Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread

[Kawazaki]

In several cases, better players have been left behind in favour of the guys whose form has been bad for a while now. Essentially he's picked people he liked from four years ago despite obvious problems in the last few years.

Almost all of the players I'm complaining about are English, so it's not a partisan thing for me. IMO two English players missed out who deserved to go, and several are going who probably shouldn't be.

One of my bigger issues in selection outside of Eddie's favourites, Johnny Hill, is going because Gatland wants his brutality available. I can understand that, at least. But he's not shown it for England, just a pile of penalties and dumb errors. Johnny Gray should've traveled for sure.

Daly, Mako, Farrell - guys like that are going on faith, essentially. If Gatland had the nerve to drop the "banker" Farrell in favour of the coming man in Redpath, I'd have been seriously impressed.

If you place zero importance on concepts such as experience, leadership and presence then I can see how it's easy to dismiss Farrell based on some of his recent England form.

Form trumps everything as that is your meaure on the pitch, leadership and experience are differentiators if there is a close choice to be made. I dont think you will find anyone who thinks Farrell deserves to be on that tour given his recent form, indeed his leadership has been pretty questionable too.

Indeed, that's pretty much exactly what I wrote.

[clydecloggie]

I am not saying that the Union would end next year, if they didn't... but if you think that Gatland wasn't forced to pick lots of Scots in an attempt to save the Union, then you're av'in a laugh.

The Sky sports lions and team GB the Olympics are just too political. They are all about supporting the notion of the UK.
Bout promoting the establishment, about pretending we are better as one.


The lions were cited by James O'Brien in his defence of the Union just a few days ago.

No proud Englishman, Scotsman or Welshman can ever support this.
Now Gareth Edwards has his knighthood, we should call it day.

Where is Gareth Edward's btw...he was all over these lions tours like a rash, promoting them etc before he was awarded it.
Funny that.

Quite barking!!!

What I find most satisfying is that the upstanding British lads from Leinster, Munster and Connacht graciously declined the opportunities to become a Lion to accommodate those Union-saving squad spots for the Scots.

[Biffer]

Let's not quote the loony.

[Hal Jordan]

Let's not quote the loony.

If we adopted this as a blanket policy, the bored would become a howling void.

[dkm57]

Let's not quote the loony.

If we adopted this as a blanket policy, the bored would become a howling void.

Oh I dunno, might see some Sagebrush blowin' thru

[And 1 guest]

Does the Japan game count as a Lions cap?

[Kawazaki]

Does the Japan game count as a Lions cap?

Good question.

They played Argentina before the 2005 tour...

[And 1 guest]

I believe it would be disrespectful to Japan not to. Although its called a warm up game, they are playing a team who made a WC quarterfinal

[SaintK]

Well, I hope everyone thinks it's worth it?
No crowds and only 2 venues!!!

The British & Irish Lions face playing all matches of this summer’s tour of South Africa behind closed doors following confirmation of the revised schedule. All eight of the Lions’ matches will now take place in Gauteng and Cape Town with organisers revealing on Friday they are currently planning for empty stadiums.
While the hope is that Murrayfield will be around 25% full for the warm-up Test against Japan, the absence of supporters on the tour would be a devastating blow. South Africa Rugby has been lobbying its government to allow crowds of up to 50% capacity and earlier this month an official request was made to the country’s Covid-19 ministerial advisory committee but organisers are now pressing ahead on the basis of empty stadiums.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021 ... gby-union

[Uncle fester]

What a miserable experience it's going to be for the players.

[Sandstorm]

What a miserable experience it's going to be for the players.

They’ll be ok.

[JM2K6]

What a miserable experience it's going to be for the players.

And probably the viewers for a large part of the tour.

[Green light echo]

And to think you both had the option of playing this series in front of full crowds and a split of the profits.

That decision to reject the Australians gracious offer is looking like another monumental fuck up.

Isn't it......

[Ymx]

And to think you both had the option of playing this series in front of full crowds and a split of the profits.

That decision to reject the Australians gracious offer is looking like another monumental fuck up.

Isn't it......

Well I think the UK might have been a better option than Aus.

[Sandstorm]

And to think you both had the option of playing this series in front of full crowds and a split of the profits.

That decision to reject the Australians gracious offer is looking like another monumental fuck up.

Isn't it......

Well I think the UK might have been a better option than Aus.

Ignore Sards. No SA or Pom travelling fans can get to Aus, so the Tests would have been played in front of neutrals. Stupid.

[Green light echo]

And to think you both had the option of playing this series in front of full crowds and a split of the profits.

That decision to reject the Australians gracious offer is looking like another monumental fuck up.

Isn't it......

Well I think the UK might have been a better option than Aus.

Ignore Sards. No SA or Pom travelling fans can get to Aus, so the Tests would have been played in front of neutrals. Stupid.

The Tests would have been played in front of the multitude of expat Saffers and British that prefer to live in Australia.

[SaintK]

And to think you both had the option of playing this series in front of full crowds and a split of the profits.

That decision to reject the Australians gracious offer is looking like another monumental fuck up.

Isn't it......

Well I think the UK might have been a better option than Aus.

Gracious and Australian in trhe same sentence?
Do fuck off!

[Green light echo]

And to think you both had the option of playing this series in front of full crowds and a split of the profits.

That decision to reject the Australians gracious offer is looking like another monumental fuck up.

Isn't it......

Well I think the UK might have been a better option than Aus.

Gracious and Australian in trhe same sentence?
Do fuck off!

Yes it's like using perfidious and Albion in the same sentence.

They just seem to go together.

[SaintK]

Well I think the UK might have been a better option than Aus.

Gracious and Australian in trhe same sentence?
Do fuck off!

Yes it's like using perfidious and Albion in the same sentence.

They just seem to go together.

touche
You can still fuck off mind!

[FalseBayFC]

Well I think the UK might have been a better option than Aus.

Ignore Sards. No SA or Pom travelling fans can get to Aus, so the Tests would have been played in front of neutrals. Stupid.

The Tests would have been played in front of the multitude of expat Saffers and British that prefer to live in Australia.

Well GLE you may be right. But we are very happy its going ahead. You see here in the Republic we've recently lost over 160k people to Covid. We could do with a bit of cheering up and the Lions tour will go some way to doing that. Always happy to have some compassion for our experience across the ditch.

[Green light echo]

Ignore Sards. No SA or Pom travelling fans can get to Aus, so the Tests would have been played in front of neutrals. Stupid.

The Tests would have been played in front of the multitude of expat Saffers and British that prefer to live in Australia.

Well GLE you may be right. But we are very happy its going ahead. You see here in the Republic we've recently lost over 160k people to Covid. We could do with a bit of cheering up and the Lions tour will go some way to doing that. Always happy to have some compassion for our experience across the ditch.

If there are no crowds in South Africa surely it would have been infinitely better to play in Australia. Better spectacle for the fans in the Republic plus much needed cash for SARU.

At the moment you will have soulless stadiums and no cash from paying spectators......

[Slick]

The Tests would have been played in front of the multitude of expat Saffers and British that prefer to live in Australia.

Well GLE you may be right. But we are very happy its going ahead. You see here in the Republic we've recently lost over 160k people to Covid. We could do with a bit of cheering up and the Lions tour will go some way to doing that. Always happy to have some compassion for our experience across the ditch.

If there are no crowds in South Africa surely it would have been infinitely better to play in Australia. Better spectacle for the fans in the Republic plus much needed cash for SARU.

At the moment you will have soulless stadiums and no cash from paying spectators......

The problem they would have is the mindset of the Lions players going to a country they beat so often but then actually playing a good team. It's a tricky one, Sards.

[Green light echo]

Well GLE you may be right. But we are very happy its going ahead. You see here in the Republic we've recently lost over 160k people to Covid. We could do with a bit of cheering up and the Lions tour will go some way to doing that. Always happy to have some compassion for our experience across the ditch.

If there are no crowds in South Africa surely it would have been infinitely better to play in Australia. Better spectacle for the fans in the Republic plus much needed cash for SARU.

At the moment you will have soulless stadiums and no cash from paying spectators......

The problem they would have is the mindset of the Lions players going to a country they beat so often but then actually playing a good team. It's a tricky one, Sards.

Oh well. Hope you enjoy the cancellation.....

[Gumboot]

Wait, what - GLE is Sards? Don't say he's back to impersonating Aussie chicks again, after all these years? I thought that was just a phase he was going through...the poor fella.

[Big D]

A former poster on the old board with a few thoughts on a recent article.

https://ontopofthemoon.com/2021/05/18/a ... nds-lions/

[inactionman]

A former poster on the old board with a few thoughts on a recent article.

https://ontopofthemoon.com/2021/05/18/a ... nds-lions/

Hamish Watson is bigger than Sam Underhill? Wouldn't have thought it just by eyeball.

Watson gets far too many pokes over perceived lack of size, never held Neil Back back (thank you for letting me post that awful alliteration)

[SaintK]

A former poster on the old board with a few thoughts on a recent article.

https://ontopofthemoon.com/2021/05/18/a ... nds-lions/

Neil Francis
'nuff said!!

[KingBlairhorn]

A former poster on the old board with a few thoughts on a recent article.

https://ontopofthemoon.com/2021/05/18/a ... nds-lions/

Glorious.

[JM2K6]

A former poster on the old board with a few thoughts on a recent article.

https://ontopofthemoon.com/2021/05/18/a ... nds-lions/

Given Gatland famously preferred Welsh over Irish in previous tours I can't quite see how "but Gatland!" is a defence here.

Good work aside from that, the vd Flier comment made me laugh.

[JM2K6]

A former poster on the old board with a few thoughts on a recent article.

https://ontopofthemoon.com/2021/05/18/a ... nds-lions/

Hamish Watson is bigger than Sam Underhill? Wouldn't have thought it just by eyeball.

Watson gets far too many pokes over perceived lack of size, never held Neil Back back (thank you for letting me post that awful alliteration)

No?

First rule of rugby player stats is never trust them, and they vary all the time, but even so the article says Watson is slightly shorter and slightly lighter than Underhill.

[Uncle fester]

A former poster on the old board with a few thoughts on a recent article.

https://ontopofthemoon.com/2021/05/18/a ... nds-lions/

Ignoring him would be better.

[inactionman]

A former poster on the old board with a few thoughts on a recent article.

https://ontopofthemoon.com/2021/05/18/a ... nds-lions/

Hamish Watson is bigger than Sam Underhill? Wouldn't have thought it just by eyeball.

Watson gets far too many pokes over perceived lack of size, never held Neil Back back (thank you for letting me post that awful alliteration)

No?

First rule of rugby player stats is never trust them, and they vary all the time, but even so the article says Watson is slightly shorter and slightly lighter than Underhill.

Oops- read the numbers for Siya Kolisi. Still, one centimetre and 1KG ain't much.

[Slick]

Hamish Watson is bigger than Sam Underhill? Wouldn't have thought it just by eyeball.

Watson gets far too many pokes over perceived lack of size, never held Neil Back back (thank you for letting me post that awful alliteration)

No?

First rule of rugby player stats is never trust them, and they vary all the time, but even so the article says Watson is slightly shorter and slightly lighter than Underhill.

Oops- read the numbers for Siya Kolisi. Still, one centimetre and 1KG ain't much.

Think that says more about you to be honest

[JM2K6]

Hamish Watson is bigger than Sam Underhill? Wouldn't have thought it just by eyeball.

Watson gets far too many pokes over perceived lack of size, never held Neil Back back (thank you for letting me post that awful alliteration)

No?

First rule of rugby player stats is never trust them, and they vary all the time, but even so the article says Watson is slightly shorter and slightly lighter than Underhill.

Oops- read the numbers for Siya Kolisi. Still, one centimetre and 1KG ain't much.

It isn't, but player weights fluctuate loads and you'll never find a consistent source for them anyway. Underhill's very squat so wouldn't be surprised if they were close. He definitely has huge power, especially when tackling, but Watson also shows the same power in attack - so in summary, Francis continues to be a fucking moron

[inactionman]

No?

First rule of rugby player stats is never trust them, and they vary all the time, but even so the article says Watson is slightly shorter and slightly lighter than Underhill.

Oops- read the numbers for Siya Kolisi. Still, one centimetre and 1KG ain't much.

Think that says more about you to be honest

Once you're comfortably into triple digits one more doesn't make much odds

[laurent]

Ah the good old ruck inspector in chief is still active.

[Uncle fester]

Ah the good old ruck inspector in chief is still active.

He's been particularly vitriolic of late directing his puffery at non-Irish born players.
Made a right wally of himself grouping Roux + Stander with Bent, who was qualified for Ireland from the minute he was born.

[laurent]

Ah the good old ruck inspector in chief is still active.

He's been particularly vitriolic of late directing his puffery at non-Irish born players.
Made a right wally of himself grouping Roux + Stander with Bent, who was qualified for Ireland from the minute he was born.

You guys should organise a visit by some of his French "friends" that would shut him up some.

Pujolle Armary Ondarts Roumat and Condom as a starter 5
Tordeau Seigne and Bennazzi for afters

he'd shit his pants again and disappear for a while
if there is anything left
Gonzales Caliphano and Merle for the 3rd half

[Yr Alban]

A former poster on the old board with a few thoughts on a recent article.

https://ontopofthemoon.com/2021/05/18/a ... nds-lions/

Given Gatland famously preferred Welsh over Irish in previous tours I can't quite see how "but Gatland!" is a defence here.

Good work aside from that, the vd Flier comment made me laugh.

Yeah, that was a genius moment. Other highlights are Underhill being basically exactly the same size as Watson, and Leinster’s loss to La Rochelle not affecting Sexton’s selection on the grounds he didn’t play.

You can’t fight TOTM with stats.

[Margin__Walker]

Sinkler called up following an injury to porter according to the Mail