2021 British & Irish Lions Squad

[Welsh Exile]

Not really,
Owens is very highly regarded amongst Welsh fans, with that Sherrif character n all that, but you never see the same level of adoration for him from others
It's the same with AWJ - rugby God to Welsh fans, pretty standard international lock to everyone else

Same happens with players from other countries and clubs, obviously, but the AWJ and Sherrif love in from the fans and press is another level

Ahhhh, so everyone does it but the Welsh are the worst. I get you.

I must say I’m impressed, not only with your ability to speak on behalf of tens of thousands of Welsh people but you seem to be able to do it for the whole world. Quite amazing really. But no, you’re not influenced by confirmation bias at all.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Sorry, I concede
The Sherrif is the best (and hardest) hooker in the world

 

[Jakedood]

Sorry, I concede
The Sherrif is the best (and hardest) hooker in the world

Have you seen him with his shorts off?

 

[Welsh Exile]

Sorry, I concede
The Sherrif is the best (and hardest) hooker in the world

And a strawman to finish it off. Good bants though.

I think I’ll bow out as well. No hard feelings.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I struggle to see what makes Owen harder than LCD or George?

Like I get he is a grafter but George and Cowan-Dickie both do a lot of dirty work.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I struggle to see what makes Owen harder than LCD or George?

Like I get he is a grafter but George and Cowan-Dickie both do a lot of dirty work.

As I said (I feel like I type that a lot, it’s almost like people aren’t reading what I write but I guess it’s always fun to misrepresent someone’s position so you can mock them) the hard **** thing is mostly a mentality thing. It’s about when the chips are down and you’re getting beaten up or are on the back foot who stands up and who can help turn it around.

Rocky said it best. “It’s not about how hard you can hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward”

Again, as I say, I don’t think these test matches will be pleasing on the eye (depending on what you like) they’re going to be pretty attritional, forward based arm wrestles where we are inevitably going to get beaten up at times so when there’s tight calls between 2 very good players I’ll look at what type of game it’s likely to be and factor it in.

That’s not saying Owens is the hardest man in the world and it’s not saying George is a pussy. I also accept this is one of rugby’s many unquantifiables and is complete guesswork though I do feel having played under Gatland for a long time the Welsh players thrive off tight, attritional games more than the English do who are more about imposing themselves on their opponents.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

If any of you fancy a laugh, pop over to Facebook and read some of the teams people are posting in the lions comments. Loads of people still have teams with Farrell at 10 and Daly at 15. Are people mad?

 

[General Melchett]

What I have learned from this series as far as pundits go is that Matt Dawson and Sam Warburton are absolutely useless when it comes to team selection. I don't know if their choices are to keep their home nation social media followers happy but both have had a shocker.

 

[Welsh Exile]

What I have learned from this series as far as pundits go is that Matt Dawson and Sam Warburton are absolutely useless when it comes to team selection. I don't know if their choices are to keep their home nation social media followers happy but both have had a shocker.

What’s Watburtons team? I last I saw he wanted to play Watson and Curry.

I don’t know about team selections but I’ve enjoyed his punditry. Especially considering how dire the BBC 6N coverage usually is.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

What’s Watburtons team? I last I saw he wanted to play Watson and Curry.

I don’t know about team selections but I’ve enjoyed his punditry. Especially considering how dire the BBC 6N coverage usually is.

Yeah I’ve enjoyed his commentary. As he retired recently he’s much more ‘on trend’ with what’s going on compared to some of the older pundits who don’t seem to have a clue any more.

 

[General Melchett]

What’s Watburtons team? I last I saw he wanted to play Watson and Curry.

I don’t know about team selections but I’ve enjoyed his punditry. Especially considering how dire the BBC 6N coverage usually is.

Watson was on the bench (which TBH I can live with if Curry is at 7). I can't remember the starting 15 but he had Mako, AWJ, Murray & Aki all starting

 

[Nudger]

Honestly the best result from this Lions tour could be the demise of Farrells international career. If we could move to Ford/Smith (neither at center, just one at 10 and the other on the bench) it would be great. Also switch them regularly.

If anything it's the end of Ford's international career

 

[Welsh Exile]

Watson was on the bench (which TBH I can live with if Curry is at 7). I can't remember the starting 15 but he had Mako, AWJ, Murray & Aki all starting

Not overly Welsh then.

You know what, I’m leaning towards Aki as well you know.

 

[Welsh Exile]

1. Wyn Jones
2. Owens
3. Furlong
4. Itoje
5. AWJ
6. Beirne
7. Curry
8. Faletau
9. Price
10. Bigs
11. Adams
12. Aki
13. Henshaw
14. Watson
15. Williams

16. LCD
17. Mako
18. Sinkler
19. Henderson
20. Watson
21. Murray
22. Farrell
23. Daly

 

[General Melchett]

Not overly Welsh then.

You know what, I’m leaning towards Aki as well you know.

From those four no but plenty in the other 11 as I recall.

 

[Nudger]

He's regressed over the last few years, but was never that great to start with
He used to be able to hold his own, but now not so much - not sure if it's because the level of competition has risen, or the average of our tight 5 has dropped off a bit so it can no longer make up for his deficiencies, but he's definitely a liability at the scrum these days (and has been for a couple of seasons now)

He was much better with hartley hooking

 

[ncurd]

If anything it's the end of Ford's international career

That's probably the reality of things which is nonsense one of Ford/Farrell is in awful form and it isn't Ford

 

[General Melchett]

That's probably the reality of things which is nonsense one of Ford/Farrell is in awful form and it isn't Ford

If you lads want change at 10/12 you need to get rid of your stubborn head coach first I suspect who quite frankly should be in last chance saloon after the 6N.

 

[ncurd]

My its never going to happen XV, wish we had a decent scrum half on tour.

1. Wyn Jones
2. LCD
3. Furlong
4. Itoje
5. Henderson
6. Beirne
7. Curry
8. Faletau
9. Price
10. Smith
11. Adams
12. Henshaw
13. Daly
14. LRZ
15. Watson

 

[Welsh Exile]

From those four no but plenty in the other 11 as I recall.

Seems pretty English to me.

Warburton's Lions XV: Williams; Watson, Daly, Aki, Adams; Biggar, Murray; Vunipola, Cowan-Dickie, Furlong, itoje, AW Jones (capt), Beirne, Curry, Faletau.

 

[ncurd]

Does Mako have something on these experts?

 

[Groundhog]

People picking Price is understandable, but I think its setting way too much stall by these dirt trackers against dominated packs. IMO he doesn't really do anything exceptionally well and its tough to forget him conspiring to lose that England game this year. Murray is obviously not in his pomp, but I think he's a better player hence why he's started the two near test match scenarios and he has at least been able to turn it on at times this year for Munster and Ireland. He's caught criticism for the A game, which is fair, he did himself no favors, but the Lions barely won a collision in the first 20 odd minutes and the service was shocking.

Don't @ me with any nuanced and well reasoned arguments, he's 6"1 in a Gatland side, so he's starting

 

[MikeTheNative]

To be honest I think all have been a bit 'meh' Price has looked the liveliest of them but maybe has played the easier teams. I still think Murray will start though.

 

[retired9]

Of who is there I think Price has to start, he and Biggar have been a good pairing and Ali can get the tempo up which the other tow SH's seems to struggle with.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

If anything it's the end of Ford's international career

Jones would be mad if that happens, but knowing Jones that is perfectly likely. If he ditches his current stupid game plan and plays to Ford's strength, England could have a much better attack and Smith plays closer to Ford's natural style than he does to Farrell. Farrell is ultra conservative playing in an ultra conservative gameplan and still fails to deliver. If a player can't succeed in a gameplan that is supposed to be built around his style then he simply isn't good enough. If we get more back to running rugby with some cute passing, Ford and Smith are the 2 players to execute that. Couple that with Randall and Robson at 9, a more dynamic 8, a solid 15 and a 12 that is actually a 12 and I think England could have a very good foundation to build on.

Jones should not persist with the negative rugby he has been forcing on the team. I've been saying it for 2 years now, Farrell isn't the only one misfiring in the England team but he is smack bang in the centre of most things that have gone wrong with the team (style and execution). More than any other player on the pitch. The fact that Farrell fucks up so Ford gets punished is such a perverse setup and I don't think any country shifts the blame from 1 player to another quite like we do with shifting Farrell's faults onto Ford.

 

[ncurd]

snip

Honestly I'd take either with the other on the bench and down to a coin toss. Bench player gets 30mins first test unless the starter has a stormer and the better of the two gets to start the second test.

 

[TobesHodges]

1. Sutherland 2. Cowen-Dickie 3. Sinckler 4. AWJ 5. Itoje 6. Bierne 7. Watson 8. Faletau
9. Price 10. Russell (Bigger if not fit) 11. DVDM 12. Henshaw 13. Daly 14. Adams 15. Hogg

This is what i'm hoping for, think Sinckler brings the balance to the pack with ball in hand and will allow Watson and Bierne to just do the grunt work that needs doing against the Boks.
I know DVMD and Adams are left wingers but i think both need to play, they have both been the best wingers on the tour so far.
Centres is going to be the hardest choice for Gatland, there are so many combinations that make sense, but i guess daly and Henshaw is a good blend of pace and power and obviously Daly's long kicking may be the difference on the day, so i'd be surprised if he doesnt get picked.

 

[WaterboySA]

Wonder if they will have a propper juice test for this group(suddenly Eben has to go to Russia for family emergency)

 

[MikeTheNative]

Wonder if they will have a propper juice test for this group(suddenly Eben has to go to Russia for family emergency)

I was going to say that the top level athletes should be a bit clever to not get caught but then remembered SA has had a two in the past few years.

 

[retired9]

1. Sutherland 2. Cowen-Dickie 3. Sinckler 4. AWJ 5. Itoje 6. Bierne 7. Watson 8. Faletau
9. Price 10. Russell (Bigger if not fit) 11. DVDM 12. Henshaw 13. Daly 14. Adams 15. Hogg

This is what i'm hoping for, think Sinckler brings the balance to the pack with ball in hand and will allow Watson and Bierne to just do the grunt work that needs doing against the Boks.
I know DVMD and Adams are left wingers but i think both need to play, they have both been the best wingers on the tour so far.
Centres is going to be the hardest choice for Gatland, there are so many combinations that make sense, but i guess daly and Henshaw is a good blend of pace and power and obviously Daly's long kicking may be the difference on the day, so i'd be surprised if he doesnt get picked.

I like this, thereis a few tweaks you can always make and not lose out but I'd be happy with that. Hogg is the better attacking threat IMO I just don't get excited by Williams (but not to detract from his ability which is unquestionable).

What's the latest on Russell?