Guscott Lions XV

[An Tarbh]

15 - Lee Byrne
14 - Tommy Bowe
13 - Brian O'Driscoll
12 - Gavin Henson
11 - Shane Williams
10 - Jonny Wilkinson
9 - Mike Phillips
8 - Jamie Heaslip
7 - David Wallace
6 - Tom Croft
5 - Paul O'Connell (capt)
4 - Simon Shaw
3 - Euan Murray
2 - Ross Ford
1 - Gethin Jenkins

Oh dear :lol:

 

[An Tarbh]

and his justification as well, typically Guscottesque i.e strong whiff of BS coming off it.

Originally posted by Guscott
If I was to name a pack it would be, Euan Murray on the tighthead, Ross Ford at hooker, Gethin Jenkins at loosehead, Paul O'Connell in the second row with Simon Shaw along with David Wallace, Jamie Heaslip and Tom Croft in the back row - if people tell me that a pack like that can't compete with the best South Africa has, I would say they must be supporters of lacrosse or something!

In the backs, my ten would be Jonny Wilkinson if he's fit. Full-back would be Lee Byrne, my wingers would be Shane Williams and Tommy Bowe, centres would be (Gavin) Henson and (Brian) O'Driscoll. Fly-half would be Wilkinson if he's on the Tour, Stephen Jones if not, and my scrum-half would be Mike Phillips.

Paul O'Connell would be my skipper. You could have gone with someone like O'Driscoll, but he was captain on the last Tour and it didn't go well for him. Not just for that reason though, I just think it would be good for him to concentrate on being a player as he captains his country already, he could just concentrate on playing his best for the team this time around and not worry about the captaincy.

 

[Steve-o]

Well I'll never...

Simon Shaw? Where'd that come from?!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

You could have gone with someone like O'Driscoll, but he was captain on the last Tour and it didn't go well for him[/b]

Yip being on the receiving end of a spear tackle is poor captaining..

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Steve-o @ Mar 19 2009, 08:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Well I'll never...

Simon Shaw? Where'd that come from?!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE

You could have gone with someone like O'Driscoll, but he was captain on the last Tour and it didn't go well for him[/b]

Yip being on the receiving end of a spear tackle is poor captaining..
[/b][/quote]

my thinking exactly.

Shaw's a strange one, comes back into the England team and proves again he has no discipline, so straight into the test team then with him, good man Guscott.

 

[MunsterMan]

Best in for Ford, AWJ/DOC in or Shaw, Ferris in for Croft, Williams in for Wally, S.Jones in for Wilko and he isn't far off the mark!

 

[An Tarbh]

I'd add Peel and Shanklin as well, something tells me that Henson/O'Driscoll partnership is a non starter.

 

[cyRil]

You'd drop O'Driscoll for Shanklin?

 

[gingergenius]

In fairness the only really contentious selections are Shaw, Croft, Wilkinson and Bowe.

To me Shaw is ludicrous, but no matter how much I think Bowe isn't up to it, you could make a case for the 3 others to be selected - Croft because he's good, and Wilkinson and Bowe because there haven't been many others sticking out.

Get off Guscott's back, he may be arrogant but there's plenty of other rugby pundits out there who would pick teams with far more than 4 'dodgy' selections.

 

[An Tarbh]

never gonna happen, he's always been a twat so I'm more than likely gonna keep taking issue with the nonsense he spouts and I'm more than happy to do so with other pundits selections if they're equally as daft.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I actually agree with most of Guscott's selections. The things I'd alter would be Bowe on the right wing (it's a shootout between 5 or 6 players including Armitage and Kearney), Henson in the centre (I think Flutey will get the nod due to both his form and Geech being his club coach), Shaw in the second row (possible but Alun Wyn Jones, Donncha O'Callaghan and Nathan Hines should be ahead of him in the pecking order) and Wilkinson at 10. Stephen Jones is the likely choice but it wouldn't shock me if McGeechan picked Hook - he likes "maverick" flyhalves as demonstrated by picking Gregor Townsend and Danny Cipriani for club, country and Lions in the past.

 

[Hall]

I think Croft should at least tour.

As for Shaw and Wilkinson, what are you thinking Gerry?

 

[Meh]

It looks good up until I read Jonny Wilkinson.

It all went downhill from there. :lol:

 

[shazbooger]

Ahhh I dont know. Wasnt that bad really.

There could well be a few surprises on tour. At least he's thinking about it a bit.

 

[Cymro]

Not a bad selection but Wilkinson at 10

 

[Bullitt]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Mar 19 2009, 07:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

15 - Lee Byrne
14 - Tommy Bowe
13 - Brian O'Driscoll
12 - Gavin Henson
11 - Shane Williams
10 - Jonny Wilkinson
9 - Mike Phillips
8 - Jamie Heaslip
7 - David Wallace
6 - Tom Croft
5 - Paul O'Connell (capt)
4 - Simon Shaw
3 - Euan Murray
2 - Ross Ford
1 - Gethin Jenkins

Oh dear :lol:[/b]

Those in bold type have made good cases for themselves to be selected, but several there (especially JW and Shaw) are very suspect names - Must've thought to himself "I need more English players, who can I shoehorn in?".

That said, Wilkinson will meraculously be fit again just in time for the tournament and odds -on be selected to sell shirts.

I should like to see Croft involved in some form, but I'm puzzled how both Powell and Jones have completely slipped under his radar.

 

[Cymro]

Love how the English posters don't rate Gethin Jenkins and they all still drool over Andrew Sheridan! What more does Gethin Jenkins have to do? Oh and Mike Phillips wont start for the Lions!

 

[Hall]

Who has mentioned Sheridan?

 

[Incredible Schalk]

Tommy Bowe has done nothing this 6 nations to suggest he should start, even Cueto,Evans and Halfpenny have been ahead.

 

[Hall]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Teh Mite @ Mar 20 2009, 10:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Mar 19 2009, 07:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

15 - Lee Byrne
14 - Tommy Bowe
13 - Brian O'Driscoll
12 - Gavin Henson
11 - Shane Williams
10 - Jonny Wilkinson
9 - Mike Phillips
8 - Jamie Heaslip
7 - David Wallace
6 - Tom Croft
5 - Paul O'Connell (capt)
4 - Simon Shaw
3 - Euan Murray
2 - Ross Ford
1 - Gethin Jenkins

Oh dear :lol:[/b]

Those in bold type have made good cases for themselves to be selected, but several there (especially JW and Shaw) are very suspect names - Must've thought to himself "I need more English players, who can I shoehorn in?".

That said, Wilkinson will meraculously be fit again just in time for the tournament and odds -on be selected to sell shirts.

I should like to see Croft involved in some form, but I'm puzzled how both Powell and Jones have completely slipped under his radar.
[/b][/quote]

I think Powell's not quite met expectations in this tournament. He was so good during the Autumn and this has been a bit of a comedown. That said, he should at least be in the matchday 22.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Mar 20 2009, 12:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Love how the English posters don't rate Gethin Jenkins and they all still drool over Andrew Sheridan! What more does Gethin Jenkins have to do? Oh and Mike Phillips wont start for the Lions![/b]

Jenkins is as much of a test banker as O'Connell at this stage.