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Your Lions Squad Based on this Season?
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<blockquote data-quote="FrankfurtRugbyWatcher4" data-source="post: 994994" data-attributes="member: 83480"><p>Very inspiring big ginger 8, I thank you. You triggered a very useful discussion with the contributions of TRF_Olyy, Old Hooker, and worthy regulars like The Alpha Bro, or The Oggmonster.</p><p></p><p>And you are addressing two issues about which I am scratching my head too.</p><p></p><p>(i) weight in the scrum and</p><p></p><p>(ii) enough beef in the back row.</p><p></p><p>Issue (i) is the memory of 11 years back when Vickery was taken apart by The Beast and Alun Wyn Jones proved too lightweight in the pack. Adam Jones and Simon Shaw were needed. Lions in South Africa that was. Quite an obvious reference point.</p><p></p><p>AND the world cup final.</p><p></p><p>And 2017 New Zealand - constant wobbles in the scrum for the Lions. Furlong, a star player of the guests, looked really bad. But I am convinced that was due to lack of support. Front five is a unit! Being upstaged by the All Blacks in the scrum, that is man bites dog. Think of 2003 when England prevailed in New Zealand having to push with two man down. And it was no problem.</p><p></p><p>The only positive about 2017 was, with a smirk, that the AB tactics were a sign of respect. As normally the Kiwis would feel above employing old fashioned ploys like that.</p><p></p><p>Looking at the mix of players present, the talent is spread in a very lopsided way. Talking about issue (ii) from above. The best back rows are Curry, Tipuric, Underhill, and Watson. For the Lions in South Africa, I would not consider Watson an option at eight. And there is CJ Stander. But he is a rather small number 8 as well.</p><p></p><p>Playing three of those five, impressive player by player, would look like fielding a back row consisting just of three number sevens. That would take it a bit too far. Especially against the Bocks.</p><p></p><p>More bulk is offered by Wainwright, Wilson and Vunipola. The latter when in form. But that is definitely a question mark, valid point. Next would be Navidi and Ritchie. Very plucky, but yes, no Jerome Kainos indeed. Could they play second row like him?</p><p></p><p>That does not apply to a bruiser like Ross Moriaty either. Van der Flier and Bradbury have got their merits as well. But there are not quite at the level of the aforementioned yet.</p><p></p><p>Admission: That is all based on what those individuals have proven at international level to date. Having Deegan, Doris, Skinner, Haining, or Shields in the back of my head. Let alone possible bolters like this Ryan Baird, Youngs, Davies, Basham, Edwards, Matt Fagerson, Ellis, Armand, Simmons, Mercer, or Earl.</p><p></p><p>(My assumption is that O'Mahoney, Faletau and surely Robshaw or Wood won't be under consideration any more a year from now.)</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="FrankfurtRugbyWatcher4, post: 994994, member: 83480"] Very inspiring big ginger 8, I thank you. You triggered a very useful discussion with the contributions of TRF_Olyy, Old Hooker, and worthy regulars like The Alpha Bro, or The Oggmonster. And you are addressing two issues about which I am scratching my head too. (i) weight in the scrum and (ii) enough beef in the back row. Issue (i) is the memory of 11 years back when Vickery was taken apart by The Beast and Alun Wyn Jones proved too lightweight in the pack. Adam Jones and Simon Shaw were needed. Lions in South Africa that was. Quite an obvious reference point. AND the world cup final. And 2017 New Zealand - constant wobbles in the scrum for the Lions. Furlong, a star player of the guests, looked really bad. But I am convinced that was due to lack of support. Front five is a unit! Being upstaged by the All Blacks in the scrum, that is man bites dog. Think of 2003 when England prevailed in New Zealand having to push with two man down. And it was no problem. The only positive about 2017 was, with a smirk, that the AB tactics were a sign of respect. As normally the Kiwis would feel above employing old fashioned ploys like that. Looking at the mix of players present, the talent is spread in a very lopsided way. Talking about issue (ii) from above. The best back rows are Curry, Tipuric, Underhill, and Watson. For the Lions in South Africa, I would not consider Watson an option at eight. And there is CJ Stander. But he is a rather small number 8 as well. Playing three of those five, impressive player by player, would look like fielding a back row consisting just of three number sevens. That would take it a bit too far. Especially against the Bocks. More bulk is offered by Wainwright, Wilson and Vunipola. The latter when in form. But that is definitely a question mark, valid point. Next would be Navidi and Ritchie. Very plucky, but yes, no Jerome Kainos indeed. Could they play second row like him? That does not apply to a bruiser like Ross Moriaty either. Van der Flier and Bradbury have got their merits as well. But there are not quite at the level of the aforementioned yet. Admission: That is all based on what those individuals have proven at international level to date. Having Deegan, Doris, Skinner, Haining, or Shields in the back of my head. Let alone possible bolters like this Ryan Baird, Youngs, Davies, Basham, Edwards, Matt Fagerson, Ellis, Armand, Simmons, Mercer, or Earl. (My assumption is that O'Mahoney, Faletau and surely Robshaw or Wood won't be under consideration any more a year from now.) [/QUOTE]
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