Id prefer if he played 13 as well. He has always had good hands.

Soul Requiem wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:Henshaw is probably more a 12 but can play 13 too. Played against England at 13 but the other games at 12.

I see Henshaw as more of a 13 that can play 12, he's a top notch centre either way.

I agree, in my mind he has always been a centre that can finish not create an opportunity

flyhalffactory wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Oakdene wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:Tuilagi back next month. I expect he will go unless he breaks.

If he's approaching full fitness, he travels. Manu brings things no other option does, certainly not to his level anyway. He scares the life out of defences, he'd be a huge asset.

How do we know how fully fit he really is?  Of course, he would likely say he ready to go (who wouldn't?). but how likely do you think it is that he will travel?  Not a lot of games between now and selection.

Once you get Manu on the pitch he doesn't need much game time to get up to speed. A game or two will be fine. It's getting him well enough to be on the pitch that's the issue.

True but the trouble is, once he gets on the pitch he doesn't need much game time to get injured again.

There you go, fixed it. No need for the word recently.

Might help there's not much time to the end of the season. Get him fit, get a couple of games under his belt and then get him off to the Lions. He'll sign a new Sale deal return injured for the new season.

Manu is a freak of nature, 6' 1" and toned up massive 17st 4lbs, insanely aggressive, damn fast and scores tries. When you consider his competitors for the 13 shirt are Foxy Davies same height but 16st 5lbs, George North 6' 4" and 16st 5lbs, Robbie Henshaw 6' 3" & 15st 8lbs, he does offer a compact weighted aggression that very few have. The issue is,  he will probably be back after Gats has named the squad

https://www.ruck.co.uk/sale-sharks-boss-delivers-brilliant-news-on-manu-tuilagi/
Sale Sharks boss delivers ‘brilliant’ news on Manu Tuilagi
6th April 2021  Rugby Rucker
England powerhouse Manu Tuilagi is set to return in time for the British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa.
Sale boss Alex Sanderson delivered the “brilliant” news today that the 29-year-old is set to return next month, having been ruled out with an achilles injury since September.
“We are saying May now, some time in May,” said Sanderson.
“That’s brilliant isn’t it? We’ll get him back for some big games for the back end of the season.”
Warren Gatland names his 36-man group on 6th May with the head coach also set to name a standby list due to his reduced squad size.

I hope Tuilagi is really healthy.  Achilles tendon injuries are notoriously difficult to know when completely healed.

Cameron Redpath also back this weekend for Bsth, he gave us a little glimpse of what he is capable of in Scotland first game and may well have been in the conversation barring his subsequent injury.

A bolter if he can show some form?

Possibly, though I rather doubt it. He certainly seems to know how to play the game and has all the potential in the world. But maybe a year or so too early. He will have to defend against a big Bok midfield. But he is likely quicker.

doctor_grey wrote:Possibly, though I rather doubt it.  He certainly seems to know how to play the game and has all the potential in the world.  But maybe a year or so too early.  He will have to defend against a big Bok midfield.  But he is likely quicker.  

Absolutely should be considered, has played well for Bath and an awesome game against England (6Ns against the champs.....no pressure for your first game!)

Cameron plays I/C so probably will be direct against the 16st 7lb De Allende, however CP is an inch shorter than Henshaw and about the same weight about 15st. He is a pretty decent defender to be honest and he contained Ollie Lawrence who at 100kg is heavier than two of the possible SA centres Am, Kriel but deffo a bit light than 16.5 st De Allende and the huge Esterhuizen who flaming tips 18st.....get Manu in quick!

He's back against London Irish and the tasty Terrence Hepetema who is as close to De Allende in height/weight, so could be interesting

It's a shame that he got the neck injury as like LRZ he could have forced Gats to have a long hard think

Far too early for Redpath IMO - he's only got one cap! I know in the past the Lions would take a bolter but this is the modern professional game. As has been said it's a real shame we only saw him play one game.

There was a report earlier this week that the Lions coaching team would not have any current coaches from the current England team of coaches.
However, Borthwick, Rowntree, Farrell and Townsend were mentioned as probables.
The Times this morning report that Borthwick, Rowntree and Farrell have pulled out of the tour for different reasons.
I haven’t got full article because of paywall.

However, when the Lions finally sent through their schedule this week, it became clear to Borthwick that his club commitments would be heavily compromised at both ends of the tour.


The Lions schedule for team management overlaps with the semi-finals and the final of the Gallagher Premiership. At the back end of the tour, Borthwick would miss three weeks of Leicester’s pre-season and if a quarantine period were required on return from South Africa, he would miss even more.

Borthwick is in the process of rebuilding Leicester and it is understood that he felt he would be setting the wrong example to his players if he prioritised the Lions.

Rowntree is understood to have withdrawn because of family commitments. He has been living in Ireland away from his family, who have been in England, for much of the year. It had been expected that they would follow the tour but as that plan now appears impossible, Rowntree felt that he could not travel either.

The unavailability of Farrell, Borthwick and Rowntree will be a huge disappointment for Gatland. They were in his first-choice coaching line-up not only because he rates them so highly but because they provide continuity to the previous Lions tour four years ago.

One of the challenges of a Lions tour is to get all the working relationships within a squad running smoothly as quickly as possible. Gatland thought that he had a decent solution to the problem by keeping together the bulk of a coaching team that had worked so well four years ago while adding in Townsend’s fresh perspective. Gatland, Farrell and Rowntree also all worked together on the 2013 tour to Australia.

Gatland’s potential alternatives for a defence coach are John Mitchell, the England defence coach, and Shaun Edwards, who holds the same role with France. To replace Rowntree as a scrum and forwards specialist, Gatland may turn to Robin McBryde, the former Wales forwards coach. Paul O’Connoll, who made such an impact with Ireland in the Six Nations and was Lions captain in 2009, may come into Gatland’s thinking as a replacement for Borthwick.

I have to say, I am not surprised that Borthwick wants to concentrate on Leicester. Hard to see any club employer being keen to releaser their coaching staff for the whole of their pre season!

Not so clear why Farrell would not go though, especially if he fancies heading up the gig next time around.

I still don't see what would be in it for France to release Edwards either, so you would imagine that Mitchel will come in for the defence.

If the above is accurate , then would it not make sense that if Townsend is going as an attack coach to ask Steve Tandy to go as defence coach. Scotland have, since his introduction, had the best defence in the six nations . The continuity that would be missing in other aspects of the coaching setup could be maintained in two vital areas. Just a thought though.

I keep going back to why would a current head coach go and work under Gatland though.

The article said that Farrell would only go on the Lions tour if Ireland’s summer tour was cancelled. Ireland’s tour seems to be going ahead so he wants to focus on that.

No 7&1/2 wrote:I keep going back to why would a current head coach go and work under Gatland though.

Possibly because they fancy the big gig next tour. Gives them a head start if they’ve been involved previously I would imagine

I strongly suspect the further away from this one the better.

BigGee wrote:I have to say, I am not surprised that Borthwick wants to concentrate on Leicester. Hard to see any club employer being keen to releaser their coaching staff for the whole of their pre season!

Not so clear why Farrell would not go though, especially if he fancies heading up the gig next time around.

I still don't see what would be in it for France to release Edwards either, so you would imagine that Mitchel will come in for the defence.

Edwards ruled himself out of the tour last year

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-9456767/amp/Six-Nations-star-Duhan-van-Der-Merwe-Lion-against-brother.html?__twitter_impression=true

Excuse the source but a decent chat with VDM and his motivation for playing for Scotland.

BigGee wrote:I have to say, I am not surprised that Borthwick wants to concentrate on Leicester. Hard to see any club employer being keen to releaser their coaching staff for the whole of their pre season!

Borthwick has recently given an interview saying he's happy with where Tigers are but it's not where near where he wants them to be because it's a big rebuilding job. Doesn't sound like a man willing to sacrifice pre season. The last Tigers head coach to skip pre season lasted only a very short time after.

Yeah, good luck to Duhan, but this BS of excuses the SA players have that they’e too small, or nobody backed them in SA is just that, BS.

If you want to leave, F off, but don’t blame the system, go wherever you want and make the best of it.

Mark Palmers take on Toonie's appojntment as Lion's attack coach:


In the immediate aftermath of the 2019 World Cup, Gregor Townsend was struggling to hold on to the Scotland job, never mind making a case to be part of something bigger.

The Scots had crashed out at the pool stage, embarrassed by Japan and winning few friends back home with an insipid style that bore no relation to the verve and fizz of the Gala man’s first 18 months in charge.

Fast forward a year and a half and Townsend appears the natural choice to lead the Lions attack in the country where he reached the apex of his playing career with the combined side in 1997. What has changed? Perhaps the 47-year-old himself, who at the very least has shown a previously untapped flexibility.

Where certain assistant coaches once felt they might get more joy banging their heads against a brick wall, Townsend brought in new men, Steve Tandy and Pieter de Villiers, to run Scotland’s defence and scrum and, crucially, empowered them via time and focus on the training pitch. Scotland’s returns in both those areas were transformed in 2020, and a further significant tweak has taken place this year after the attack began to look neglected.

The 18 tries scored in the recent Six Nations was Scotland’s highest campaign tally since the championship grew from five teams, and though eight came in the rout of hapless Italy, there was a zip and tenacious purpose to their attacking work throughout.

It helped, of course, that Townsend could call upon a brilliant new weapon in the shape of Duhan van der Merwe, but even the way the big South African has been used speaks volumes for the attention to detail of the coach. Often with Edinburgh, Van der Merwe can find himself kicking his heels out wide, whereas in national team colours he has been hitting great lines off fly half and scrum half and scrabbling for scraps round the fringes of the ruck.

Townsend could have gone to New Zealand as a coach in 2017 but was right to turn it down rather than miss his first three matches at the helm of Scotland. This time, he will be able to provide valuable insight into not just the abilities but the personalities of those looking to transform Scotland’s recent dismal representation. You would like to think that Stuart Hogg, Finn Russell and Hamish Watson already have a boarding pass, but for Jamie Ritchie, Jonny Gray, Rory Sutherland, Zander Fagerson or Van der Merwe himself, an extra voice speaking in their favour could make all the difference.

With the possible exception of Sutherland, the loose-head prop, they all play in positions which will be hotly contested, even when it comes to making the initial squad. Townsend will speak up and speak well of their credentials in a way that simply hasn’t happened in advance of recent expeditions; not since Jim Telfer in 1997 has a coach employed by the SRU at the time of touring been part of the Lions staff.

What will it mean for Russell? Hard work — and listening — on both sides has put the relationship between the stand off and his national coach in a much better place than we saw at the time of that unholy schism in the early months of 2020, and while Townsend is in no doubt as to the
28-year-old’s talent, it will be interesting to discover whether he will back him over the steadier hands of Johnny Sexton or Dan Biggar.

That decision forms part of a bigger question as to how far he will seek to push Warren Gatland away from tried and tested methodology. There is a school of thought that only by playing a bit of rugby, daring to dream a little, can the Lions hope to beat the world champions, but Townsend’s own approach has become more measured and multi-layered since he took over from Vern Cotter and vowed to play “the fastest rugby in the world”. The Lions is no place for dogmatism of any hue, and the pragmatic streak that Townsend has shown post-Japan may well have sealed the deal on his own inclusion.

In each of the last two Six Nations, he has overseen three wins, with this year’s batch including historic away triumphs over France and England. What he hasn’t managed yet is to turn Scotland into genuine title contenders, despite being able to call on a squad where the depth and level of individual talent is better than at any time in the professional era.

The Lions is Townsend’s chance to be a winner — just as he was in 1997, the 1999 Five Nations and when coaching Glasgow to the Pro12 title in 2015. For Telfer in 1983 and Ian McGeechan six years later, Lions coaching involvement was the precursor to a Scottish Grand Slam the following season. Townsend will hope this experience helps propel him to the next level too.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/apr/11/scotlands-steve-tandy-set-to-join-gatlands-lions-coaching-staff

Tandy to be Lions defence coach?

He has certainly done a decent job with Scotland these past 2 years.

Thought Mitchell would be the shoe-in.

He may well have realised he needs Scottish representation.

So with the Toonie & Tandy Show likely to be Lions attack/defence coaches and with an awesome 6Ns campaign for Scotland and a superb Champions Cup performance for Glos against a bloody good La Rochelle (12 Tackles, 0 Missed Tackles, 2 Forced Turnovers) is there a chance that Chris Harris might nick a plane ticket to SA?

Personally I think with North, Foxy Davies, Ringrose and Slade looking to compete for the OC slot, it's looking zero chance

Any thoughts?

I don't know about the majority of England fans but I'm ready to move on from slade. Has never showed consistently good form, some flashes but if move on. I don't think he's a lion.

I would take Harris, he is just a very solid player and defence will be so important on this tour.

He is very under rated and could easily be the bolter on this tour.

I personally wouldn’t take JD2. He’s shown very little form since returning from injury. Might not help by being asked to play 12, but I feel there are better centres out there in form and available. Great previous tourist, solid if unspectacular, but misses out this time for me.

No 7&1/2 wrote:I don't know about the majority of England fans but I'm ready to move on from slade. Has never showed consistently good form, some flashes but if move on. I don't think he's a lion.

I am still of two minds about Slade.  And I think that also comes back to playing next to Farrell.  Just like Ford, we don't know what they could really bring to the table with someone else at 12.  Almost makes me wonder the degree to which Farrell is benefiting from having virtually no competition for the 12 jersey.  

But, more to your point, I don't really see Slade as a Lion either.

The Times are reporting that Tandy and McBryde have got the call up. So led by an ex-Welsh coach, with two Welshmen in the rest of the backroom team. One based in Ireland and one in Scotland. With a Scottish backs coach. One would bet on a squad that would reflect the Six Nations. A predominance of Welsh players, the champions; with a smattering of Scots and Irish with a few English extras.

123456789. wrote:The Times are reporting that Tandy and McBryde have got the call up. So led by an ex-Welsh coach, with two Welshmen in the rest of the backroom team. One based in Ireland and one in Scotland. With a Scottish backs coach. One would bet on a squad that would reflect the Six Nations. A predominance of Welsh players, the champions; with a smattering of Scots and Irish with a few English extras.

Something tells me you’re not too happy about this rumour!

The Oracle wrote:I personally wouldn’t take JD2. He’s shown very little form since returning from injury.  Might not help by being asked to play 12, but I feel there are better centres out there in form and available. Great previous tourist, solid if unspectacular, but misses out this time for me.  

I would agree with this - he seems to be in a lot of pundits Lions 15s but that's pretty much out of reputation and not form over the last few years. He's not the same player he used to be - mainly because his body is likely held together with tape and deep heat!

He's an experienced player and successful Lions tourist so may still make the cut, particularly as there's not a lot of standouts at 13. The fact that Chris Harris is being talked up as s viable option says it all! (Tongue in cheek)

I guess a lot of this comes down to the type of 10 that Gatland will play in the tests.  England employ a running 10 and a second playmaker at 12 in Farrell.  If Gats likes that idea then he could go down that route so Farrell would take up a centre spot and someone like Russell or Ford would be taken as a 10.  But if he was going for someone like Biggar (not someone who has been favoured in previous Lions tours - still yet to win a Lions test cap!) or Sexton then you wouldn't have a Farrell at 12 and would have more of an out and out centre.

I remember reading an interesting interview with Gatland a few years back.  It was often assumed that Gatlandball/Warrenball (I forget which is which!) was a gameplan based on having a hulking crash ball 12 trucking it up the middle, phase after phase of crash bang wallop, etc.  And of course it was.  But the interesting thing was that Gatland never went in with that gameplan in mind.  His coaching ethos has always been to look at what is available and design a gameplan around them, rather than start with a gameplan and try to find players to suit.  A subtle difference.  At the time when Gatland was finding his feet as Wales coach, Jamie Roberts was our stand out midfield player so Gatland designed the gameplan and attacking moves to suit.  So I don't think Gatland will try to play Gatlandball and will use the biggest centre available to crash it over and try to emulate gameplans of the past.  Hopefully he'll see what he has and will the gameplan will follow.  Having Toonie on board will hopefully help too.

Lions coaches Gregor Townsend (Scotland), Robin McBryde (Leinster Rugby), Steve Tandy (Scotland) and Neil Jenkins (Wales)

You know what, I hope not many English players make the squad, they are going to get battered by the Springboks.

Let it be a Celtic affair, sit back and watch it with a Castle beer and Biltong.

RDW wrote:

The Oracle wrote:I personally wouldn’t take JD2. He’s shown very little form since returning from injury.  Might not help by being asked to play 12, but I feel there are better centres out there in form and available. Great previous tourist, solid if unspectacular, but misses out this time for me.  

I would agree with this - he seems to be in a lot of pundits Lions 15s but that's pretty much out of reputation and not form over the last few years. He's not the same player he used to be - mainly because his body is likely held together with tape and deep heat!

He's an experienced player and successful Lions tourist so may still make the cut, particularly as there's not a lot of standouts at 13. The fact that Chris Harris is being talked up as s viable option says it all! (Tongue in cheek)

Chris Harris does like to tackle though which might help against the massive Bok side. I assume Henshaw is pencilled in the midfield and it's then the case of moving him between 12 or 13 depending on who else is in form and what the tactics are. I wouldn't have had Henshaw starting a year ago but he's the form centre at the minute.

Have to say I'm surprised that Townsend has agreed to go on tour under Gatland. Those coaches don't fill me with hope overall though.

TightHEAD wrote:Lions coaches Gregor Townsend (Scotland), Robin McBryde (Leinster Rugby), Steve Tandy (Scotland) and Neil Jenkins (Wales)

You know what, I hope not many English players make the squad, they are going to get battered by the Springboks.

Let it be a Celtic affair, sit back and watch it with a Castle beer and Biltong.

Will be just like the World Cup final then


Joking apart it is an interesting coaching team. Townsend has only had one stint as an attack coach and was, in short, not very successful. That being said he was dealing with Parks, Southwell, Morrison, Danielli et al. I think having two coaches employed by Scotland adds an entirely different dimension. I felt in 2013 and 2017 that the tight calls often went to the Welsh players, because ultimately Gatland had to justify himself to them afterward. Townsend and Tandy will have that same issue. How do you convince your players that they're every bit as good as the guys opposite them if you've picked them ahead of them a few months before? Finn Russell for example. He's not really a Gatland fly-half, he was behind Sexton and arguably Biggar over the course of the Six Nations. However, Russell is key for how Scotland play. Is there going to be something in the back of Townsend's mind about how him and Russell interact afterwards? I think there are a few players that we would not even have considered particularly before who might now travel, Chris Harris or Jamie Ritchie for example. The English players are now in the unfamiliar territory of having to be simply too good to ignore.

50/50 calls in the backs could now go to the Scottish players.

Townsend and Jenkins aside, it does have a whiff of who was available as opposed to who was the first choice. Tandy has revolutionised Scotland's defence though so has a lot of credit too.

The one thing missing for me is a lineout specialist - hopefully Paul O'Connell can get involved as a Lions legend and set piece expert. Gatland said they might be adding more nearer the time.

I'd really rather Eddie Jones (assuming we are stuck with him until after the next RWC) had the whole England squad available for the summer tour, not sure what the England players would benefit from playing midweek lions games on hard pitches?