Lions Squad

[drc_007]

Forwards:

Rory Best (Ireland), Dan Cole (England), Taulupe Faletau (Wales), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), Jamie George (England), Iain Henderson (Ireland), Maro Itoje (England), Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), George Kruis (England), Courtney Lawes (England), Joe Marler (England), Jack McGrath (Ireland), Ross Moriarty (Wales), Sean O'Brien (Ireland), Peter O'Mahony (Ireland), Ken Owens (Wales), Kyle Sinckler (England), CJ Stander (Ireland), Justin Tipuric (Wales), Billy Vunipola (England), Mako Vunipola (England), Sam Warburton (Wales)

Backs:

Dan Biggar (Wales), Elliot Daly (England), Jonathan Davies (Wales), Owen Farrell (England), Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), Robbie Henshaw (Ireland), Stuart Hogg (Scotland), Jonathan Joseph (England), Conor Murray (Ireland), George North (Wales), Jack Nowell (England), Jared Payne (Ireland), Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), Tommy Seymour (Scotland), Ben Te'o (England), Anthony Watson (England), Rhys Webb (Wales), Liam Williams (Wales), Ben Youngs (England)

[drc_007]

Details here

16 England players, 12 from Wales, 11 from Ireland and two from Scotland.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/39639299

[jgriffin]

More Wales than Ireland......AWJ? No Launchbury?

[Roly]

Forwards:

Rory Best (Ireland), Dan Cole (England), Taulupe Faletau (Wales), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), Jamie George (England), Iain Henderson (Ireland), Maro Itoje (England), Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), George Kruis (England), Courtney Lawes (England), Joe Marler (England), Jack McGrath (Ireland), Ross Moriarty (Wales), Sean O'Brien (Ireland), Peter O'Mahony (Ireland), Ken Owens (Wales), Kyle Sinckler (England), CJ Stander (Ireland), Justin Tipuric (Wales), Billy Vunipola (England), Mako Vunipola (England), Sam Warburton (Wales)

Backs:

Dan Biggar (Wales), Elliot Daly (England), Jonathan Davies (Wales), Owen Farrell (England), Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), Robbie Henshaw (Ireland), Stuart Hogg (Scotland), Jonathan Joseph (England), Conor Murray (Ireland), George North (Wales), Jack Nowell (England), Jared Payne (Ireland), Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), Tommy Seymour (Scotland), Ben Te'o (England), Anthony Watson (England), Rhys Webb (Wales), Liam Williams (Wales), Ben Youngs (England)

Ho Ho!

The lions is a joke, this selection proves it.

A meaningless set of exhibition matches just to make money for national boards, they do a good job of marketing it to make people think these Lions games actually matter.

The original set of Lions exhibitions were unsanctioned but once it was obvious there was a lot of money being made they soon jumped on board in later years for the cash.

Obviously, there's nothing biased about choice of captain or squad...

Nail. coffin. Shut.

[Soggypitch]

AWJ is in but no Launchbury. At least Roberts is not in!

Biggest shock to me is Ross Moriarty in ahead of Haskell and Robshaw. Two out of three of those flankers have been crucial to most of England's great away wins over the past 18 matches or so. One of them had a half decent game at home v England but still finished on the losing side!!

Pleased for JJ who is in despite widely reported to be not. Also very pleased for Nowell, not many tipped him, but he is one of my very favourite wingers.

[rocktop51]

Oh dear !

Kruis is a good player but injured for four months so potential over form to leave Launchbury out - somehow he'll end up there due to injuries.

Biggar over Ford? WG must like a whinger at 10

Moriarty in over Robshaw and Haskell ? Nah

12 from a team that finish 5th? Sentiment gets North and Halfpenny in.

Not a bad squad but somehow the Dirt Trackers XV is self selecting

Somehow I feel not a series winning squad.

[Iain]

Forwards:

Rory Best (Ireland), Dan Cole (England), Taulupe Faletau (Wales), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), Jamie George (England), Iain Henderson (Ireland), Maro Itoje (England), Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), George Kruis (England), Courtney Lawes (England), Joe Marler (England), Jack McGrath (Ireland), Ross Moriarty (Wales), Sean O'Brien (Ireland), Peter O'Mahony (Ireland), Ken Owens (Wales), Kyle Sinckler (England), CJ Stander (Ireland), Justin Tipuric (Wales), Billy Vunipola (England), Mako Vunipola (England), Sam Warburton (Wales)

Backs:

Dan Biggar (Wales), Elliot Daly (England), Jonathan Davies (Wales), Owen Farrell (England), Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), Robbie Henshaw (Ireland), Stuart Hogg (Scotland), Jonathan Joseph (England), Conor Murray (Ireland), George North (Wales), Jack Nowell (England), Jared Payne (Ireland), Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), Tommy Seymour (Scotland), Ben Te'o (England), Anthony Watson (England), Rhys Webb (Wales), Liam Williams (Wales), Ben Youngs (England)

Ho Ho!

The lions is a joke, this selection proves it.

A meaningless set of exhibition matches just to make money for national boards, they do a good job of marketing it to make people think these Lions games actually matter.

The original set of Lions exhibitions were unsanctioned but once it was obvious there was a lot of money being made they soon jumped on board in later years for the cash.

Obviously, there's nothing biased about choice of captain or squad...

Nail. coffin. Shut.

Can't agree Roly. The Lions tour is massive. If it's anything like the last time it was in New Zealand, there are towns who have been preparing for this for years and see it as the biggest event since the last tour. As someone who followed the Lions on that tour, there are thousands who'd agree with me that it isn't irrelevant.

[rocktop51]

AWJ is in but no Launchbury. At least Roberts is not in!

Biggest shock to me is Ross Moriarty in ahead of Haskell and Robshaw. Two out of three of those flankers have been crucial to most of England's great away wins over the past 18 matches or so. One of them had a half decent game at home v England but still finished on the losing side!!

Pleased for JJ who is in despite widely reported to be not. Also very pleased for Nowell, not many tipped him, but he is one of my very favourite wingers.

Plus 1

[Rozza]

Congratulations to the two Tigers who have been selected

[welshy08]

Gatland completely trusts and knows the Welsh players inside out, and he trusts them completely to carry out his gameplan. So Why is it surprising that he has picked lots of them? This isn't a team put together to play an entire season of rugby, and has time to ge; and find it's feet, this is a cobbled together squad that has three games.

I also believe that Wales did brilliantly in New Zealand (strategically and Tactically) last year and if we had amore strength on the bench (a mick and the odd Seas) we could have won at least one of those matches.

Wonder if Gatland is thinking that too?

Personally though..was hoping to have no Welsh lions and all our Welsh players to be fresh, fit and firing for next year and for the buildup to the world up. Instead they will all be knackered, having lost all fitness and form and motivation, (playing for the full squad or the midweek team) and again suffer another lions hangover full of injuries that destroys them and possibly ends their international careers.

[ourla]

Let's face it there would always be debatable selections.

It will be a long tour, replacements will be called up at some point.

This is just the beginning.

[Grimlish]

Gatland completely trusts and knows the Welsh players inside out, and he trusts them completely to carry out his gameplan. So Why is it surprising that he has picked lots of them? This isn't a team put together to play an entire season of rugby, and has time to ge; and find it's feet, this is a cobbled together squad that has three games.

I also believe that Wales did brilliantly in New Zealand (strategically and Tactically) last year and if we had amore strength on the bench (a mick and the odd Seas) we could have won at least one of those matches.

Wonder if Gatland is thinking that too?

Personally though..was hoping to have no Welsh lions and all our Welsh players to be fresh, fit and firing for next year and for the buildup to the world up. Instead they will all be knackered, having lost all fitness and form and motivation, (playing for the full squad or the midweek team) and again suffer another lions hangover full of injuries that destroys them and possibly ends their international careers.

I love a good bit of doommongering, as do many on this forum, but welshy boyo, I think you've got it real bad....

[champanzie]

Way to many Welsh players as expected

AWJ
Biggar
Faletau
Moriarty
Halfpenny

All should not be touring! Yet again Gatland spoils the selection!

How do you select 12 Welsh players and only 2 Scottish players when Scotland dominated Wales. Also Wales finished 5th in the 6 nations...

Lions prepare to be spanked by NZ

[mightymouse]

Scotland beat Wales and Ireland and end up with 2 in the squad. Russell is very unlucky to lose out to Biggar as is Gray to Wyn Jones or Henderson.

Payne is an odd choice. Best is not good enough.

Oddly I agree with Barnes .. Farrell should have been picked as a centre and another Fly half taken but neither would have been Biggar

[drc_007]

Gatland completely trusts and knows the Welsh players inside out, and he trusts them completely to carry out his gameplan. So Why is it surprising that he has picked lots of them? This isn't a team put together to play an entire season of rugby, and has time to ge; and find it's feet, this is a cobbled together squad that has three games.

He should also know that they have repeatedly failed to win against NZ, even at their peak they were not good enough. Now a number are past their peak...