Irish Lions

[rumncoke]

There could well be more than a token scot on the plane but not that many

I still go with Healy Kearney Best SoB possibles Gilroy and PoM ( Lions usually take a couple of younger players and to be honest there are not that many )

BoD will be in the TV box

And as the selection of a Lions team gets harder the more likely Best could become Capt

Props A mix of English Welsh and Healy

Second rows Grey English and Welsh Ryan as a maybe

Backrow a big lottery An Irish man a Welsh man or and English

Behind the scrum is any bodys guess

[bazzaj]

What a difference a week makes.
How has Davies suddenly become a better centre than BOD in the space of one week after being completely out played by him?
Keep things in perspective lads and give him a break as his wife did have a baby that morning ,so not exactly ideal preparation for a game is it?

Tom Youngs lineout work fell apart till he was replaced, in a very difficult afternoon for hookers so I would not be so harsh on Rory today who should still go.
Healy performed well enough and his scrummaging has improved beyond all recognition.
Tipuric and Robshaw have immerged as the top open sides but SOB is a cert as he can play across the back row and versatility is a massive plus on a Lions tour as it gives options.
Heaslip is playing himself out of contention.
Kearney has been leap frogged by possibly even four others including the versatile Mike Brown.
Murray has little chance now for similar reasons.
Sexton will go no matter.
Zebo needs a few big games now as the Scots wingers have emerged as indeed their whole side has.
Ryan is now an outsider but again will be looked at as he can play back row but needs to step it up.

From a lions view point Scotlands revitalisation under the new coaches has been a real positiive.
Before the start of the 6n one or two may have been considered in the squad but suddenly 7 or 8 are up for contention.
Unfortunately this may be at the detriment to our lads which will make the game against them practically a trial match for places.

[Shan]

Rory has a bit of work to do on his throwing - his lineout throwing was poor today.

Agreed. It's the weakest part of his game. Indeed, the way he's playing it's his only weakness ATM. That said, there were two of the tail throws that looked like the lifters were late. Also, I dont know what was going on with all the meetings and checking the calls.

Definitely the first throw was shocking. But as is usual most of the lineout issues are a combo of throwers / lifters and opposition pressure.

We all know Best isn't the perfect thrower. Indeed he's a bit of a way off that but he is good enough and what he gives you in the rest of his game is well clear of the other British options IMO.

Gilroy is a possible bolter and if I was in charge I'd chance taking Luke Marshall. Best 12 potentially in the British Isles. Worst case scenario he gets some good experience with the midweek team.

Now go on away and have yer British Lions and leave our free Irishmen out of it.

[BaggyTrousers]

Rory has a bit of work to do on his throwing - his lineout throwing was poor today.

Think the first one was poor, did we lose anything thereafter?

[Russ]

Rory has one bad throw per game

If we go back to the OPTA stats (yes we know ...)

Rory was the best hooker in the HEC in the following stats

Lineouts won
Tackles made
Turnovers won

[big mervyn]

Rory has a bit of work to do on his throwing - his lineout throwing was poor today.

Think the first one was poor, did we lose anything thereafter?

We lost 3 from 18. Cronin's throw for the last one.

England lost 4 from 9.

We actually "won" most of the stats quoted on the BBC - excepty for the one that matters of course.

[Russ]

Sky have Best and Ryan in their Lions XV in week 2
http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-union/n ... 6/Lions-XV

Qantas Wallabies have Healy and Best in theirs, and interestingly 1/2p at 14 and 5 scots ...
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... =1&theater

[Dublin4]

Bazzaj
Why would BOD go to just be on the midweek team with a number of guys ahead of him?
it doesn't make sense. Yesterday proved how much he had dropped off in a week.
He'd make more money being a commentator and saving his health as well.

[bazzaj]

Dublin my view is he will not be on the mid week team but the test side and I would make him skipper if he is injury free.
He dropped off yesterday as he was behind a beaten pack in crap conditions and he had literally just come from the hospital where his wife had given birth to his first kid.
Also that was just his 3rd full game back from long term injury.
Take my word for it I will say it yet again do not write him off.
I dont know who I would even have ahead of him at this stage before he fully gets up to speed.
If the answer includes Jonathan Davies please check yourself in to the nearest mental facility

[Thelaw]

Dublin my view is he will not be on the mid week team but the test side and I would make him skipper if he is injury free.
He dropped off yesterday as he was behind a beaten pack in crap conditions and he had literally just come from the hospital where his wife had given birth to his first kid.
Also that was just his 3rd full game back from long term injury.
Take my word for it I will say it yet again do not write him off.
I dont know who I would even have ahead of him at this stage before he fully gets up to speed.
If the answer includes Jonathan Davies please check yourself in to the nearest mental facility

I think on this match to give him the benefit of doubt. He shouldn't have started in any sane team management policy. Also believe he picked up that injury in the first half but had to play on as there was nobody on the bench to replace him. However I fear his time has passed. The heart is willing. But more and more his body is giving up

[Dublin4]

Bazzaj,
You are quite right. I was judging yesterday's performance too harshly. The conditions were dire. Coming out of the stadium I was struck by the amount of rain falling which we were all sheltered from inside the ground.

BOD is still class and proved it in Cardiff. I just had an extreme mood swing. We are not as bad as we think we are. I thought Heaslip was tom kite yesterday but the stats show he had loads a tackles carries that I seem to have missed.

We are better off withholding judgement on the Lions until the final round of matches.

[rumncoke]

While Kearney didn't have his b est day at the office yesterday he undoubtedly was playing in the worst conditions of the weekend plus he is not that long back from injury and may not be 100 % physically or mentally atune to be considered 100 % fit.I expect his play to improve over the coming weeks.

The lions go in June if he his injury free between now and then he will go based on his experience alone.

While everybody says Ok BoD wasn't great yesterday but how about last week the problem is which performance is significant the good or the bad.

The +ves are 1/ he has been one of the best defenders in midfield for many years.
2/ he definitely is one of the best timers of a pass to a wing
3/ he can score from 5 yards (like a forward )

the down side is his age does he have the stamina and pace for an 8o min game at International level playing (13) he is becoming injury prone .
And how will his presence in the squad effect the performance and standing of a Captain of the squad ?

Of the two the latter combined with the first question maybe sufficent to hinder his selecting because bar his ability to time a pass there are centres who can defend and some might even be faster and less injury prone.

In previous tours the negatives didn't exist they do now.

[AndyB]

For the No 15 shirt Halfpenny looks to be the best bet for the test side. Kearney has to get himself of Goode, Brown and Hogg if he wants to make the plane for Australia.

[bazzaj]

Bazzaj,
You are quite right. I was judging yesterday's performance too harshly. The conditions were dire. Coming out of the stadium I was struck by the amount of rain falling which we were all sheltered from inside the ground.

BOD is still class and proved it in Cardiff. I just had an extreme mood swing. We are not as bad as we think we are. I thought Heaslip was tom kite yesterday but the stats show he had loads a tackles carries that I seem to have missed.

We are better off withholding judgement on the Lions until the final round of matches.

Dublin 4
Dont worry Dublin I am only telling you through my only experience when I wrote off BOD completely as finished when he was outplayed, outpaced and outclassed by Conrad Smith after he came back from injury.
After that he reinvented his style of play and won a grand slam and 3 HEC cups.
I remember back to then and thought I wont be doing that again to the great man.
The thing is he actually thrives on it when people do.

[Bart S]

Rory Best will definitely travel and is likely to be in pole position for the starting spot. Hiw throwing is still not great at this level and his biggest risk is a shaky lineout performance in a midweek game costing him a starting berth. Could even lose out to Dylan Hartley....