A complete pile of wank tour. How the national associations and clubs agree to this is crazy. Suppose it must be a money maker or something for them.
I think Lee Byrne is way out in front in that race at the moment. I expect Kearney will travel anyway but heāll probably need to impress hugely out there unless Byrne has a disastrous loss of form between now and the tour.
would it be that much of a surprise considering mcgeechan would have worked with lewsey at WASPS and if ever thereās a sport where politics has been known to play a part its the eggchasingā¦
Any chance a Lions bashing thread could be set up and this one be used to just discuss the tour?
Rocko, Bynre is a shoe in, fitness permitting. By far and away the best full back in the home nations, has it all size, good boot and great to pick a line. Kearney may turn out to be as good but Bynre is 28, he has a lot of it played at this stage compared to Kearney
I would agree with youā¦Thought Byrne had a great game against the Aussies a few weeks agoā¦Although many a lad has lost his form on the lions tour and played their way out of the team, dāarcy and Henson in 2005 and many a lad has come from nowhere to get a test spot Henderson in 2001 and Wallace in 1997ā¦I reckon Abendonen could be a good outside bet depending on what kind of game Geech wants to play, he is real prospect at Bath, a superb attacker from ful backā¦
Some places on the team are going to be fierce competitive, scrum half, number 6 and 8 and inside centre to name a fewā¦
Puke, Inside centre will be competitive only because there is no real stand out candidate. BOD, Fitz, Henson, Shanklin, Andy Henderson, Cipriani, Flood, Flutey all have a good chance mainly because the options are negligible.
Dont forget Greenwood, travelled whilst uncapped
[quote=ādancarterā]Puke, Inside centre will be competitive only because there is no real stand out candidate. BOD, Fitz, Henson, Shanklin, Andy Henderson, Cipriani, Flood, Flutey all have a good chance mainly because the options are negligible.
Dont forget Greenwood, travelled whilst uncapped[/quote]
Well I never said there were superb candidates for it danā¦Have a feeling Hook could well end up the test match 12ā¦Cipriani would want to have some turn around in the second half of the season as far as I am concernedā¦He will probably get on the plane due to his wasps connections but I would have O Gara, Jones, Hook and Flood as ahead of him at this stage with Paterson and Hook as make shift 10s if neededā¦
Didnāt Greenwood nearly have his neck broken on that tour as well danā¦
[quote=ādancarterā]Any chance a Lions bashing thread could be set up and this one be used to just discuss the tour?
[/quote]
whereās the lions bashing to warrant such a thread?..i can only see one postā¦
Nos 11/18/21 are leaning in that direction but it was more of a preemptive strike to be honest scumpot
Lee Byrne will get picked, if only for his ability to pick a line
England scrum coach Graham Rowntree has been appointed to Ian McGeechanās management team for next summerās Lions tour to South Africa.
Rowntree, 37, fills the final specialist coaching role under McGeechan and will work alongside Warren Gatland (forwards), Shaun Edwards (defence) and Rob Howley (backs) on the 10-match, three-Test tour.
[quote=āMacā]England scrum coach Graham Rowntree has been appointed to Ian McGeechanās management team for next summerās Lions tour to South Africa.
Rowntree, 37, fills the final specialist coaching role under McGeechan and will work alongside Warren Gatland (forwards), Shaun Edwards (defence) and Rob Howley (backs) on the 10-match, three-Test tour.
[/quote]
in fairness who else was going to get it ?
with graham coaching the scrum lads and byrne picking a line, the boks are in big trouble
[quote=āthedancingbabyā]in fairness who else was going to get it ?
with graham coaching the scrum lads and byrne picking a line, the boks are in big trouble[/quote]
Stick to the soccerball baby 
I knew you were taking the piss out of me yesterday with your Lee Byrne comment, but I havent seen enough of your posts to know for sure.
I can be an annoying fucking internet stalking pest as well so be warned 
[quote=āThe Pukeā]Well I never said there were superb candidates for it danā¦Have a feeling Hook could well end up the test match 12ā¦Cipriani would want to have some turn around in the second half of the season as far as I am concernedā¦He will probably get on the plane due to his wasps connections but I would have O Gara, Jones, Hook and Flood as ahead of him at this stage with Paterson and Hook as make shift 10s if neededā¦
Didnāt Greenwood nearly have his neck broken on that tour as well danā¦[/quote]
Iām sorry but i just donāt see ROG as deserving of a place in the test team (or even the bench)
iād have both taffs ahead of him, and probably cipriani if he could only get his head out of kellyās chest.
defence will be huge on this tour, as will the wales/wasps connection, and ROG falls down on both fronts.
Given his displays in the world cup, the 6 nations and november internationals, and the sterility of irelandās attack I donāt see how anyone could honestly have him in a lions team.
He didnāt make it under Woodward and OāSullivan, heās in worse form now.
[quote=ātreaty_exileā]Iām sorry but i just donāt see ROG as deserving of a place in the test team (or even the bench)
iād have both taffs ahead of him, and probably cipriani if he could only get his head out of kellyās chest.
defence will be huge on this tour, as will the wales/wasps connection, and ROG falls down on both fronts.
Given his displays in the world cup, the 6 nations and november internationals, and the sterility of irelandās attack I donāt see how anyone could honestly have him in a lions team.
He didnāt make it under Woodward and OāSullivan, heās in worse form now.[/quote]
i agree I wouldnāt have O Gara on the test team on present formā¦But if it was picked on present form then Cipriani would be nowhere near it eitherā¦Saw him three times for England over the autumn and he looked like a poor manās Paddy Wallace:p
Found this over on planet rugbyā¦Interesting but I donāt know if I would agree with all of the selections
The British and Irish rugby season is well and truly underway, and while all the players no doubt began their seasons focused on the tasks ahead, a greater prize awaits some 35-odd at the end of the season: a British and Irish Lions tour place.
After a hectic Heineken Cup fortnight, packed with some sizzling action in Munster and Twickenham especially, thereās plaenty of movement on the charts!
Some fringe players - think Olly Morgan and Ben Cairns, Johnnie Beattie and Richard Hibbard - have played their way back into contention as some of the test players failed to shake off their fatigue from the November series.
Here are the movers and shakers from the second set of Heineken Cup weekends, but thereās probably one or two we missed, as we are sure youāll let us know!
SEND US YOUR LIONS THOUGHTS!
Full-back
Pack your bags
Lee Byrne
Keith Earls (up)
Standby tickets
Geordan Murphy
Delon Armitage (down)
Keep June free
Nick Abendanon (new)
Olly Morgan (new)
Notes: Keith Earls came of age a bit against Clermont, leading from the back in the second half when Clermont were laying siege to Munsterās territory. Both Nick Abendanon and Olly Morgan did well enough for consideration, although itās a moot point whether either will get his chance to prove himself for Englandā¦
Wings
Pack your bags
Shane Williams
Shane Horgan (up)
Chris Paterson
Standby tickets
Rob Kearney
Mark Jones (down)
Leigh Halfpenny
Keep June free
Ugo Monye (new)
Simon Webster (new)
Thom Evans
Notes: Rory Lamontās unfortunate injury means he drops off the list for a while, weāll be keen to see how he recovers. In the meantime, Shane Horgan stood out for a poor Leinster, knocking down the Scarletsā Mark Jones, of whom too much is currently being asked. Simon Webster and Ugo Monye are the newbies in the wing possibles.
Centres
Pack your bags
Tommy Bowe
Tom Shanklin
Luke Fitzgerald
Standby tickets
Brian OāDriscoll
Ben Cairns (up)
Nick de Luca
Keep June free
Jamie Robinson
Max Evans (new)
Jordan Turner-Hall (down)
Notes: Ben Cairnsā drift-and-dart raid through Waspsā backline on Sunday sees him rise a spot at the expense of the injured Jamie Roberts, but none of the Test trio relinquish their position this week. It was tight between Jordan Turner-Hall and Max Evans as to who would take Robertsā spot, but the Harlequin won it, just. Then Evans managed to replace Riki Flutey anyway!
Fly-half
Pack your bags
James Hook
Ronan OāGara (up)
Standby tickets
Toby Flood
Stephen Jones (down)
Keep June free
Danny Cipriani
Ian Humphreys (new)
Notes: Stephen Jones is another who looks fatigued, and cedes his plane ticket for Ronan OāGara, who performed so steadily for Munster. Danny Ciprianiās inconsistency continues to dog his chances of a tour place, while Ulsterās Ian Humphreys has had a super fortnight and works his way onto the periphery.
Scrum-half
Pack your bags
Mike Blair
Danny Care
Standby tickets
Gareth Cooper
Tomas OāLeary (up)
Keep June free
Eoin Reddan (down)
Dwayne Peel (down)
Notes: The Care-Blair stronghold continues, with Tomas OāLeary moving up to put pressure upon them.
[B]Number eight
Pack your bags[/B]
Andy Powell (up)
Nick Easter (up)
Standby tickets
Ryan Jones (down)
Jamie Heaslip (up)
Keep June free
Ally Hogg (down)
Luke Narraway (new)
Notes: All sorts of movement here. Nick Easter continues to inspire and lead all around, while Andy Powell shook off some cobwebs in defence against Biarritz. Jamie Heaslip was another to stand out for an otherwise poor Leinster, while Luke Narraway is hitting form again. An honourable mention for Glasgowās Johnnie Beattie and Leicesterās Jordan Crane, who just canāt find a way in.
Openside
Pack your bags
David Wallace
John Barclay
Standby tickets
Michael Lipman (up)
Martyn Williams
Keep June free
Lewis Moody (new)
Tom Rees (down)
Notes: The only actual change is the rise and rise of Lewis Moody into contention for an already tightly-contested spot. But heāll have to keep his form up if he is to knock messrs Wallace, Barclay, and Williams away - he is moving up fast on Tom Rees and Michael Lipman though. An honourable mention also for Niall Ronan of Munster.
Blindside
Pack your bags
Alan Quinlan (up)
Stephen Ferris
Standby tickets
Tom Croft (up)
Jason White (down)
Keep June free
Jonathan Thomas (new)
James Haskell (down)
Notes: Tom Croft upped his game the past fortnight and replaces James Haskell, while Alan Quinlan reaps the rewards of all his hard graft against Clermont. Jonathan Thomas is back and looking sharp.
Second row
Pack your bags
Paul OāConnell
Donncha OāCallaghan
Alun Wyn Jones
Standby tickets
Steve Borthwick
Nathan Hines
Nick Kennedy
Keep June free
Jim Hamilton (new)
Devin Toner (new)
Ian Gough
Notes: No change at the top, but Devin Toner and Jim Hamilton have worked their way onto the radar should things go wrong for the trusted triumvirate.
Tighthead
Pack your bags
John Hayes (up)
Euan Murray
Standby tickets
Matt Stevens
Adam Jones (down)
Keep June free
Phil Vickery
Rhys Thomas
Notes: John Hayes produced once more, to knock Adam Jones down a notch.
Hooker
Pack your bags
Jerry Flannery (up)
Ross Ford
Standby tickets
Lee Mears (down)
Rory Best
Keep June free
Bernard Jackman
Richard Hibbard (new)
Notes: Richard Hibbard impressed for the Ospreys, knocking off Welsh team-mate Matthew Rees from the list, while Jerry Flannery was in good form for Munster. Lee Mears is unlucky to therefore pay the price of being rested.
Loosehead
Pack your bags
Marcus Horan (up)
Gethin Jenkins
Standby tickets
Andrew Sheridan
Allan Jacobsen (down)
Keep June free
Tim Payne
Moray Low
Notes: Finally, the other member of Munsterās front row, Marcus Horan, wins back his Test spot, bumping down Allan Jacobsen
[quote=ātreaty_exileā]Iām sorry but i just donāt see ROG as deserving of a place in the test team (or even the bench)
iād have both taffs ahead of him, and probably cipriani if he could only get his head out of kellyās chest.
defence will be huge on this tour, as will the wales/wasps connection, and ROG falls down on both fronts.
Given his displays in the world cup, the 6 nations and november internationals, and the sterility of irelandās attack I donāt see how anyone could honestly have him in a lions team.
He didnāt make it under Woodward and OāSullivan, heās in worse form now.[/quote]
I agree with you here T_E. ROG, in his current form shouldnt be near the team, or more to the point shouldnt be near a GOOD Lions side.
The alternatives are not inspiring though. Wales dont have a regular 10, Hook is quality but doesnt play for Wales all the time, JOnes is hot and cold, and maybe a few years past his best.
Cipriani if he can sort out his kicking is the most talented option avaiable, but he has a massive wind up and gets blocked down a shit load.
Saw that article pukey, fookin ridiculous shite in fairness.
Some of the more outlandish ones I thought
- Olly Morgan
- Shane Horgan
- Chris Patterson (FOR FUCK SAKE!!!)
- Ian Humphreys
- Jamie Heaslip is up despite playing like a plank for the last two months
- Quinlan up despite only playing one match in a month and playing pretty average before that
- Devin Toner!
These articles really are a steaming pile of shite
I will lay money with you dan that if Chris Paterson is fit next summer he will go on the tourā¦