6 Nations Lions chat.

[drc_007]

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.

Gethin Jenkins has a ruptured bicep so will miss all 6N, at 36 or so I think a number of the younger lH have passed him by.

[mol2]

Gethin Jenkins?
Fit or unfit he is not in the top half dozen loose heads in Lions contention.

Not sure that had he been English he would be ahead of Genge, who hasn't made the 23 for England yet!

[strawclearer]

This from MJ on the Lions etc...

Johnson singles out Dan Cole as arguably England's most important player.

"I think Owen Farrell and George Ford have been the linchpins for England and are really running the show from 10 and 12," added Johnson.
"However Dan Cole at tighthead is a constant in the England team - he does not get a lot of mentions but that is good in a way. It is like referees - you only mention them when they have bad games.
"England are pretty solid in the set-piece and I think they would miss him more than anyone - he is potentially England's least replaceable player."


Here's the full article: http://tinyurl.com/z59q8c9

[Noddy555]

Sorry lads forgot about Jenkins injury, so I would replace him with Cian Healey and bring another prop in to the substitute's bench.

[Mark62]

Noddy 555 Don't think you're too far off. North if fit is nailed on one wing with maybe Zebo or Dailey on the other. Hogg a certainty at 15 and agree with your centres. Sexton' injury history has to be a concern but Frazier is a good shout along with Biggar who hasn't done much wrong. Murray nailed on at 9.
Upfront I would personally play both the Vunipolas as long as they have had enough rugby before hand. Furlong has to be at tight head, the bloke is a beast. At Hooker I would agree with Best though his star is on the wane a little, and George given a run of games could usurp him. In the row I think Itoje with Alan Wyn, who all the smart money has as skipper. Back row of Stander O'Brien and Billy V

Bench something like, depending on injuries, George, Healey, Cole, J Gray, Faletau, Youngs Fraser and Zebo

[Soggypitch]

My team would be;
1. M Vunipola
2. R Best (Capt)
3. Furlong
4. Wyn Jones
5. Itoje
6. Stander
7. O'Brien
8. B Vunipola
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. North
12. Farrell
13. Daly
14. Liam Williams
15. Hogg.
Replacements; Cole, J George, Healey, J Gray, Haskell, B Youngs, J Nowell (cover FB as well), Ringrose/Davies.

Spoilt for choice to be honest.

[TomWeston]

Squealey would disagree with at least two of your selections there. From today's Labourgraph -

"Not only is Farrell nailed on, but I think he is nailed on at fly-half. I know Jonathan Sexton, Dan Biggar, Finn Russell and George Ford will have their supporters, but Farrell is a better all-round fly-half than all of them, even if he plays with 12 on his back."

[Noddy555]

I know Elliot Daly has played at centre before but surely you can't leave out the young Irish lad Ringrose who in his style of play reminds me so much of Brian O'Driscoll.

[LondonRich]

As a Scotland fan it's great to see so many players being mentioned as possible Lions. I was in Paris last week and even from up in the nosebleeds you could see the impact Strauss was having in the collisions and at the breakdown, he's some player. He might not make it to NZ, but he's off contract at Glasgow for next season. He's likely to end up in France, but if Tigers wanted a top quality 8 they could do worse than signing him up.

[Noddy555]

Agreed Londonrich Strauss if available would be an excellent solution to our no. 8 problem, but can we afford him given the current salary cap and the oodles being paid to Ford and Tuilagi?

[mightymouse]

Sadly Strauss and Laidlaw out for the rest of the tournament. Strauss with a kidney injury which is even more worrying. Strauss' ball carrying against the French was immense, it is no wonder he took such a battering against those behemoths!

[Tiglon]

Denny Solomona would be a wildcard choice - I think he came to England in January 2014 so would now be available on residency...

Looks absolutely top class since moving to Union.

[Mark62]

Denny Solomona would be a wildcard choice - I think he came to England in January 2014 so would now be available on residency...

Looks absolutely top class since moving to Union.

Great finisher. Moved to play with London Broncos in April 2014 apparently. Just said on telly that he is leaning towards Samoa or New Zealand

[Tiglon]

Well he was on the bench for Broncos on 9th March 2014, so it's safe to say he moved there before April

I'm guessing the TV people are saying NZ or Samoa because that's what he said when there were rumours of him playing RL for England last year. NZ aren't going to "come calling" unless he moves back there, and he's already fulfilled his ambition of representing Samoa while his grandparents are alive, in RL.

I'd bet he'll play for England before the end of 2017!

[Mark62]

Austin reckoned there were 2 players in the match today who had shots at the Lions, Solomona and Tommy Taylor, strange choices unless he's heard a whisper