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To start a long running thread.


Question 1. Who will be captain?


Does it in your view have to be someone who is nailed on for their position for 3 tests or someone who is captain of their country?


Who is your choice ?


Will Gatland be reluctant to choose an English captain ?


How about Paul O'Connell as a late shout

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https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/30042-the-lions-tour-of-oz-2013/
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Its surely got to be Chris Robshaw. Not only is he a great captain but you would like to think that he would be nailed on as the Lions flanker. If England were to win the Grand Slam I think he would be odds on.


Sam Warburton's a great player but is injury prone and in his infancy as regards captaining a national team.

Warburton has lost the Welsh captaincy so I doubt it will be him. To say he in his infancy as a Captain of a national team may be correct but he has done it more times I think for Wales than Robshaw has for England and has 3 times the number of caps. Robshaw got a lot of stick after a couple of the Autumn matches for decisions he made near the end of games.He is new to it too.


If he is fit and in form there can only be one Captain and that's Brian O'Driscoll. From what I read he is very well respected by players who have played with him and against him.

Warburton is back to form it seems, but he won't captain Wales on Saturday, rumour is it's Gethin.

Lots of people saying BOD, but will he even make the team.

Robshaw would need to ensure he is in the team too - there's a lot of good flankers around. I think he can play 6 or 7.



A LOT will depend on Saturday - if England get the GS then I'll say Robshaw, otherwise it's up in the air.

Your Lions captain has to be the no1 choice for his position and be a shoe-in to play all 3 tests.


There aren't many players in that position.


I think I might be tempted to make Rory Best my hooker and captain. As good as Youngs in the loose and Hartley at line-outs, more consistent than Hibberd and Ross Ford. Seems like a no-brainer.


Every other position seems to have two choices with little to choose between them.


For what it's worth my XV would be


15 - Halfpenny

14 - North

13 - O'Driscoll

12 - Tuilagi

11 - Visser

10 - Sexton

9 - Phillips

8 - Faletau

7 - Robshaw

6 - Brown

5 - Parling

4 - Launchbury

3 - Cole

2 - Best ©

1 - Vunipola

  • 4 weeks later...

I read in the Irish Times online where Gatland now is (Ireland I mean)that he said he had chosen his captain some time ago. That would rule POC out of it but maybe not BOD. Maybe as a Kiwi he feels he owes BOD something given what happened in 2005.


Of course given his Welsh connections he may have decided on a Welshman. All will be revealed by the end of the month.


PS I do hope Zebo gets selected in the squad.

Interestingly, in this season's Super Rugby, Australian teams have won 7 from 8 games against their traditionally superior Kiwi opposition.


The teams are normally made up of players of the same nationality as the franchise (plus a few pacific islanders) so it seems the Aussies are hitting a seam of form and a production line of very good players at just the right time.


Heart says Lions but head is beginning to think the Australia.

Chillaxed Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I thought it was dangerous play at the time, but

> haven't thought about it (unless reminded, which

> is frequently) since the tour ended.


Well, there you go, you are trying not to think about it, but other people are keen to remind you about it.


The issue heralded a change in attitude to tip tackling that thankfully referees are taking a hard line against today. It focussed everyone's mind on the dangers of reckless play.

The fierce debate over the British and Irish Lions captaincy in Australia this summer turned full circle when a leading bookmaker suspended betting on Sam Warburton, the Wales flanker, who started the season as red-hot favourite before drifting towards outsider status as injury and poor form undermined his candidacy. Ladbrokes made their decision after taking ?a flood of money? on the Cardiff Blues player, much of it from gamblers in Wales. As recently as February, Warburton was listed by the bookies as a 33-1 no-hoper, way behind Chris Robshaw, the England captain, and the celebrated Ireland centre Brian O?Driscoll. When another Irishman, the lock Paul O?Connell, staked his claim with a brilliant Heineken Cup performance for Munster earlier this month, most observers felt the race was wide open. But over the last couple of days, business on Warburton has been brisk. He is now the favourite at 4-7. Warren Gatland, the Lions head coach on secondment from Wales, will announce his tour party, complete with leadership hierarchy, in London a week on Tuesday.

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