B&I Lions 2017

Margin_Walker

I agree. It's hard to move up here without stumbling across a Romain Poite puff piece in the press.

Derm McCrum

@Margin_Walker said in B&I Lions 2017:

I agree. It's hard to move up here without stumbling across a Romain Poite puff piece in the press.

Err No!!

Margin_Walker

@Pot-Hale said in B&I Lions 2017:

@Margin_Walker said in B&I Lions 2017:

I agree. It's hard to move up here without stumbling across a Romain Poite puff piece in the press.

Err No!!

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Billy Tell

So what are we thinking people? 4 locks?

Whitelock & Retallick.

Then 2 from Romano, Barrett, tuipolotu and a resurgent bird.

Anyone else?

Frye

@Billy-Tell said in B&I Lions 2017:

So what are we thinking people? 4 locks?

Whitelock & Retallick.

Then 2 from Romano, Barrett, tuipolotu and a resurgent bird.

Anyone else?

Franklin should be in the discussion. Maybe Fifita too if he returns and hits form.

But Romano, Barrett and Tuipulotu are probably the front runners.

I'm certainly not concerned about our lock depth. (Y'know as long as we actually pick locks and aren't trying to throw games)

rotated

@Billy-Tell said in B&I Lions 2017:

So what are we thinking people? 4 locks?

Whitelock & Retallick.

Then 2 from Romano, Barrett, tuipolotu and a resurgent bird.

Anyone else?

Good call on having Bird at least in the frame. I am a huge Tuipolotu & Blues fan - absolutely love his game and he has been pretty good all things considered this season - but jeez Bird this year has something about him that makes me want to see him in black this season and coming off the bench.

Billy Tell

@rotated said in B&I Lions 2017:

@Billy-Tell said in B&I Lions 2017:

So what are we thinking people? 4 locks?

Whitelock & Retallick.

Then 2 from Romano, Barrett, tuipolotu and a resurgent bird.

Anyone else?

Good call on having Bird at least in the frame. I am a huge Tuipolotu & Blues fan - absolutely love his game and he has been pretty good all things considered this season - but jeez Bird this year has something about him that makes me want to see him in black this season and coming off the bench.

I personally think Bird will miss out, simply because to include him would involve ditching recent ABs in Barrett, Tuipolotu and Romano who are all currently in good form. I imagine he would command decent money in Europe, it's hard to see how Canterbury/the Chiefs/NZRU would find a way to keep him here. I hope Hansen at least initially names an extended squad, so he can include players like Bird, and let them know they are not out of the picture.

Rembrandt

Any word on the size of the abs squad for the Lions?

Tim

Chris Rattue has picked his bolter:

Here's my All Blacks bolter - Michael Collins.

taniwharugby

@Rembrandt cant find the 2005 squad, but we used 45 ABs that year.

http://www.allblacks.com/Teams/AllBlacks/Previous/80

antipodean

@Tim
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MiketheSnow

Composite Lions XV, from the selections of 20 leading pundits, created by the Western Mail.

Not sure who those pundits are, but it's an interesting team....4 Welsh, 1 Scot, 6 English and 4 Irish.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/definitive-lions-xv-experts-picked-12803029

Here's my take

B&I Lions XV

15 Stuart Hogg
14 George North
13 Jonathan Joseph
12 Owen Farrell
11 Liam Williams
10 George Ford
9 Rhys Webb

1 Mako Vunipola
2 Ken Owens
3 Tadhg Furlong
4 AW Jones
5 Maro Itoje
6 Ross Moriarty
7 Sam Warburton
8 Billy Vunipola

Replacements:
Joe Marler, Jamie George, Dan Cole, Joe Launchbury, Justin Tipuric
Connor Murray, Elliot Daly, Leigh Halfpenny

Catogrande

@MiketheSnow Not bad but I would be concerned about the goal kicking if Farrell went off. That would mean a major re-shuffle to get Halfpenny on the pitch. I'd take Sexton over Ford for just that reason (plus his superior game management and "character").

gollum

I can't see any way if he's fit Sexton is not at 10.

He wont stay fit, but for the brief time he is, he'll be first choice at 10 with Farrell outside him slotting into 10 at the 60 minute mark when Sexton fails his 3rd concussion test of the game & goes off for a full shoulder reconstruction.

Crucial

That team constructed by committee is probably a bit screwed by where the pundits had those players that could be in more than one position eg Itoje, Farrell, Warburton

If Itoje plays at lock then the 6 or 8 needs to be a lineout operative as well. They can't narrow the lineout options to just the locks when the ABs can usually use the locks, 6 and 8 as targets and they are very skilled lineout targets to boot. (this is without even considering the 6'10" Ardie Savea in the last 20 minutes).

Also, in the 8,9, 10 alley I cannot see any sense in having 3 guys that don't play together. Either the 8/9 or the 9/10 needs to be a combo. For that reason I cannot see how Webb comes into things as any ore than a bench option if Faletau is on the pine as well.

I'd go for Murray and Sexton at 9/10. Farrell at 12

gollum

@Crucial said in B&I Lions 2017:

I'd go for Murray and Sexton at 9/10. Farrell at 12

Yep, I reckon that is a racing certainty

Crucial

@gollum said in B&I Lions 2017:

@Crucial said in B&I Lions 2017:

I'd go for Murray and Sexton at 9/10. Farrell at 12

Yep, I reckon that is a racing certainty

Assuming that Gatland is as smart as we are.

Catogrande

@Crucial He just might be this time round as his favourite 9, Pikey Mikey is no longer an option. I like Webb unless he's playing v England, but I would start with Murray. Webb on the bench, I think, would make a good impact option.

MiketheSnow

@gollum said in B&I Lions 2017:

I can't see any way if he's fit Sexton is not at 10.

He wont stay fit, but for the brief time he is, he'll be first choice at 10 with Farrell outside him slotting into 10 at the 60 minute mark when Sexton fails his 3rd concussion test of the game & goes off for a full shoulder reconstruction.

Can't see him finishing the NH season. Too many knocks already, hence his omission @Catogrande

Crucial

Here's my A team (in correct order)

1 Mako Vunipola
2 Ken Owens
3 Tadhg Furlong
4 AW Jones
5 Joe Launchbury
6 Sam Warburton (C)
7 Sean O'Brien
8 Billy Vunipola
9 Connor Murray
10 Johnny Sexton
11 Liam Williams
12 Owen Farrell
13 Jonathan Joseph
14 George North
15 Stuart Hogg

Replacements:
Joe Marler, Jamie George, Dan Cole, Maro Itoje , Justin Tipuric
Rhys Webb, Elliot Daly, Leigh Halfpenny

The Silver Fern

B&I Lions 2017