Lions Squad

[strawclearer]

TH might be an issue start of season Hopefully Logo is fully fit and ready to go so we can have
1) Genge, 3) Logo
17) Rizzo, 18) Cilliers/Bateman

But if Logo isn't fit we could really be struggling start of season.

At least at 9 we have Harrison, Kitto, White and hopefully Simmons.

Just Ford and Genge likely contenders for Argentina places.

[drc_007]

TH might be an issue start of season Hopefully Logo is fully fit and ready to go so we can have
1) Genge, 3) Logo
17) Rizzo, 18) Cilliers/Bateman

But if Logo isn't fit we could really be struggling start of season.

At least at 9 we have Harrison, Kitto, White and hopefully Simmons.

Just Ford and Genge likely contenders for Argentina places.

Mike Williams?
Will Evans?

[RagingBull]

TH might be an issue start of season Hopefully Logo is fully fit and ready to go so we can have
1) Genge, 3) Logo
17) Rizzo, 18) Cilliers/Bateman

But if Logo isn't fit we could really be struggling start of season.

At least at 9 we have Harrison, Kitto, White and hopefully Simmons.

Just Ford and Genge likely contenders for Argentina places.

Yeh but I don't expect the English players to be anywhere near as knack weed as the lions players.

Argentina tour is only 3 games I think.

Cole with the lions could really put pressure on our TH resources.

[biffer]

Sigh..for all you noise makers who don't want to hear this..look
Fact

1)Gatland was completely bowled over by Wales performance in New Zealand last Summer where they had it tactically and strategically spot on.

2) Were it not for the last ten minutes then they could have won two of those games.

3) Of course he is going to take the spine of that welsh team and stick a couple of English and Mick in it and on the bench.

4) Make no mishtake the Lions are going to play the way Wales played last summer. They just are. That is the tactics. Why would he want to explain the tactics and waste time he doesn't have to other nations?

Soooo basically same Wales heavy test squad as Australia then..... and probably the same level of whinging from other nations (even in victory).

Aye, that losing three tests by a combined total of 72 points was really impressive.

However I'm glad Scotland are taking a nearly full strength team on our summer tour. Not interested in having our guys used as tackle fodder and dirt trackers for Gatland's style of play.

[biffer]

Not sure what the problem is.

Its when they come back injured, knackered and remain out of form in the long term that's my personal problem. And it should be the problem of everyone with an interest in their national team building towards a tournament which actually matters in the big scheme of things.

But, I accept that for reasons known only to them, some supporters view series drubbings and long term injuries to players as the pinnacle of their rugby supporting experience.

Yup.

Lions supporters are either military types, unionists who believe we are all "better off together" or celts living in England (and vice versa) who can finally have something to celebrate together with their English/celtic mates. The players love it because they can get a incredible profile and basically make it over night by being a lion.

I hate it because it is lose lose for Wales. Nothing good comes of it. For two years out of four year (Unlike this time when it will be three years) Wales will be terrible because of the Lions. The players will lose fitness form motivation and hunger for nearly two years because of this thing.
If they are good lions, the regions in Wales won't be able to afford to keep them here, and they will be lost to the Welsh game. Players kill themselves for this thing and, if it wasn't bad enough losing our coach all season and coming fifth in the six nations, next year and a half will also (lions hangover it is called) be diabolical.

The WRU know all this (it has been happening for as long as professionalism has been around) and still take peoples money without doing a damn thing to stop it.

Directors of companies go to jail for knowingly selling dodgy products.

I agree with pretty much all of this though.

No future Lions agreement in place after this tour. I'm not entirely certain it'll survive in the same form - the 10 games in 6 weeks or so schedules are nonsense and don't match up to the rigours of modern rugby. But the SH countries (and NZ in particular) will want their pound of flesh and the income their game gets from these tours. Agreement could be hard to come by.

[mol2]

Sigh..for all you noise makers who don't want to hear this..look
Fact

1)Gatland was completely bowled over by Wales performance in New Zealand last Summer where they had it tactically and strategically spot on.

2) Were it not for the last ten minutes then they could have won two of those games.

3) Of course he is going to take the spine of that welsh team and stick a couple of English and Mick in it and on the bench.

4) Make no mishtake the Lions are going to play the way Wales played last summer. They just are. That is the tactics. Why would he want to explain the tactics and waste time he doesn't have to other nations?

Soooo basically same Wales heavy test squad as Australia then..... and probably the same level of whinging from other nations (even in victory).

[strawclearer]

I think Sir Anthony Hopkins, Katherine Jenkins and Ryan Giggs should consider themselves extremely unlucky not to be picked!

[Soggypitch]

I think Sir Anthony Hopkins, Katherine Jenkins and Ryan Giggs should consider themselves extremely unlucky not to be picked!

Not forgetting Harry Seacombe, Tom Jones and Robbie Savage!!!

[Spicer]

How on earth could anybody pick Lawes and AW Jones ahead of Launchbury is mind boggling.

[Dave J]

1)Gatland was completely bowled over by Wales performance in New Zealand last Summer where they had it tactically and strategically spot on.

2) Were it not for the last ten minutes then they could have won two of those games.

That may be so Welshy 08 but one of the reasons the AB's are the best is that they don't stay still, I suspect they've already studied those games inside and out and will have plans to counter it if WG tries the same gameplan with the Lions.

[FrontRowUnionMember]

I'm not in the camp that feels Hartley is unlucky, I just don't think he's good enough in comparison with other options, not dynamic enough in the loose. However, I don't feel Best is the right calibre either, has a tendency to bottle it in big games. I'd rather have taken someone with some edge like Fraser Brown.
As for the lock positions, taking Wyn-Jones is as big a sign of favouritism as there can be. He's so far out of form it's embarrassing. Launchberry had a huge six nations but has been overlooked. Equally Johnny Gray should feel hard done by. I'd have taken those two over Wyn-Jones and Henderson.
Has O'Mahony done enough to earn the spot? Likewise, Kruis?
Entire Wales and Irish back rows have gone, but only one English and no Scottish? Hamish Watson should have been worth a look.
I'd have rather seen Finn Russell instead of Biggar.
I think Huw Jones or Gary Ringrose would have been more justified than Jared Payne.
Don't think Halfpenny is deserving either.

[G.K]

Lawes ahead of Launchbury - are you kidding?

No Finn Russell - are you kidding?

Blackwash for sure but it will still be worth watching.

[mol2]

Sigh..for all you noise makers who don't want to hear this..look
Fact

1)Gatland was completely bowled over by Wales performance in New Zealand last Summer where they had it tactically and strategically spot on.

2) Were it not for the last ten minutes then they could have won two of those games.

3) Of course he is going to take the spine of that welsh team and stick a couple of English and Mick in it and on the bench.

4) Make no mishtake the Lions are going to play the way Wales played last summer. They just are. That is the tactics. Why would he want to explain the tactics and waste time he doesn't have to other nations?


Soooo basically same Wales heavy test squad as Australia then..... and probably the same level of whinging from other nations (even in victory).

That would be the much improved Australia that England beat more convincingly than the Lions?

Were the tactics right? Chucking the kitchen sink at it for 60 minutes only to capitulate in last quarter might work with fitter players, but if fitness wasn't the real issue will it work any better with different players?
Sure a more powerful scrum with Cole, George, Itoje, Stander and Vunipola it will sap the energy of the opposition more.
Sending boshers up the centres didn't work for Wales against sound defences like the all blacks and without one of the calibre Manu I doubt the ones selected will make space for Hogg, North and Nowell to exploit.

Not much inspiration in the selections. No wild cards like Genge?

[tigercaspian]

Firstly, congrats to Messrs Cole and Youngs. Wish you all the best boys and hope you don't come back as knackered and broken as last time !! Agree with Welshy on this front. Oh, and win as well please.......

Secondly, staggered by Launchbury not being included.

Thirdly, also very glad for Daly and Nowell: just love watching both of them play.

Finally, for those of you moaning about the Lions with the tack of 'not in my day' or 'things ain't what they used to be', please shut-up unless you have the front to meetupwith Dan and Ben (or the other 39) face to face and telling them what you think in person, rather than bleating your sourness on here.

[Roly]

No future Lions agreement in place after this tour....... Agreement could be hard to come by.

Lets hope so.

While there are still some hard-core nostalganista that seem to think it still has relevance, it will likely die with their generation. Reference to the many rugby forums available suggests that support for it is gradually withering on the vine. This can only be reinforced by the most biased selection since Sir Clive took his Dad's Army on tour after the 2003 WC.

Gatland's recipe for success:

1 Pick 12 players from team finishing 5th in 6N;
2 Pick tour captain from team finishing 5th in 6N (and he wasn't good enough to captain that shower by the way);
3 Pick Lions backs coach from man coaching team finishing 5th in 6N;
4 Pick token 2 players from team finishing 2nd in 6N;
5 Tell all selection was made based on form and claim you weren't aware of nationality bias when making that selection;
6 Return from tour and resume job as coach of team finishing 5th in 6N.

Yep, The Lions is a shining beacon for the sport.

There is a World Cup to work towards, a tournament with real relevance and importance.