Lions 2017

[Mick Mac]

Looking forward to the summer

Squad about to be announced.

Warburton is captain.

[rendelharris]

Rumours flying that Jamie Roberts is in and Jonathan Joseph and Mike Brown will miss out - if true that seems absurd for a man who couldn't make the starting XV for any of Wales' 6N games this year.

[JohnL]

Maybe shows how Gatland wants to play.

The fact Howley is a coach surprises me still.

[Mick Mac]

Old pals act

He had a good game when he came on against Ireland, but that's not enough to displace someone else.

[JohnL]

Anyway it's the All Blacks - there'll be a lot replacements required IMHO.

Tough schedule.

[JohnL]

rendelharris Wrote:

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> Rumours flying that Jamie Roberts is in and

> Jonathan Joseph and Mike Brown will miss out - if

> true that seems absurd for a man who couldn't make

> the starting XV for any of Wales' 6N games this

> year.

and now reports he isn't. :)

Leaks and counter leaks

[Mick Mac]

Forwards:

Rory Best (Ireland), Dan Cole (England), Taulupe Faletau (Wales), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), Jamie George (England), Iain Henderson (Ireland), Maro Itoje (England), Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), George Kruis (England), Courtney Lawes (England), Joe Marler (England), Jack McGrath (Ireland), Ross Moriarty (Wales), Sean O'Brien (Ireland), Peter O'Mahony (Ireland), Ken Owens (Wales), Kyle Sinckler (England), CJ Stander (Ireland), Justin Tipuric (Wales), Billy Vunipola (England), Mako Vunipola (England), Sam Warburton (Wales)

Backs:

Dan Biggar (Wales), Elliot Daly (England), Jonathan Davies (Wales), Owen Farrell (England), Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), Robbie Henshaw (Ireland), Stuart Hogg (Scotland), Jonathan Joseph (England), Conor Murray (Ireland), George North (Wales), Jack Nowell (England), Jared Payne (Ireland), Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), Tommy Seymour (Scotland), Ben Te'o (England), Anthony Watson (England), Rhys Webb (Wales), Liam Williams (Wales), Ben Youngs (England)

[Mick Mac]

11 Ireland

16 England

12 Wales

2 Scotland

[JohnL]

Scottish won't be happy - they performed well this year in patches.

[Mick Mac]

JohnL Wrote:

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> Scottish won't be happy - they performed well this

> year in patches.

True - deserved a better balance. Warren was always going to find a way to go Welsh if in doubt, 12 seems too many to me.

With the possible exception of Henshaw and Payne, I think the Ireland selections (the other 9) were difficult to ignore.

[jacks09]

I would have had Launcbury over Lawes.....and how Robshaw isn't on the plane is beyond me.....

[Alan Medic]

I'm sorry to see Ringrose and Zebo omitted. Suprised by Payne being included. I'd also have included Sean Cronin ahead of Rory Best.

Still there will be some injury induced changes before they even leave for NZ I would bet.

[JohnL]

Alan Medic Wrote:

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> I'm sorry to see Ringrose and Zebo omitted.

> Suprised by Payne being included. I'd also have

> included Sean Cronin ahead of Rory Best.

>

> Still there will be some injury induced changes

> before they even leave for NZ I would bet.

Before and during.

This is going to be a taxing tour. Schedule is unbelievable.

[JohnL]

"Despite having 16 players in the squad, some England fans are ticked off because Joe Launchbury, George Ford, Dylan Hartley and others have not been picked. The Irish are fed up because Munster and Ireland flanker Donnacha Ryan hasn?t been picked. The Scots are unhappy because they?ve only got two players in the squad and the Welsh are unhappy because Gatland has defied expectations by naming some players in his squad who are English, Irish and Scottish"

Stereotypical Welsh identified in The Guardian :)

[Mick Mac]

Very good JohnL - I Like that.

I think most Irish I have spoken to are relatively happy. It depends now on who Gatland has in mind for the test teams I guess, but I think the Irish pack plus half backs are fairly represented.

[rendelharris]

I can see a pretty England-centric pack there - maybe five of eight? - and a fairly balanced set of backs, with the pack becoming more international as the finishers come on. Already licking the lips in anticipation of that first 8AM beer on June 24th...

[Mick Mac]

rendelharris Wrote:

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> I can see a pretty England-centric pack there -

> maybe five of eight? - and a fairly balanced set

> of backs, with the pack becoming more

> international as the finishers come on. Already

> licking the lips in anticipation of that first 8AM

> beer on June 24th...

Not sure about that reading of it. The Irish pack, of which there are 6 in the squad, beat the English pack in Dublin, and has also beaten the ABs.

Will be interesting to see the make up of the pack come test #1 - might be a more even blend than you anticipate.

Finishers? though that terminology was finished with.

[jacks09]

Now we know the squad.....my 23 for the first test

1. Marler

2. Best

3. Furlong

4. Itoje

5. Kruis

6. Stander

7. Warburton

8. Vunipola (B)

9. Murray

10. Sexton

11. North

12. Farrell

13. Joseph

14. Watson

15. Hogg

16. Vunipola (M)

17. Owens

18. Sinkler

19. Jones (A.W)

20. O' Mahoney

21. Webb

22. Davies

23. Nowell

[Help-Ma-Boab]

We are more a Tennis nation anyhow...

[rendelharris]

Always behind the times me.

I'd open with a scrum of Marler - Best - Cole, Itoje - Wyn Jones, Warburton - Vunipola B - Faletau, with Stander, Vunipola M, Furlong and Tipuric coming in off the bench.

(ETA response to Mick Mac)

[titch juicy]

My 15 is almost the same as Jacks09's. But I would have Wyn-Jones in place of Kruis.

1. Marler

2. Best

3. Furlong

4. Itoje

5. Wyn-Jones

6. Stander

7. Warburton

8. Vunipola (B)

9. Murray

10. Sexton

11. North

12. Farrell

13. Joseph

14. Watson

15. Hogg

[JohnL]

What I've noticed with the Lions is when the tour starts the team sometimes isn't how you initially would pick it.

However one comment - Gatland seems to have hinted he won't pick Farrell at 12.

Which knowing Gatland means he will :)

[Mick Mac]

And doesn't mean he wont pick him at 10 of course.

[Alan Medic]

Well if Sexton doesn't last until the 1st Test he may well pick Farrell there.

[JohnL]

Shouted at me in work "Jobs for the Boyos"