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General Rugby Union
Your Lions Squad Based on this Season?
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<blockquote data-quote="Pieter Steph du Teague" data-source="post: 995187" data-attributes="member: 72520"><p>While I'd agree that Itoje is probably the most all-round player who is a lock, I'd argue that Kruis and Ryan are both more complete second rowers. As long as Kruis is still available I'd be going for a Ryan-Kruis starting pair with Itoje bringing some athleticism and energy from the bench. </p><p></p><p>I also wouldn't be against trying Itoje at 6. IIRC, he never actually got to play in England's back row alongside of a 7 - it was always Robshaw or Wood. Most criticisms of his time spent there were more to do with an imbalance in the back row, which Itoje caught most of the flack for, but I always thought that it was more down to the lack of an openside. In theory, there's no reason that Itoje couldn't do just as well, if not better, as a back rower than as a lock. At 6'5 and 115kg, I've always thought that size-wise he fits more into the lineout jumping back rower bracket than the out-and-out lock bracket. The area of blindside play that I'd say he isn't quite up to scratch on is ball carrying, but if you've got the likes of Sutherland, Furlong and Vunipola in the team then they should be able to pick up quite a lot of that slack.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Pieter Steph du Teague, post: 995187, member: 72520"] While I'd agree that Itoje is probably the most all-round player who is a lock, I'd argue that Kruis and Ryan are both more complete second rowers. As long as Kruis is still available I'd be going for a Ryan-Kruis starting pair with Itoje bringing some athleticism and energy from the bench. I also wouldn't be against trying Itoje at 6. IIRC, he never actually got to play in England's back row alongside of a 7 - it was always Robshaw or Wood. Most criticisms of his time spent there were more to do with an imbalance in the back row, which Itoje caught most of the flack for, but I always thought that it was more down to the lack of an openside. In theory, there's no reason that Itoje couldn't do just as well, if not better, as a back rower than as a lock. At 6'5 and 115kg, I've always thought that size-wise he fits more into the lineout jumping back rower bracket than the out-and-out lock bracket. The area of blindside play that I'd say he isn't quite up to scratch on is ball carrying, but if you've got the likes of Sutherland, Furlong and Vunipola in the team then they should be able to pick up quite a lot of that slack. [/QUOTE]
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Your Lions Squad Based on this Season?
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