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Well can I just say that I'm more than pleased with the squad and looking forward watching the series this time round!
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In reply to coinneach:
Happy with the selections from the Scottish lads aside from Zander Fagerson, don't think he merits a place. Delighted to see Hamish Watson selected, I feel he's deserved a place before and after his last 6 Nations performance it would have been ridiculous not to get him in. I'd like to have seen Jamie Ritchie in there but he's young and should have plenty of opportunity in future.
Happy Alan Wyn Jones is captain. Disappointed not to see Sexton included but I can understand why. Owen Farrell wouldn't make my list but I don't think they'd be bold or brave enough to omit him.
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In reply to nathan79:
> Happy with the selections from the Scottish lads aside from Zander Fagerson, don't think he merits a place. Delighted to see Hamish Watson selected, I feel he's deserved a place before and after his last 6 Nations performance it would have been ridiculous not to get him in. I'd like to have seen Jamie Ritchie in there but he's young and should have plenty of opportunity in future.
> Happy Alan Wyn Jones is captain. Disappointed not to see Sexton included but I can understand why. Owen Farrell wouldn't make my list but I don't think they'd be bold or brave enough to omit him.
I agree about Fagerson - he's solid, but hardly Lions material. And Hamish Watson - what a player he is!
I still don't understand why Farrell is rated so highly. He's competent, but I'd far rather have Sexton. Very happy to see Russell get his place.
It will be interesting to see what the starting XV for the Tests is.
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In reply to coinneach:
May is unlucky to be left out; as for Farrell, I suspect the selectors were seduced by his boot. Simmonds good, but maybe too light in the face of SA forward juggernauts.
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In reply to coinneach:
Ali Price???????
Bundee Aki only there as he has an understanding and works well with Finn Russell
Pleased for Sam Simmonds.
No Johnny Sexton is probably right this year.
Alun Wyn Jones as Captain also the right choice.
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In reply to coinneach:
Im not sure what Farrell, Daly have done to deserve a spot. Glad that Simmonds has got a slot. As we proved in the world cup final trying to beat SA by being the bigger bully didnt work. Simmonds can smoke all the forwards, and probably a few back for pace yet still do the nitty gritty.
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In reply to subtle:
Bundee Aki works well with Russell?
Not sure how you worked that one out as they play for different clubs in different countries.
In reply to coinneach:
Leaving James Ryan out and bringing Courtney Lawes another weird one!
Very happy to see Tadhg Beirne in the squad, was superb in the six nations
In reply to coinneach:
I agree with the general consensus here about Sexton / Farrell.
Alun Wyn definitely the right choice for captain.
Good selection and really nice to see a decent split between the four nations which is a good reflection of the closeness between them atm. Nice to see our Cardiff boy Josh Adams in the squad, that's well deserved, and it'll be good to see more of LRZ
Post edited at 18:02
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In reply to the sheep:Farrell, Lawes and Daly all benefit from versatility. Those 3 on the bench just about cover all positions except front row and scrum half.
> Im not sure what Farrell, Daly have done to deserve a spot.
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In reply to stevieb:
It shouldn’t matter if you can cover multiple positions if you are currently poor in all of them. Subs now need to make an impact and up the game when they come on. Lakes when fit can do this.
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In reply to stevieb:
Aki is there for Warrenball, Farrell is a coaches dream.
Price and Russell if a game needs chased.
Harris for defence
In reply to the sheep:
True but Navidi covers all of the back row and had a good 6N so I'm surprised they went for Lawes over him, plenty of quality second rows in that squad already but a bit thin on blindside options.
Post edited at 19:02
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In reply to coinneach:
It's a shame for Joe Launchbury that he's injured, coz I'd have liked to have seen him go. He just missed out last time, and time could be running out for him.
Not many opposing players get clapped off when playing at Welford road. Launchbury did and it was nice to see the respect he had.
As the squad. It's a much of a muchness. The test team is probably already picked, with one or two places up for grabs. Hooker especially, any one from three. Back row Watson/Curry, Faletau, Conan.
Fly half will be interesting, I'm not a fan of Farrell, so would play Russell. Who partners Henshaw in the centres ?? Fullback, Hogg or Williams ??
In reply to coinneach:
The Guardian coverage seemed shocked by Sinckler's omission, but I'm far more surprised by May being left out. I'd have thought both he and Antony Watson would have a reasonable shout at getting into the back three of a world XV.
Daly - makes no sense to me whatsoever. Neither does Farrell, really.
In reply to coinneach:
"This is your Everest boys"
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In reply to Jamie Wakeham:
Farrell had a truly awful six nations but he's been picked for his form on previous tours.
Sinckler is a great big discipline target for the Springboks.
I think Daly can cover all back three positions?
In reply to coinneach:
> I think Daly can cover all back three positions?
He is best at outside centre or wing. However after the 6N he shouldn’t be on the tour.
Watson is looking class at the moment.
In reply to the sheep:
The Mish is made out of titanium and rubber apparently . . . . . . .
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In reply to coinneach:
Have to admit my ignorance, I had to google “The Mish” however I agree, perhaps with some diamond thrown in for good measure 😊
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In reply to coinneach:
Verdict from the Saffas in the office is we’ve chosen the foot soldiers they fear but the generals they don’t.
A W-J is a mistake. He will fall apart and wastes a space for James Ryan or Johnny Gray. Farrell has not been on form for a while, Daly is a mystery, Bundi Aki should not be there and is a penalty liability. The lions will miss Sinclair and Marler; they will not miss Fagerson and Sutherland. Farrell ahead of Sexton is idiotic. I get the Price-Russell-Harris axis but would you chose it over Murray-Sexton-Henshaw? Thought not.
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In reply to Toccata:
Great player Sexton, but his concussion history is telling.
He should really retire for the sake of his health?
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In reply to Toccata:
I would say Suz has outplayed his opposite prop in 90% of his games in the last two Six Nations.
In reply to Toccata:
I’m not sure about Sinks, but Marler is the loose head I would want to play with - turned the scrum around for England in the WC final
In reply to coinneach:
Always interesting to read people’s thoughts about selection.
It’s nice to see a squad composed of a good mix of players from all 4 Home Nations.
Agree that Alun Wyn Jones is definitely the right choice for skipper. He is a bloody good player, a great leader and will have the respect of all the players and coaches.
As for coaches, I’m glad that Gregor is involved. He has a great rugby brain that will be needed to unlock the Springbok defence.
I noticed that the Lions will play fewer games than normal before the Test matches. This won’t help our cause as it will give our squad less time to gel.
Reckon injuries will inevitably dictate who starts in the First Test but reckon Simmonds could be the star of the show out there.
Can’t wait!
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Gatland stated that originally the squad was going to be 36 players but the selectors ended up taking an extra player. He hinted that it was a back row forward due to the physicality of the Boks. Wonder who the lucky 37th person was 🤔
Perhaps Watson or Simmonds? Or maybe Lawes as he can play in the second row too?
Can anyone shed any light on this?
In reply to stevieb:
> Farrell, Lawes and Daly all benefit from versatility.
Yet suffer from mediocrity at the moment. Not a good 6 nations, not very good world cup final. As an englishman I'm surprised to see so many in the team. Have they resolved the issues with the premiership clubs?
In reply to wbo2:
I’m not really defending the decision, but I think that’s why they’ve been taken. Daly probably benefitted from North’s injury, but apparently he’s been playing much better at 13, and Gatland will definitely have thought about 60m penalties on the high veldt.
In reply to Greenbanks:
> Simmonds good, but maybe too light in the face of SA forward juggernauts.
Good enough is big enough, I'm old enough to remember "Mighty Mouse" Ian McLauchlan, I'm sure the All Blacks & Boks thought they'd steamroller him.
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In reply to Cornish boy:
Wasn't the 37th pick Courtney Lawes? See, for example, the related articles in the Telegraph and the Guardian. He said he didn't receive the initial availability letter (of which Gats said he sent out circa 70). From listening to and seeing various interviews with Gats on Thursday, Sam Simmonds was clearly one of the 36.
In reply to Greenbanks: "Simmonds good, but maybe too light in the face of SA forward juggernauts."
It is clear from the interviews with Gats that they haven't picked him for doing a Billy (carrying the ball and trying to run straight through the other team). Sam Simmonds said the same. There is a very good article in the Telegraph which highlights what caught the eye of the Lions coaching staff and shows Sam Simmonds toping the statistics for 8s in the last year including Billy and Faletau.
Billy ball on its own is far less likely to bring success against the Saffas. The WC19 final shows we need something else.
Sam Simmonds is brilliant and has raw power and frightening speed (clocked at 21mph on a break a few weeks ago - as a forward!). Another two tries today to reach 16 in the Premiership this season to equal Thomas Waldrom's record of Premiership tries in a season for a forward. And only two off the all time Premiership try record in a season. He's the current European player of the year and a Prem and Champions Cup medal winner.
If size was so important for an 8, why did Eddie insist on playing Tom Curry as an England 8 out of his best position in the Autumn when he could have picked a specialist and big 8 like Dombrandt?!
Gats has made it clear that, like Ex, they plan to use Sam Simmonds a different way. And for raw bowling ball power, they have Faletau.
In the meantime, the Prem final of Ex against Bris should be a cracker.
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In reply to Cusco:
Yes to all of that!
Bristol vs Exeter will be fantastic -especially now Sinkler has some fire in his belly - he was a beast today, and his post match interview was almost painful - the lions means a lot to him.
In reply to Cusco:
Well argued. Good big ‘un versus good little ‘un? Saffers? Well known for the dark arts, for which they’ve got previous. I’d be more comfortable with Sam touring either NZ or Oz...
Whatever else though, just can’t beat a Lions tour
In reply to Greenbanks:
Neil Back, '97.
In reply to coinneach:
Cheers for this.
In reply to Cornish boy:
> I noticed that the Lions will play fewer games than normal before the Test matches. This won’t help our cause as it will give our squad less time to gel.
True, but how much game time have SA had in the last 18 months? Haven't had their usually hit out against the Argies, Kiwis and Ozzies let alone a northern tour since their RWC final. I'm imagining them to be rustier than my Ford Escort.
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