Lions: Return to Oz

[cyRil]

He's got to be the most boring man in rugby, hasn't he?

 

[Feicarsinn]

Christ, Kidney as Lions coach. He'd probably pick the whole 2005 squad again. Shure don't the lads have the experience and they'll be chomping at the bit to get that last game out of their system. There's a big game in this team, I'll tell ye now. #usualkidneybullshit

 

[dan the man nz]

i looked foward to a roberts, tuilagi midfield and a bowe foden halfpenny backthree, hmm and maybe a phillips farell combo too, sounds killer just sad ford is too young, hes like an english version of shane williams and robinson combined as well as a french halfback styled goal kicker, note still a midget. who do you reckon the best fly half in the world will be during the lions tour, could it be a kiwi like beuden barett ?

 

[cyRil]

No, it will still be Dan Carter.

 

[Feicarsinn]

No, it will still be Dan Carter.

In fairness, Dan Carter is a Kiwi.

 

[cyRil]

In fairness, Dan Carter is a Kiwi.

Whose side are you on?!!!

 

[Feicarsinn]

Whose side are you on?!!!

Oh right, soz.

Dan Carter, much like all New Zealanders, is still tainted by the Umanga incident of 2005. Therefore even bringing him up in a Lions thread is deeply offensive to all concerned parties. He could have been killed for Christ's sake!

 

[j'nuh]

Jamie Roberts is a quality 12, but him aside the pickings are fairly slim. D'arcy is past it, Scotland's centres are terrible and England seem to be happy with Barritt. You could of course argue that if you were to bring Owen Farrell, James Hook and Luke Fitzgerald you mightn't need another specialist 12, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if he travelled. I'd be disappointed, both because he's not good enough and he's a bloody South African.

I'd take Beck as a specialist 12, to even start if Roberts were to get injured, and consider Tuilagi and Hook as back-up. Don't want Farrell even mentioned as a Lions 12.

 

[Peat]

Mike Ruddock 4 teh Lionz.


Think about it! Grand Slam with the Welsh, under 20's Grand Slam with Ireland, has managed professional sides in Ireland, Wales and England and isn't over any of the national teams at the moment. The perfect candidate.

When?

 

[psychic duck]

Will Greenwood's Lions team in the Daily Telegraph

First choice:
1. Gethin Jenkins, 2. Dylan Hartley, 3. Adam Jones, 4. Ian Evans, 5. Richie Gray, 6. Stephen Ferris, 7. Sam Warburton, 8. Toby Faletau, 9. Mike Phillips, 10. Johnny Sexton, 11. George North, 12. Jamie Roberts, 13. Jonathan Davies, 14. Tommy Bowe, 15. Rob Kearney

Second choice:
1. Alex Corbisero, 2. Rory Best, 3. Dan Cole, 4. Paul O’Connell, 5. Geoff Parling, 6. Dan Lydiate, 7. Ross Rennie, 8. Ben Morgan, 9. Mike Blair, 10. Owen Farrell, 11. Sean Lamont, 12. Brad Barritt, 13. Manu Tuilagi, 14. Alex Cuthbert, 15. Leigh Halfpenny

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ru...r-to-Australia-in-pictures.html?frame=2175584

 

[big ginger 8]

I'd have Best, O'Connell and Dickson ahead of the players ahead of them their. Now that I've seen him again I've realised how much I've missed him. O want BO'D in I'm certain he can reach as high a level as needed.

From the 2nd choice team as everyone knows I'd definitley have Healy ahead of Corbiesero. I wouldn't have either Lamont (so many better wingers) or Barritt.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Wouldn't have Faletau in the 1st XV (Denton there), not sure I'd have him in the 2nd XV either, but apart from that they're not bad picks - much better than most pundits put out anyway.

 

[psychic duck]

Wouldn't have Faletau in the 1st XV (Denton there), not sure I'd have him in the 2nd XV either, but apart from that they're not bad picks - much better than most pundits put out anyway.

Denton didn't look good when up against Parisse against Italy though, Parisse definitely was on top that day

why do you not rate Faletau?

 

[big ginger 8]

Denton looked good in every other match though basically ever Scottish player was terrible that day.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Denton didn't look good when up against Parisse against Italy though, Parisse definitely was on top that day

why do you not like Faletau?

I don't not like him, I just think he's probably the most overrated player in the northern hemisphere.
He is a very good 8, don't get me wrong, and will get better with age, however at the moment I don't think he's good enough to be a Lions 8. His hands aren't great, and he's often very blinkered with his runs, much like Chabal/Powell. Like I said, though, he has youth on his side and with more experience he'll get better.

 

[psychic duck]

I don't not like him, I just think he's probably the most overrated player in the northern hemisphere.
He is a very good 8, don't get me wrong, and will get better with age, however at the moment I don't think he's good enough to be a Lions 8. His hands aren't great, and he's often very blinkered with his runs, much like Chabal/Powell. Like I said, though, he has youth on his side and with more experience he'll get better.

the thing with Faletau though is he has more of an all around game,

for example Morgan is better off the back of the scrum and at ball carrying perhaps but you would rarely see him win a lineout or turnover like Faletau has the ability to do

Faletau was very quiet ball carrying this 6 Nations compared to Denton or Morgan, but his contribution was still important in defence

I would say a weakness is he attempts too many offloads that aren't there, at least he doesn't run sideways like Powell though

 

[big ginger 8]

Dare I say it upon pain of a thousand deaths but Heaslip has the best allround skills just happens to be off form for about a year.

 

[bushytop]

I don't not like him, I just think he's probably the most overrated player in the northern hemisphere.
He is a very good 8, don't get me wrong, and will get better with age, however at the moment I don't think he's good enough to be a Lions 8. His hands aren't great, and he's often very blinkered with his runs, much like Chabal/Powell. Like I said, though, he has youth on his side and with more experience he'll get better.

I know that stats do not tell the whole story but Toby's 6N stats were pretty incredible... pretty sure he made more tackles than any other Welsh player, more yards than any other Welsh forward and a high number of offloads. Judging by a lot of comments I've read on TRF this last month or so I'd say he is nearer the most underrated player.

 

[Feicarsinn]

I know that stats do not tell the whole story but Toby's 6N stats were pretty incredible... pretty sure he made more tackles than any other Welsh player, more yards than any other Welsh forward and a high number of offloads. Judging by a lot of comments I've read on TRF this last month or so I'd say he is nearer the most underrated player.

While all of that may be true, it's worth pointing out that the Lions aren't solely made up of Welsh players.

 

[big ginger 8]

I know that stats do not tell the whole story but Toby's 6N stats were pretty incredible... pretty sure he made more tackles than any other Welsh player, more yards than any other Welsh forward and a high number of offloads. Judging by a lot of comments I've read on TRF this last month or so I'd say he is nearer the most underrated player.

You know who else's stats looked great for years Donnacha O'Callaghan. Just saying...

Faletau is I think overrated by many Welsh people and a decent number of other but mainly underrated by others. I'd have the other 3 ahead of him tbh but he has the greatest potential.