Who’s your pick for Lions 2021

[Scott1]

I disagree mol. Look what Rassie has done in a short space of time,I fully expect SA to be favourites come kick off time and I hope its every bit as good as 2009 which easily eclipsed 2013 and 2017 for me in terms of drama and excitement, I was glued to every second.

I hope so but maybe nothing will ever eclipse it, the utter stupidity by O'Gara, the tries by Croft, Fourie & Williams, performances by Kearney, Stephen Jones & Simon Shaw, the Beast nailing Vickery, young Morné Steyn nailing that 80 minute penalty. This is just naming a few highlights.

Perhaps the best thing was seeing the Sea of Red in the crowds.

It was a great series!

[kk20gb30]

Martin Johnson on Lions captaincy:
https://www.ruck.co.uk/martin-johnson-w ... in-debate/

[kk20gb30]

Brian O'Driscoll , Lions backs:
https://www.ruck.co.uk/brian-odriscoll- ... th-africa/

[JP14]

I would have Gareth Davies over Tomos Williams and I still can’t see May being picked for the Lions tour.

[mol2]

May over Stockdale any day of the week.
Sound defence, high workrate, one of the best under the high ball and electric pace. Pace scares defences and makes sides think twice about the rush defence - forcing one or 2 players to sweep up behind. Ireland's rush defence was exposed by it. Having one or two players with that sort of pace stops sides from commiting too many players to the defensive line in case of a well aimed kicked through.

South Africa have that pace too.

Tigers had that in the past with Varndell and latterly with May.
England had it with Luger, but since he retired there has only been May of the international calibre wings.

Sides need players who can conjure something out of nothing like May, Tuillagi and Hogg are capable of doing for the Lions. Those are 3 players I would put in my starting back line up even if I had the pick of the entire world.
The forwards are a bit more uncertain - Itoje without a doubt and I would make him captain.

[JP14]

For me outside centre isn't as much a certainty as it was in the past Lions tours with O'Driscoll then Jonathan Davies. The latter had a decent World Cup but has struggled with injury since New Zealand in 2017 and I'm not confident that Ringrose is a shoe-in.

[kk20gb30]

Initially attributed to The Independant The Lions set to play on home soil prior to the 2021 tour to South Africa:
https://www.rugbypass.com/news/report-m ... rica-tour/

[JP14]

Let’s hope they’ll able to host and the tour still goes ahead, I know it’s a long away still but we have to be cautious.

I got an email from the Lions saying that ticket availability is being pushed back to the autumn (I unfortunately wouldn’t have been going anyway because I have uni to save up for).

[kk20gb30]

'Rugby Pass' selects eight unheralded possible Lions:
https://www.rugbypass.com/news/selectin ... s-bolters/

[johnthegriff]

Are clubs who are unlikely to have completed their domestic season going to release players for a non-international tour thus depriving themselves of their best players for finals, play-offs etc and possibly depriving themselves of those same players for the start of the following season. Remember the Lions could tour could be taking place after play has been continuous completing 19/20 season before embarking on 20/21 including internationals. I can see players being so damaged by being overplayed in the next couple of years that their careers could end abruptly.

[voice of the crumbie]

Are clubs who are unlikely to have completed their domestic season going to release players for a non-international tour thus depriving themselves of their best players for finals, play-offs etc and possibly depriving themselves of those same players for the start of the following season. Remember the Lions could tour could be taking place after play has been continuous completing 19/20 season before embarking on 20/21 including internationals. I can see players being so damaged by being overplayed in the next couple of years that their careers could end abruptly.

An extremely fair point John and one that would apply equally to the opposition. I would hope that common sense would prevail and that the tour would be either be cancelled or postponed.

[Tiglon]

It will be a struggle to fit it in without players and clubs agreeing to extended rest periods during the domestic season, which doesn't seem very likely.

[Cardiff Tig]

Are clubs who are unlikely to have completed their domestic season going to release players for a non-international tour thus depriving themselves of their best players for finals, play-offs etc and possibly depriving themselves of those same players for the start of the following season. Remember the Lions could tour could be taking place after play has been continuous completing 19/20 season before embarking on 20/21 including internationals. I can see players being so damaged by being overplayed in the next couple of years that their careers could end abruptly.

An extremely fair point John and one that would apply equally to the opposition. I would hope that common sense would prevail and that the tour would be either be cancelled or postponed.

I think the issue will be the season after the Lions though - all players will have had 3 months off high-intensity and contact training, possibly for the first time in some of their careers which will mean many will be in the best shape they've been for a while when it comes to all the injuries that they constantly play with. I think it'll be the season 21/22 season that is the really bad one when it all catches up with them.

[biffer]

May over Stockdale any day of the week.
Sound defence, high workrate, one of the best under the high ball and electric pace. Pace scares defences and makes sides think twice about the rush defence - forcing one or 2 players to sweep up behind. Ireland's rush defence was exposed by it. Having one or two players with that sort of pace stops sides from commiting too many players to the defensive line in case of a well aimed kicked through.

South Africa have that pace too.

Tigers had that in the past with Varndell and latterly with May.
England had it with Luger, but since he retired there has only been May of the international calibre wings.

Sides need players who can conjure something out of nothing like May, Tuillagi and Hogg are capable of doing for the Lions. Those are 3 players I would put in my starting back line up even if I had the pick of the entire world.
The forwards are a bit more uncertain - Itoje without a doubt and I would make him captain.

May isn't Gatland's type though.

[mol2]

Probably isn't Biffer.

There could be one or two bolters come to the fore over the next year which will be pretty intense given the delays Covid has caused to this season.