BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS 2013

"so thought it was about time?????????????"

the clue is the name of the tour - 2013

Phillips ahead of youngs for me

Lions Squad Australia 2013

15.  Kearney, Halfpenny
14.  Bowe Cuthbert
13.  Tuilagi, Davies
12.  Roberts, BOD
11.  North, Hogg
10.  Sexton, Priestland, Farrell
9.  Phillips, ANOther, ANOther
1.  Jenkins, Healy, Corbiseiro
2.  Strauss, Best, Rees
3.  Jones, Cole, Murray?
4.  Grey, POC
5.  Lawes, Best 2 Welsh 2nd rows#
6.  Ferris, Lydiate
7.  Warburton (C) Rennie
8.  3 from SOB, Denton, Heaslip, Morgan, Felatau


# Hard for me to differentiate between Welsh 2nd rows, at least 4 seem very good

* Only 4/5 English players despite 2nd in Championship
* As ever backrow extremely competitive.  Croft unlucky but can have him above Ferris and Lydiate and don’t want to bring another 6.
* Cupboard extremely bare at 9

there is a huge amount of rugby that will be played between now & then so very very speculative.

& don't forget the best finisher in uk club rugby will be eligible by 2013

Is your middle name 'Dour', Northanlite?

Of course its bloody speculative, tell us something we don't know!

Nice squad. Agree 9 weak - my bias is towards scrum halves who can pass. Think Youngs fundamentally has the right skill set but needs to up form. Dicksen not terrible as a third choice. At 10, the shirt is there for 1 of the 3 you mention to claim. All have the potential, but no outstanding candidate and Farrell the most reliable kicker.

no it's robert

Who is the best finisher, .... Robert ....

Squad looks about right to me.  Don't know how good Rennie is but we are short of out and out 7s.

Love the Lions.  Biggest event in our sport. So much more enjoyable than a RWC.

top try scorer in his league 3 seasons running and plays for a pretty average team too. in fact in all that time his team never finished better than 6th.

Visser, decent shout, Robert.

Croft would have to go for his versatility and as a lineout option, especially on a tour to Australia. Visser for Hogg, Foden for Halfpenny, Laidlaw for Priestland, Ross for Murray. Blair and Dickson at SH.

Right now I wouldn't even have Youngs on the plane.  His meal ticket gained away v Aus has long since expired but unfortunately may have been re-stamped via the walkover against Ireland.

Lawes needs to step up but has time to do so.  Hasn't progressed much for me.

We look weak at 2, but then we can get away with that against a nation of non-scrummagers.

Otherwise I think we have the basis of an excellent team and a rare tour win beckons.

You could make the argument that 2 of the starting team in 2013 have not played international rugby yet. Might strengthen your hooker berth too vis

Anyone going to Oz? I'm doing my best to save. Those Lions packages look pretty expensive though....

Do it yourself if you can. You'll save more than enough to warrant paying a bit extra for the tickets you can't get at face value and you might meet a few of the locals rather than just heading to the first Irish pub by default.

15 Kearney
14 Cuthbert
13 Tuilagi (Would love to see BOD)
12 Roberts
11 North
10 Sexton/Farrell
9  Philips (Though Conor Murray might be a suprise inclusion)
8  Felatau
7  Warburton
6  Ferris
5  Lawes
4  Gray
3  Cole
2  Strauss
1  Healy

For what it's worth, my XV:

15. Kearney
14. Cuthbert
13. Davies
12. Roberts
11. North
10. Sexton
9. Phillips
8. Ferris
7. Warburton (c)
6. Lydiate
5. O'Connell
4. Gray
3. Jones
2. Rees
1. Jenkins

preistland at 10 for me.

I'm a Priestland fan, but by picking him you then have to pick a goalkicker in another position. Not a strong enough frontline goalkicker for me.

I'm thinking of going out to Oz for 4 weeks. Does anyone know where I can get match tickets from? The organised packages are severely priced up!

like Martin Peters lives with his mum is ahead of his time.

So, first game out of the way, what's your take. My team for the first test would be:

15 Halfpenny
14 Bowe
13 O'Driscoll
12 Tuilagi
11 North
10 Sexton
9 Youngs
8 Faletau
7 Brown
6 Wood
5 Evans
4 Gray
3 Cole
2 Best
1 Healy

Repl: Hook, Farrell, Care, O'Brien, Croft, Rees, Jenkins

Some close calls in the back row - not a huge Heaslip fan and Denton seems to have gone off the boil. Maybe Wood could play 8 and Croft come in at 6. And in the second row, Ryan, Launchbury and Parling all solid.  No outstanding hooker.

tommy bowe? that is a bit speculative.  he had surgery on a bad knee injury only a month or so ago & isn't likely to play again until the last few weeks of the season.
plenty competition for the wing too so he would really have to prove himself.

Bowe just cannot be considered at the moment.

Is Gray doing enough?  He has got lost at Sale and I don't think I could have him in my team right now.  I still don't like Youngs at 9 but we are struggling generally there.

I think a "Team of the Week" would be far more appropriate at this stage than trying to predict who will be fit and in form. I'm guessing you were taking the pss with Ian Evans in there?

15. Halfpenny
14. Ashton
13. O'Driscoll
12. Twelvetrees
11. Hogg (had to fit him in somewhere)
10. Sexton
9. Phillips

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Cole
4&5. Any two of Gray, Launchbury, McCarthy, Parling, Ryan
6. O'Mahony
7. Tipuric
8. Beattie

Some serious depth in the pack for the Lions, but the backline is looking thin on quality at half back.

Think you might be taking the pss with Phillips as scrum half in your Team of the Week!

I can only think that you have forgotten SOB, Dunc.  A shoo in at 6 ahead of POM.

I thought Felatau had his best game in a while.  Robshaw is a mightily impressive worker but there were several times on Sat when I was shouting at him to pass rather than go to ground.

9 remains a huge problem.

Yes, O'Brien at 6. His tackle count was off the charts and he carried superbly. O'Mahony probably had his best game in a green shirt though, which is promising as he was backing up an impressive showing vs Argentina. 8 was a tough choice between Faletau and Beattie and I'll probably get stick for putting Ashton in there, but I really like the way he goes looking for the ball if it's not forthcoming and he is a lethal finisher. The options at full back look excellent from all four nations - Brown, Halfpenny, Hogg and Kearney.

May be a case of the last man standing in relation to the Lions squad .  That observation is based mainly on the evidence of the pyhsicality involved in top class professional rugby such as most of the potential squad will face in Six Nations and Heineken matches between now and May .

So all you can pick now is last weeks Lions .  Not many Scots aboard .

Thought O'Brien was outstanding on the weekend. From an oz viewpoint I hope they don't pick him!!

Scrum half is weak. I rate Youngs, but there are no other strong ones. Beattie was good and could play himself in. Hogg was outstanding, but would like to see him replicate that for the rest of the tournament. Didn't realise Bowe's injury was so bad. Be a shame if he couldn't make it. At this stage I really fancy the Lions. The front 5 will be different class to the Aussies and we should easily match up in the rest of the XV - perhaps 9 aside.

Props: Healy, Cole, Ross, Jenkins,Jones

Hookers: Hartley, Best, Hibbard

Locks: Gray, Evans, Coombes, Parling

Back Row: O'Brien, Robshaw, Wood, Croft, Beattie, Brown, O'Mahony

Scrum Half: Youngs, Care, Phillips

Fly Half: Sexton, Farrell, Hook

Centres: BOD, Tuilagi, Roberts, Twelvetrees

Wings: North, Visser, Ashton, Zebo (if Bowe unfit)

FB: Hogg, Halfpenny, Kearney

Having watched Toulon replay this morning I,m very glad Giteau is now out of reckoning for oz   he,s in great form !

Final post 6 nations squad with the first ones being in the first test team. Think Hook could still go as a utility back

Props: Healy, Jones, Cole, Ross, Jenkins

Hookers: Hibbard, Owens, Ford

Locks: Gray, Parling, Evans, Wyn Jones

Back Row: Tipuric, O'Brien, Wood, Robshaw, Croft, Beattie, Faletau, Warbuton,

Scrum Half: Youngs, Phillips, Murray

Fly Half: Sexton, Farrell, Biggar

Centres: BOD, Tuilagi, Roberts, Twelvetrees

Wings: North, Visser, Cuthbert,Zebo (if Bowe unfit)

FB: Halfpenny, Hogg, Kearney

lives with mum

You have only picked 4 locks and none of your backrows could play at international level in the second row. You do realise that 3 locks will be in each match day squad and that all three will play a part in most matches. can't see Gatland going with such a scenario

Interesting to see that only 3 of your team selected in the opening thread a year or so ago make the team. Everyone is trying to pick a team that will be picked after six weeks of intensive intense rugby. Definitely expect to see more injuries and a few forgotten men  coming back into the frame.

April 30th

not long now

One last weekend to shine then.  Not too many English, Scottish or Welsh lads in action though

Gonna be quite a few tears before bedtime i think!

Ryan Jones Lions Captain