Lions Tour 2017

Addickforlife

Lions squad for the summer announced...

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)

All in all I think it's pretty good, especially as there were rumours that Roberts and Earls had made it in. No Launchbury is pretty shocking, and think a couple of Welshmen are pretty lucky to be going (mainly Ross Moriarty no matter how good he was in 1 game against England).

LenGlover

Spot on re Launchbury.

The_President

Bound to be an injury drop out or two.

The_President

Any side that contains Itoje,Tipuric,Vunipolax2,CJ Stander,Kruis is going to be one hell of a team.

falconwood_1

Just pleased Hartley didn't get in, nasty piece of work imo.

IT_Andy

Surprised to see Ken Owens over Dylan Hartley.

Scotlands Finn Russell or the Gray brothers are unlucky not to be included. This is the first time since 1908 that Scotland haven't had a Lion in the pack.

You could argue Wales are not a form team, esepcially after the 6 nations so its a surprise to see so many Welsh players. I can only assume Gatland has selected the players he knows or fit the system he wants to play!
Also Robshaw and Haskell were brillaint in Australia last year so again cant understand why one of them hasn't been selected.

Just read about the last Lions tour where Wales provided 15 of the 37-man squad and more than half of the players in the starting line-ups, so its not surprising Gatland has a favouritsim to Welsh players. Mind you last time they had just won the back to back six nations, bit different this time!

LenGlover

https://twitter.com/joe_launch/status/854675080311443456

Class response from Launchbury.

Lincsaddick

Addickforlife said:

Lions squad for the summer announced...

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)

All in all I think it's pretty good, especially as there were rumours that Roberts and Earls had made it in. No Launchbury is pretty shocking, and think a couple of Welshmen are pretty lucky to be going (mainly Ross Moriarty no matter how good he was in 1 game against England).

agree .. not too many surprises, Joe Launchberry is probably too 'nice' to have made it, all the locks are tough guys who don't mind a scrap and can get nasty 'in the dark' .. no doubt the provincial sides will try and soften up the Lions .. disagree about Moriarty, he's had a good season and like his dad is a tough versatile back rower ..
Youngs and Halfpenny ? .. I would have gone for Kearney and the Irish number 2 scrum 1/2 who' s name escapes me .. Halfpenny is there for his goal kicking .. we'll give NZ a right good run for their money ..

forgot to mention .. Warburton could well be a non playing captain at least in the tests .. to my mind he's the sixth choice in the back row

golfaddick

I thought the thread was about the scum's play off hopes..........

thank God its not.

Fiiish

Looking forward to this. Predicting the Kiwis will be too much of a force but I'd take at least one win out of three.

Rothko

as for the Scots, looking mentally weak while having 60+ put on you at Twickenham probably cost them 3 or 4 spots on the tour.

Lincsaddick

terrible news about Ben Youngs' sister in law .. I, and I'm sure that we all wish the family faith, strength and courage through this awful time

ricky_otto

Lincsaddick said:

terrible news about Ben Youngs' sister in law .. I, and I'm sure that we all wish the family faith, strength and courage through this awful time

Echo that - real shame. She has apparently had health issues for a long time.

Solidgone

That's a big squad for the spanners. No wonder they are in the playoffs ;0)

Lincsaddick

Billy Vunipola misses the trip .. for me, after his last injury, he was rushed back too early by England for the Ireland game .. Hughes, who was just getting the feel of the team and the tactics should have been retained and BV allowed more time to recuperate, rest and heal properly .. Haskell replaces him, different to Vunipola but a good experienced stand by

lots of the press 'experts' now seem to think that all chance of beating NZ has disappeared along with BV's injury .. what a load of defeatist rubbish ((:> )

ricky_otto

Lincsaddick said:

Billy Vunipola misses the trip .. for me, after his last injury, he was rushed back too early by England for the Ireland game .. Hughes, who was just getting the feel of the team and the tactics should have been retained and BV allowed more time to recuperate, rest and heal properly .. Haskell replaces him, different to Vunipola but a good experienced stand by

lots of the press 'experts' now seem to think that all chance of beating NZ has disappeared along with BV's injury .. what a load of defeatist rubbish ((:> )

Big loss. Would have started the first test for sure. out of Falateu (who Garland loves) or Moriarty who will replace him I should imagine. Shame as I'd have been interested to see BV up against Kieran Read.

Lordflashheart

Over the years I have tried my hardest to like / enjoy rugby - try as I might, I simply don't - I will manage perhaps 10 or 20 mins of a game, but then drift off and not really pay attention

Football truly is the beautiful game in comparison

CroydonAddick1

Wouldn't be surprised if some of the provincial sides give the midweek Lions some serious games. Kiwi sides are incredibly strong in Super Rugby, the Crusaders have gone twelve for twelve and have a really exciting young back line who are unlikely to be completely decimated by New Zealand call ups, Mounga and Havili are the two to look out for. The standard these teams play at week in week out is extraordinary, on another level to northern hemisphere sides. Saying that, I really do think the Lions could give them a couple of serious games, All Blacks have a bit of an injury crisis right now I think. Beauden Barrett could be the key though, a truly exceptional player, pace, vision, kicking out of hand and attacking play. Wobbly off the tee so if it comes down to a points battle that's one area the Lions could easily exploit.

Lincsaddick

Lordflashheart said:

Over the years I have tried my hardest to like / enjoy rugby - try as I might, I simply don't - I will manage perhaps 10 or 20 mins of a game, but then drift off and not really pay attention

Football truly is the beautiful game in comparison

so this post is not for you

Lincsaddick

CroydonAddick1 said:

Wouldn't be surprised if some of the provincial sides give the midweek Lions some serious games. Kiwi sides are incredibly strong in Super Rugby, the Crusaders have gone twelve for twelve and have a really exciting young back line who are unlikely to be completely decimated by New Zealand call ups, Mounga and Havili are the two to look out for. The standard these teams play at week in week out is extraordinary, on another level to northern hemisphere sides. Saying that, I really do think the Lions could give them a couple of serious games, All Blacks have a bit of an injury crisis right now I think. Beauden Barrett could be the key though, a truly exceptional player, pace, vision, kicking out of hand and attacking play. Wobbly off the tee so if it comes down to a points battle that's one area the Lions could easily exploit.

it was an eye opener how the Exeter pack pretty much took apart a Saracens pack containing 5 Lions (including the now injured BV) ..
The elder Vunipola might be a power in the loose but he continues to struggle in the set scrums .. shades of Victor Ubogu for those with long memories ..
I can't see many Englishmen making the Lions starting XV .. as I have written before, the sum of the parts of the English team is far far greater and stronger than the individual components/individual players ..
I reckon that Ireland will provide the core of the team and remember Chicago you ABs .. and be VERY afraid((:>)

CroydonAddick1

Lincsaddick said:

CroydonAddick1 said:

Wouldn't be surprised if some of the provincial sides give the midweek Lions some serious games. Kiwi sides are incredibly strong in Super Rugby, the Crusaders have gone twelve for twelve and have a really exciting young back line who are unlikely to be completely decimated by New Zealand call ups, Mounga and Havili are the two to look out for. The standard these teams play at week in week out is extraordinary, on another level to northern hemisphere sides. Saying that, I really do think the Lions could give them a couple of serious games, All Blacks have a bit of an injury crisis right now I think. Beauden Barrett could be the key though, a truly exceptional player, pace, vision, kicking out of hand and attacking play. Wobbly off the tee so if it comes down to a points battle that's one area the Lions could easily exploit.

it was an eye opener how the Exeter pack pretty much took apart a Saracens pack containing 5 Lions (including the now injured BV) ..
The elder Vunipola might be a power in the loose but he continues to struggle in the set scrums .. shades of Victor Ubogu for those with long memories ..
I can't see many Englishmen making the Lions starting XV .. as I have written before, the sum of the parts of the English team is far far greater and stronger than the individual components/individual players ..
I reckon that Ireland will provide the core of the team and remember Chicago you ABs .. and be VERY afraid((:>)

Shocked Launchbury isn't going, I'd still have Mako Vunipola, Kruis, Itoje, Farrell and Watson as shoe ins, Cole and Joseph given midweek games to stake a claim. My team would look something like:

Mako V - Best - Furlong
Kruis - Itoje
Tipuric/Warburton - Faletau - Stander/O Brien

Murray -
Sexton -
Farrell -
-Joseph
- North - Watson
- Halfpenny/Hogg


Lot depends on whether Gatland sees Farrell as a 10 or 12. Playing him 12 would allow the half back partnership and centre partnerships to stay together. A fully fit Tipuric is a very good player and Stander/Furlong along with Itoje makes that a very versatile and energetic pack. Then again, looking down the list of backs I don't really see enough game changers there in the way the All Blacks do. Will still be good fun.

ricky_otto

1 Vuinipola
2 Best
3 Cole or Furlong
4 Itoje
5 Wyn Jones or Henderson
6 Warburton
7 O'Brien
8 Moriarty or Faleteu
9 Murray
10 Sexton
11 North
12 Farrell
13 Davies
14 Watson
15 Halfpenny

AFKABartram

Tough opener so far

IT_Andy

Barbarians defended very well and hard to brake down. Obviously a sign of things to come, so I don't expect scoring to be exceptionally high. No easy matches.

guinnessaddick

https://twitter.com/bewarmers/status/870948426770505729

ricky_otto

Tough game - but would much rather that type of game than a stroll in the park.

Lincsaddick

For the Babas this was the peak of their careers .. even players on the fringes of the NZ super rugby franchises are decent.. the media were out of order in expecting a 50, 40, 30 point win .. now to save face they have to seriously criticise the Lions who are under enough pressure already .. the Lions now know what to expect in every game but multiplied .. they only landed in NZ on Wednesday, give them time to get unpacked f f s ..

One downside .. the referee just did not penalise the babas for almost continuous offside, the commentators seemed too polite to mention this .. perhaps they were reluctant to be called out as pommie whingers.
I believe that French referees will officiate the tests, the games will be all the better for that .. keep the Aussie refs as far away as possible .. they just hate the Lions

Lincsaddick

a bit late now ... but .. there was a terrific article in y'days Times about the 1971 Lions who won in NZ, (the last time it happened) in the days when the players were essentially amateur .. different era, different attitudes ..
John Spencer, the manager of the current tour was a Lion back in 1971 .. Gareth Edwards, Barry John, J P R Williams, W J McBride, Mike Gibson and the rest .. they were stars and would still be if they were playing today .. G Edwards my joint all time favourite player

Karim_myBagheri

am I right in thinking that rugby matches in this country before 1976 were effectively friendlies as there was no league structure before then?

Lincsaddick

Karim_myBagheri said:

am I right in thinking that rugby matches in this country before 1976 were effectively friendlies as there was no league structure before then?

that's right .. there were unofficial tables compiled by the newspapers, but essentially rugby was an amateur and 'friendly' game .. although, it was always suspected that the French and the Kiwis especially were very generous with 'expenses' .. I worked for a group back in the 1960s (I was sooooo young than lol) that had subsidiaries employing Barry John, W J McBride and one or two England players .. essentially, they worked in 'PR' ((:>)

Callumcafc

Lost 22-16 to the Blues.