• Help Support The Rugby Forum :

2021 British & Irish Lions Squad

The Rugby Forum - Global Rugby Union News, Six Nations & RWC Discussion

Help Support The Rugby Forum:

MikeTheNative said:
I don't think the other options are way better, the other players just offer a bit more in the playing department. Be it Beirne at the breakdown, Henderson with his carrying, Lawes with his aggressive defence etc.
Click to expand...

Do you think their recent form was any better? Lawes aside seeing as he didn’t play.
 
Welsh Exile said:
Beirne for sure but he played half of it at 6 so a bit different. Henderson missed a game or 2 didn’t he or am I imagining that?
Click to expand...
Hendy came back from injury shortly before the 6N. Benched game 1, came on pretty early for Ryan (25 mins in?) and played really really well. Captained us the next week against France in Sexton's absence, then played the rest of the tournament next to Ryan in SR as Beirne slipped back to BR.
 
MattGaff said:
OK - just to clear something up.. Wales 2021 6N championship lineouts (won/Total):
Wales v Ireland
11/15 (73%)

Wales v Scotland
11/12 (91%)

Wales v England
16/17 (94%)

Wales v Italy
13/13 (100%)

Wales v France
8/8 (100%)

Lets compare that to Ireland.

Ireland v Wales
7/9 (77%)

Ireland v France
7/7 (100%)

Ireland v Italy
13/14 (92%)

Ireland v Scotland
9/11 (81%)

Ireland v England
10/11 (90%)

Hardly dominated. Yes a shaky start in the first game (against you) but as most likely you probably only watch Ireland games. Never let facts get in the way of an agenda eh ;)
Click to expand...
Winning a lineout doesn't make you dominant. Wales struggled to win clean ball to build an attack off. There were a lot of taps off the top under pressure and so called "dirty ball".

Either way I would suggest AWJ will get the nod come test time regardless because he has no competition in the squad.

I just heard Gatlands comments on the James Ryan omission and they are bizarre to say the least. A tour to far in the hotseat perhaps.
 
Curls said:
Winning a lineout doesn't make you dominant. Wales struggled to win clean ball to build an attack off. There were a lot of taps off the top under pressure and so called "dirty ball".

Either way I would suggest AWJ will get the nod come test time regardless because he has no competition in the squad.

I just heard Gatlands comments on the James Ryan omission and they are bizarre to say the least. A tour to far in the hotseat perhaps.
Click to expand...

I can kinda of see what you’re saying but I’d disagree. I think we went for a lot of safe ball at the front with Tipuric so I agree we weren’t throwing loads to the tail and getting good strike plays off it but I think it’s a push to say our line out was dominated.

Agree on Ryan for sure.
 
Jakedood said:
I do think we're underestimating the power of Curry/Watson, Beirne obviously performs very well as a 6 because he's mobile strong and good over the ball if we go that way.

Simmonds is a powerful little pocket rocket too, i'm not saying he will 100% succeed as this is a step up, but if you can get him any sort of front foot ball, and that is possible with a quick game (if you keep it accurate in a way England couldnt in WC final)

One measure would be to look at how NZ play, a very up tempo game, and that will always produce chances if accurate. I hope the players are given freedom to play off the cuff offloading rugby but we'll see if they can develop enough bonds to run the support lines and get timings etc

There's more than one way to get front foot ball, but I would also say it's a big reason why I'd take Tuilagi, because with him, its near guaranteed, and he creates so much space

If they can get front foot ball with a Back 3 of Hogg, LRZ and Watson however, they could be genuinely lethal, and a back 3 as Im a big advocate for... well if you can get the high tempo, it would be a cracking game to watch
Click to expand...

To make that work though you'd be looking at Price at 9, Russell at 10, something like Henderson, Daly and then Watson, Adams, Hogg. Warren's not going to go that way is he? Any "quick" gameplan dies on the altar of a Biggar Farrell alliance. Aki and Henderson are decent players but quick accurate space exploiters? I'd have taken Ringrose if that's what Warren was about.

I reckon we'll see better rugby out of midweek side and a total bosh-fest for the tests.
 
Yoshimitsu said:
To make that work though you'd be looking at Price at 9, Russell at 10, something like Henderson, Daly and then Watson, Adams, Hogg. Warren's not going to go that way is he? Any "quick" gameplan dies on the altar of a Biggar Farrell alliance. Aki and Henderson are decent players but quick accurate space exploiters? I'd have taken Ringrose if that's what Warren was about.

I reckon we'll see better rugby out of midweek side and a total bosh-fest for the tests.
Click to expand...
Henshaw is currently a favourite for 12 jersey, we'll see if he goes dual playmaker, or Henshaw/Daly, or even Biggar/Ruseell - Farrell - Henshaw

Either way you need to be able to punch a hole or two up the middle to create space out wide, so balance is crucial

This also wont be the final squad to pick from, sadly injuries always play a big part in a Lions tour
 
Jakedood said:
Henshaw is currently a favourite for 12 jersey, we'll see if he goes dual playmaker, or Henshaw/Daly, or even Biggar/Ruseell - Farrell - Henshaw

Either way you need to be able to punch a hole or two up the middle to create space out wide, so balance is crucial

This also wont be the final squad to pick from, sadly injuries always play a big part in a Lions tour
Click to expand...
You'll get Murray, Farrell, Aki, Henshaw and you'll be ******* pleased about it.
 
living sacrifice said:
Has AWJ ever made a dominant tackle? Let alone any in the last 6 nations?
Click to expand...
I wondered about this the 6 nations he made a fair amount according to the official stats, not an outstanding amount but fairly average percentage against tackles made compared to other second rows.

I must of missed them all though.
 
Has there been any public statements about how a dominant tackle is actually tracked? It kind of just randomly appeared on tv broadcasts in 2019 but I've never actually seen it defined. Like Will Connors makes a lot of chop tackles behind the gainline but they're not dump tackles so do they count? Think it has the potential to be an informative stat but might be a bit PFFesque for any NFL teams out there.
 
big ginger 8 said:
Has there been any public statements about how a dominant tackle is actually tracked? It kind of just randomly appeared on tv broadcasts in 2019 but I've never actually seen it defined. Like Will Connors makes a lot of chop tackles behind the gainline but they're not dump tackles so do they count? Think it has the potential to be an informative stat but might be a bit PFFesque for any NFL teams out there.
Click to expand...

I think it was so they could praise England/Farrell for tackling.
Farrell started to miss more tackles Ford wasn't missing, "Oh but look at his dominant tackles compared to Ford"

My guess is it's tackles that carriers don't gain yardage in.
 
big ginger 8 said:
Has there been any public statements about how a dominant tackle is actually tracked? It kind of just randomly appeared on tv broadcasts in 2019 but I've never actually seen it defined. Like Will Connors makes a lot of chop tackles behind the gainline but they're not dump tackles so do they count? Think it has the potential to be an informative stat but might be a bit PFFesque for any NFL teams out there.
Click to expand...
I'd track them by the amount of times I verbally say 'oooff' during a match. Which is typically every Sam Underhill tackle.

But yeah no clue how its actually measured. I assume if the player goes backwards from the point of tackle.
 
Welsh Exile said:
I can kinda of see what you’re saying but I’d disagree. I think we went for a lot of safe ball at the front with Tipuric so I agree we weren’t throwing loads to the tail and getting good strike plays off it but I think it’s a push to say our line out was dominated.

Agree on Ryan for sure.
Click to expand...
Well as far as what will be required for the Boks 2 second rows who can facilitate throwing anywhere is important. Ryan certainly gives you that along with Itoje. Then you have the back rows and utility guys to supplement it.

On the Ryan issue I just cannot A) Get over his non selection and B) fathom the logic then used by Gatland. He says he wasn't selected because he had a bad game against LAR in a European semi. Yet Itoje is picked despite not playing well and personally contributing in some cases to England's 6 Nations woes and then playing in a competition containing teams made up of guys who had to pay in to see him do the above and work in Sainsburys.....

Yes on his day Itoje is obviously world class but going on Gatlands logic it just makes no sense...
 
Curls said:
Well as far as what will be required for the Boks 2 second rows who can facilitate throwing anywhere is important. Ryan certainly gives you that along with Itoje. Then you have the back rows and utility guys to supplement it.

On the Ryan issue I just cannot A) Get over his non selection and B) fathom the logic then used by Gatland. He says he wasn't selected because he had a bad game against LAR in a European semi. Yet Itoje is picked despite not playing well and personally contributing in some cases to England's 6 Nations woes and then playing in a competition containing teams made up of guys who had to pay in to see him do the above and work in Sainsburys.....

Yes on his day Itoje is obviously world class but going on Gatlands logic it just makes no sense...
Click to expand...
Yeah it’s mad. Think there’s almost universal agreement that having Hill in over Ryan is pretty outrageous. I’m not really that worried about the lineout tbh. Well, not yet anyway.
 
Welsh Exile said:
Yeah it’s mad. Think there’s almost universal agreement that having Hill in over Ryan is pretty outrageous. I’m not really that worried about the lineout tbh. Well, not yet anyway.
Click to expand...
I always said that Gatland has an English bias and that’s why he’s selected hill.

Or maybe something like that. Generally don’t get the hill selection.
 

Similar threads

NotTooAmused
Scotland Six Nations squad 2026
Replies
9
Views
830
Reiser99
R
NotTooAmused
Scotland 2025/26
Replies
10
Views
914
NotTooAmused
NotTooAmused
AlRums
Scotland Six Nations squad 2025
2
Replies
50
Views
7K
odw26
O
AlRums
Fiji - Scotland -12/07/25 04:00
Replies
16
Views
2K
AlRums
AlRums
Quel Carreleur
World Cup Squads
Replies
6
Views
907
Quel Carreleur
Quel Carreleur

Latest posts

Back
Top