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Best possible Lions squad.

1
Sheridan
2
Chuter
3
Vickery
4
Kay
5
Shaw
6
Wallace
7
Martyn Wiliams
8
Ryan Jones

9
Peel
10
Wilkinson
11
Shane Williams
12
D Arcy
13
O Driscoll
14
Lewsey
15
Paterson
 
White is in such bad form at the moment he couldnt possibly be picked to tour. He looks very slow and off the pace. Maybe time for him to move to the 2nd row where I think he could be more effective with less competition also.
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The thread says "Best Possible Lions Squad". So doesn't that mean that we should be picking the players who are the best in their respected positions while on form? I mean, you can hardly say Peel is the best scrum half in Britain on current form (as he's being picked by nearly everyone here), but at his best, he is a shoe-in for the XV. Same goes for O'Driscoll and Henson.

Incredible Schalk: I've contradicted myself with what I said ^^ there, by picking Leamy on current form. White would be in the team otherwise.
 
At his best, Tom Shanklin is a shoe-in at outside centre, not O'Driscoll. :huh:
Kidding, but D'Arcy is hardly a shoe-in at his best, especially with Henson to consider. You could argue, though, that a Shanklin - Henson combo at it's best could start. :bleh!:
 
well all I know is that given the choice and the condition that these players are in top form then I go for D'Arcy and O'Driscoll every time, Shanklin's a class act and Henson seems to be cutting out the crabbing and running more direct lines although there were signs of the old habits in the Italian game so we should be well set in the centre.
 
I always remember D'Arcy for his hand-off that pushed Stephen Jones off his feet in the encounter last year.
Shame D'Arcy won't make it for this game (I assume, I don't know much about his condition), it would have been a cracking encounter between these sets of centres, although Trimble isn't half bad. Not as bad as it looks then. :)
 
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White is in such bad form at the moment he couldnt possibly be picked to tour. He looks very slow and off the pace. Maybe time for him to move to the 2nd row where I think he could be more effective with less competition also.
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The thread says "Best Possible Lions Squad". So doesn't that mean that we should be picking the players who are the best in their respected positions while on form? I mean, you can hardly say Peel is the best scrum half in Britain on current form (as he's being picked by nearly everyone here), but at his best, he is a shoe-in for the XV. Same goes for O'Driscoll and Henson.

Incredible Schalk: I've contradicted myself with what I said ^^ there, by picking Leamy on current form. White would be in the team otherwise.
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If you actually read what I wrote I said that White should move to the 2nd row not be picked in the 2nd row for the Lions . In the back row he is not nearly dynamic enough. Please keep up.
Also Henson is certainly not a shoe in at the moment .
 
If you actually read what I wrote I said that White should move to the 2nd row not be picked in the 2nd row for the Lions . In the back row he is not nearly dynamic enough. Please keep up.
Also Henson is certainly not a shoe in at the moment .
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Yeh, I read the first sentence and didn't bother with the rest.
Also, who else would you pick at inside-centre?
 
D`arcy or maybe even Tindall . I know he s usually an outside centre but he always looks good at inside centre when I see him. Charlottte and Gavin bring too much baggage with them and Im not talking about her arse.
 
D`arcy or maybe even Tindall . I know he s usually an outside centre but he always looks good at inside centre when I see him. Charlottte and Gavin bring too much baggage with them and Im not talking about her arse. [/b]

There are only 2 blokes that should be in contention with Henson for the 12 shirt at this moment in time and they are Toby Flood and D'Arcy!

To say Henson brings baggage is poor! What baggage has he brought since his autobiography? None! Gatlan has shown Gav the light and Gav is getting back to somewhat his best!
 
On the last Lions tour everyone who came across Henson found him to be rude and stuck up his own arse. Even the players that we spoke to didnt talk very highly of him. All this is baggage which doesnt help when you are on tour a long way from home. Unless you know him personally I would listen to what you are told and not simply base you judgements on what you want to see.
 
On the last Lions tour everyone who came across Henson found him to be rude and stuck up his own arse. Even the players that we spoke to didnt talk very highly of him. All this is baggage which doesnt help when you are on tour a long way from home. Unless you know him personally I would listen to what you are told and not simply base you judgements on what you want to see.
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I'm sorry, but are you going to back up those statements with proof? If not, then don't make claims of that kind; I've never heard anything of the like.
 
On the last Lions tour everyone who came across Henson found him to be rude and stuck up his own arse. Even the players that we spoke to didnt talk very highly of him. All this is baggage which doesnt help when you are on tour a long way from home. Unless you know him personally I would listen to what you are told and not simply base you judgements on what you want to see. [/b]

Mate I choose to believe what I want, I make my decisions on what I feel best by looking at all the evidence available!, everyone knows that Henson does not have a brain at times, and I question whether his autobiography was actually written by him, having read through it it seems a bit odd at times!

What you need to understand is the fact that what stays on tour stays on it, in Henson's case it did not at times, however whatever happened on the last tour is history if Gav is the man in form then Gav is the man that is selected! If he is not then someone else gets picked, at this moment there are 3 people on form and vying for the 12 shirt! Henson, D'Arcy and Flood! Just because you follow Gloucster does not mean that Tindall is a shoe in, in fact hes not a great 12 a better 13 in my opinion!

'I have also spoken to many people about Henson' ive done the same and most Ospreys players and some others have said that they love Gav because he is a lad and they have even said that he has matured since the last linos tour!
 
How can you say there's three people on form for the 12 shirt. I'd say there's only 2, Henson and Flood. D'Arcy has been off form since the last 6 nations, he's been so off form infact that in the Leinster games I've seen, the commentators have been struggling to understand why he's still being picked! Don't think there's a more out of sorts player in the Northern Hemeshphere currently. Added to that, he's injured with a broken arm, I wouldn't even have him in contention at this moment in time.

When he returns and ups his game, which I think and hope he will, he'll be back in with a shot.

Still think Henons got alot more to come though, hasn't shown any of the magic he has yet.

Re the Henson remark by danny, I've heard from a friend (lives in Neath, used to offten bump into him on nights out etc, pictures on her phone, so a reliable source) that Henson used to be a bit arrogant, quiet, but arrogant. But he's changed alot in the past few years, though she doesn't see him out anymore, It's been well documented that he's a changed man, especially after becoming a father, so I'd keep hearsay and gossip to yourself. I know he isn't the most likable of people, I think he used to come accross as a bit of a nob, but arrogance is often needed by some to become a top player. Anyway rant over.
 
Quite easily!

Of course the inform 12's are Henson and Flood! But D'Arcy aint beeing played brillaint but he aint been playing all that crap for me he is a contention but only looking at the third spot for the 12
 
A team I'd like to see.

1) Sheridan
2) Chuter
3) Jenkins
4) Hines
5) O'Callahan (sp?)
6) White
7) Williams
8) Crane
9) Blair
10) O'Gara
11) Williams
12) Flood
13) Shanklin
14) R. Lamont
15) Byrne
 
White has done nothing to secure a place. I'd rather put in Heaslip and move R.Jones to 6.

D.O'Callaghan, M.Williams, S.Williams and L.Byrne are definatly in. Vainikolo has looked dangerous when he's had the ball, but England don't give it too him often. He always beats the first 2 men in the tackle, thus creating a lot of space for his side. Henson probably just cuts it against Flood for me because I prefer a more physical 12 who can run a good crashball, and Henson has been straightening lines for Wales all tournament. OC would be Shanklin, though Noon has performed equally well, he is no threat in defence and Shanklin + Henson = Establish partnership for Wales. Blair and Phillips are in contention for the scrum-half position, but I prefer a proper scrum-half (blair) over a 9th forward (phillips)

O'Gara has been controlling games for Ireland, but he seems to lack a certain spark (he never had this). I'd prefer Hook as he adds options with the ball in hand. Parks hasn't been good, and Wilko hasn't convinced me much. Hines needs to learn discipline, but Borthwick only really stood out for England against Italy, while Hines has been a good performer for the Scots in nearly all their games. Sheridan has been a constant performer, and while he hasn't been great he always does his work properly, and the other options haven't performed much better than he has.

Hartley at hooker because I like talent, and because I wanted to include at least one player I don't judge on his 6N performances. I haven't been watching the TP's that closely, Gethin Jenkins seems alright and on reasonable form though.

So recap:

1. Sheridan
2. Hartley
3. Jenkins
4. O'Callaghan
5. Hines
6. R.Jones
7. Williams
8. Heaslip
9. Blair
10. Hook
11. Williams
12. Henson
13. Shanklin
14. Vainikolo
15. Byrne
 
O'Gara has been controlling games for Ireland, but he seems to lack a certain spark (he never had this). I'd prefer Hook as he adds options with the ball in hand. Parks hasn't been good, and Wilko hasn't convinced me much. Hines needs to learn discipline, but Borthwick only really stood out for England against Italy, while Hines has been a good performer for the Scots in nearly all their games. Sheridan has been a constant performer, and while he hasn't been great he always does his work properly, and the other options haven't performed much better than he has.[/b]

Hines a good performer in their recent games? All he's done is get himself in the bin and put Scotland on the ropes! He's doing exactly the same as Danny Grewcock did. He always had his apologists who said that he was fantastic in the short time he was on the field during his England games but his dicipline was so horrible that he was getting binned or at least hemoraging points for England every game! There are better people to pick at lock than Hines in the British Isles and I'd be up for putting Tom Croft in there instead.

Now if you want a Scottish player who has sweated blood so far, look for Gloucester number 8 Alasdair Strokosch. The guy had a really good introductory game and if he plays to that same high standard in the rest of his games in the Six Nations and if he continues his good form at club level he will be a contender for the Lions.
 
IMO:

1. Andrew Sheridan
2. Jerry Flannery
3. Tony Buckley
4. Simon Shaw
5. Paul O'Connell (match-fit)
6. David Wallace
7. Martyn Williams
8. Ryan Jones
9. Dwayne Peel
10. Ronan O'Gara
11. Shane Williams
12. James Hook
13. Brian O'Driscoll
14. Chris Paterson
15. Girvan Dempsy

16. ?? Not many decent hookers around..
17. Matt Stevens
18. Nathan Hines
19. Jamie Heaslip
20. Johnny Wilkinson
21. Mike Blair
22. Rory Lamont
 
Now if you want a Scottish player who has sweated blood so far, look for Gloucester number 8 Alasdair Strokosch. The guy had a really good introductory game and if he plays to that same high standard in the rest of his games in the Six Nations and if he continues his good form at club level he will be a contender for the Lions.
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Strokosch would for sure be in my training squad.
I just hope this tour isn't as England centric as the last one, it was a f***ing shambles.
 

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