6 Nations Lions chat.

[Mark62]

Back on topic, distinctly average by Wales, aside from Tiperic and Jonathan Davies

[mightymouse]

How about this on the first round showing

1. Evans
2. George
3. Furlong
4. Gray J.
5. Wyn Jones
6. Otoje
7, O BRIAN
8. Strauss

9. Murray
10. Russell
11. North
12. Farrell
13. Ringrose
14. May
15. Hogg

Subs

Healey
Owens
Cole
Launchbury
Warburton
Laidlaw
Dunbar
Kearney

[Spicer]

How about this on the first round showing

1. Evans
2. George
3. Furlong
4. Gray J.
5. Wyn Jones
6. Otoje
7, O BRIAN
8. Strauss

9. Murray
10. Russell
11. North
12. Farrell
13. Ringrose
14. May
15. Hogg

Subs

Healey
Owens
Cole
Launchbury
Warburton
Laidlaw
Dunbar
Kearney

You're forgetting some of the injured players.

I think it will look something like:
M Vunipola
George
Furlong
Gray
Jones
Itoje
O'Brian/Warburton
B Vunipola

Murray
Sexton
North
Farell
Ringrose
Zebo
Hogg

Best, McGrath Cole/Lee, Toner, O'Brian/Warburton/CJ Stander, Laidlaw, Russell and some other back

[Mark62]

Spider don't think you're too far off the mark. Personally I'd have Itoje in the 2nd row, Tiperic and Stander on the flanks , Jonathan Davies at 13 and Daley and North on the wings.

[mightymouse]

Ah no I was not picking either injured players or off form players in first round. Certainly sexton would be in the mix and vunipola bros... bt so would WP Nel, Kruis, Dickinson, Falatau, Tuilagi et al

[Tiger_in_Birmingham]

England looked better when they brought the bench on. George and Care in particular followed by the big straight running centre.

As soon as Cere came on there was an injection of pace into the proceedings which allowed everyone to get onto the front foot. I cannot believe he doesn't start.

The pace for Care was helped by the presence of Haskell who is great a clearing out and securing quick, clean ball - underrated IMHO

[Chobbsy]

How about this on the first round showing

1. Evans
2. George
3. Furlong
4. Gray J.
5. Wyn Jones
6. Otoje
7, O BRIAN
8. Strauss

9. Murray
10. Russell
11. North
12. Farrell
13. Ringrose
14. May
15. Hogg

Subs

Healey
Owens
Cole
Launchbury
Warburton
Laidlaw
Dunbar
Kearney

May? Really?

[mol2]

The pace for Care was helped by the presence of Haskell who is great a clearing out and securing quick, clean ball - underrated IMHO

Absolutely right. Haskell made a big difference and if his injuries permit, will probably start against Wales. Is he a Lions contender? Possibly.

Marler and Hartley were off the pace which contributed to the slow ball. Was it wise to have 2/3rds of your front row playing for the first time in 6 weeks against a powerful side like France - probably not but England got away with it.

[Scott1]

The sad thing is,barring another GS,AWJ is going to be captain,probably our 6th or 7th best lock. I certainly wouldn't have him above any of our 4 locks or J.Gray and that's without even looking at Irish second rows! We have a great chance in this tour but I fully expect WG to blow it and he should've never have got the gig. I keep hearing this excellent Oz win but that was the worse Oz team in living memory,the players were beating each other up on planes and they had just woken Kurtley Beale up drunk off a park bench and we were one botched kick away from losing that series. Any coach worth his salt would've comfortably won that series 3-0. Expect us to lose this one 3-0 and 2/3 midweek matches toomwith the ABs released for their clubs!

[Spicer]

With Stander being outstanding currently I don't think you can play Itoje at 6. The battle for locks is going to be huge.

[drc_007]

With Stander being outstanding currently I don't think you can play Itoje at 6. The battle for locks is going to be huge.

I'd say Launchbury has been the outstanding lock so far.

[Mark62]

With Stander being outstanding currently I don't think you can play Itoje at 6. The battle for locks is going to be huge.

Quite agree about Stander. EJ playing Itoje at 6 could be harming his Lions chances. He will still be on the plane though

[tigerburnie]

For those of you paying attention, you would have noted that Itoje packed down in the second row and Lawes went in at 6 in a couple of scrums at least. They are both interchangeable, but of the 2 I'd put Lawes at 6 rather than Itoje, not because he's not a 6, he's just not used to playing there.
I'd ask sorries to play him at 6 every week if I were Eddie and do the same with Voldemort at the sinners when asking them to play Courtneyat 6 and see who's best. We have better genuine locks than those 2.

[Noddy555]

No my starting 23 would be:

15.Hogg
14.Daly
13.Ringrose
12.Farrell
11,North or Maitland
10,Russell or Sexton
9. Murray
8. Hughes or Heaslip
7. O'Brian
6. Stander
5.Johnny Gray
4. A Wyn-Jones (Captain)
3. Cole
2. Best
1. Gethin Jenkins.

MySubs would be: Owens, Healey,Fagerson,R.Gray,Strauss,Care Ford and Halfpenny.

Where I have named alternatives is entirely due to any injury problems otherwise
the alternatives would replace their three positions on the bench.

[MrPartridge]

Bit late to this discussion... but how exciting to be heading towards the Lions Tour with all the home nations in decent form for the first time in years! We might even see a few Scots in the 23!

Seriously, the options are amazing if most stays fit. IMO you've simply got to find a place for Itoje but I agree that the back 5 positions are going to be a bun fight. Interesting to see Mike Brown hasn't been mentioned at all... is his star on the wane? If Brown is struggling to make the 23 it simply shows how strong Gatland's options are!