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Few questions just to get people thinkin about the upcoming Lions tour of NZ.
1 - The obvious question....do you think we can win?
2 - Who should captain(not who will captain) the tour?
3 - Your startin test XV & would it beat the 2001 test team?
4 - As an extra....justify any key positions where competition is close
in your XV
1 - The obvious question....do you think we can win?
2 - Who should captain(not who will captain) the tour?
3 - Your startin test XV & would it beat the 2001 test team?
4 - As an extra....justify any key positions where competition is close
in your XV
O'Driscoll should captain it.
He's buff.
He's buff.
Answer however many you want to, most interested in seeing people test xv and justifications
As the person who started this thread i have given my predictions:
[B]1[B] I have to say i think we can do it. I'm welsh and am currently optimistic about the rugby coming from the Wales and Ireland camps, the fluency of the welsh backs and the industious irish pack have been a joy to watch at times. England have been faltering but Clive Woodward knows those players and how to motivate them etc. so their form is not as big a problem for the Lions in my opinion. NZ are formidable opposition but the news coming from their RFU is that they want to let as many players play against the lions for their regions if they aren't test cnadidates, a selection policy which tends to favour the lions considering NZ A team and the NZ U21's are off on tours during the summer and therefore not available for call ups to the test team.
[B]2[B] All 4 home nations captains will go on the tour, without doubt in my mind unless serious injury prevents their selection. The tour captain has to be someone who is guaranteed a test jersey if fit and, obviously, influential players. The players who will be guaranteed as far as i am concerned are (from forwards thru to backs):
Paul O'Connell
Colin Charvis
Martin Corry
Brian O'Driscoll
Gareth Thomas
On these players i would hand it to O'Driscoll as he is a big game player who will relish the responsibility if handed to him.
[B]3[B] My Test Team
1 - Tom Smith
2 - Shane Byrne
3 - Adam Jones
4 - Paul O'Connell
5 - Brent Cockbain
6 - Colin Charvis
7 - Anthony Foley
8 - Martin Corry
9 - Dwayne Peel
10 - Ronan O'Gara
11 - Jason Robinson
12 - Gordon D'Arcy
13 - Brian O'Driscoll
14 - Gareth Thomas
15 - Gavin Henson
SUBS
16 - John Hayes
17 - Gordon Bulloch
18 - Malcolm O'Kelly
19 - Martyn Williams
20 - Chris Cusiter
21 - Gavin Henson
22 - Geordan Murphy
[4] Key Positions
Number 2 "Hooker" - Byrne's accurate throwing (someone needs to explain accurate throwing to England's Thomson) will be pivotal to getting good ball at the lineout and releasing the backs. Bulloch takes bench spot due to experience and captaincy qualities.
Number 5 - In the loose Cockbain has been exclling this season and, with consistent throwing in at the lineout adds another jumper. O'Kelly on the bench brings the experience to come on in the latter stages of a test match.
Back Row - Hill isn't considered at the moment, if he gets back to form after injury then he is a definite starter, probably at number 7. Foley gets the nod at 7 for the moment. Either Charvis or Simon Taylor could get the 6 jersey, given to Charvis because of his excellent ball carrying this season. Corry has been the outstanding forward in a poor English pack and gets his place.
Numbers 9 & 10 "Halfbacks" - Peel edges out Cusiter. This is because Peel seems a more polished 9, more experienced, Cusiter is still a bit raw. O'Gara gets his spot because of the uncertainty surrounding Johnny Wilkinson. Will he be fit? Will he be the same? If the answer to those questions is yes then he starts with no questions asked. Its a big If tho so O'Gara gets the nod.
Back Line - The backline picks itself more or less. As a Welshman I picked Henson at FB because of his kicking on the counter-attack, plus his goal kicking from distance could be vital. I hate to not pick Shane Williams but against France the big Rougerie exposed his defensive frailties, somethin NZ will pick up on and target. Even a fit Mike Tindall will not overtake D'Arcy at 12 in my opinion. Close between Josh Lewsey and Thomas on the wing, but I have showed faith in Thomas as he is another who leads by example.
[B]1[B] I have to say i think we can do it. I'm welsh and am currently optimistic about the rugby coming from the Wales and Ireland camps, the fluency of the welsh backs and the industious irish pack have been a joy to watch at times. England have been faltering but Clive Woodward knows those players and how to motivate them etc. so their form is not as big a problem for the Lions in my opinion. NZ are formidable opposition but the news coming from their RFU is that they want to let as many players play against the lions for their regions if they aren't test cnadidates, a selection policy which tends to favour the lions considering NZ A team and the NZ U21's are off on tours during the summer and therefore not available for call ups to the test team.
[B]2[B] All 4 home nations captains will go on the tour, without doubt in my mind unless serious injury prevents their selection. The tour captain has to be someone who is guaranteed a test jersey if fit and, obviously, influential players. The players who will be guaranteed as far as i am concerned are (from forwards thru to backs):
Paul O'Connell
Colin Charvis
Martin Corry
Brian O'Driscoll
Gareth Thomas
On these players i would hand it to O'Driscoll as he is a big game player who will relish the responsibility if handed to him.
[B]3[B] My Test Team
1 - Tom Smith
2 - Shane Byrne
3 - Adam Jones
4 - Paul O'Connell
5 - Brent Cockbain
6 - Colin Charvis
7 - Anthony Foley
8 - Martin Corry
9 - Dwayne Peel
10 - Ronan O'Gara
11 - Jason Robinson
12 - Gordon D'Arcy
13 - Brian O'Driscoll
14 - Gareth Thomas
15 - Gavin Henson
SUBS
16 - John Hayes
17 - Gordon Bulloch
18 - Malcolm O'Kelly
19 - Martyn Williams
20 - Chris Cusiter
21 - Gavin Henson
22 - Geordan Murphy
[4] Key Positions
Number 2 "Hooker" - Byrne's accurate throwing (someone needs to explain accurate throwing to England's Thomson) will be pivotal to getting good ball at the lineout and releasing the backs. Bulloch takes bench spot due to experience and captaincy qualities.
Number 5 - In the loose Cockbain has been exclling this season and, with consistent throwing in at the lineout adds another jumper. O'Kelly on the bench brings the experience to come on in the latter stages of a test match.
Back Row - Hill isn't considered at the moment, if he gets back to form after injury then he is a definite starter, probably at number 7. Foley gets the nod at 7 for the moment. Either Charvis or Simon Taylor could get the 6 jersey, given to Charvis because of his excellent ball carrying this season. Corry has been the outstanding forward in a poor English pack and gets his place.
Numbers 9 & 10 "Halfbacks" - Peel edges out Cusiter. This is because Peel seems a more polished 9, more experienced, Cusiter is still a bit raw. O'Gara gets his spot because of the uncertainty surrounding Johnny Wilkinson. Will he be fit? Will he be the same? If the answer to those questions is yes then he starts with no questions asked. Its a big If tho so O'Gara gets the nod.
Back Line - The backline picks itself more or less. As a Welshman I picked Henson at FB because of his kicking on the counter-attack, plus his goal kicking from distance could be vital. I hate to not pick Shane Williams but against France the big Rougerie exposed his defensive frailties, somethin NZ will pick up on and target. Even a fit Mike Tindall will not overtake D'Arcy at 12 in my opinion. Close between Josh Lewsey and Thomas on the wing, but I have showed faith in Thomas as he is another who leads by example.
Few questions just to get people thinkin about the upcoming Lions tour of NZ.
1 - The obvious question....do you think we can win?
2 - Who should captain(not who will captain) the tour?
3 - Your startin test XV & would it beat the 2001 test team?
4 - As an extra....justify any key positions where competition is close
in your XV
1 - The obvious question....do you think we can win?
2 - Who should captain(not who will captain) the tour?
3 - Your startin test XV & would it beat the 2001 test team?
4 - As an extra....justify any key positions where competition is close
in your XV