Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 11:47 am
They had to when that had Bowe and Billy Whizz. Didn't need any of them.
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Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Page 11 of 38
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 11:49 am
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 11:50 am
Interesting. Been solid but hardly set the world on fire has he?
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 11:50 am
did anyone do a breakdown by country? 8 Scots - I may have to bite the bullet and start supporting these cats.
Jonny Gray and Jamie Ritchie the only ones in the conversation not to make it, and our hookers were injured when it mattered otherwise Brown and/or McInally perhaps could have been involved.
Jonny Gray and Jamie Ritchie the only ones in the conversation not to make it, and our hookers were injured when it mattered otherwise Brown and/or McInally perhaps could have been involved.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 11:50 am
Same here - some very 'meh' selections.Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 11:47 am Not sure what I was expecting but feel a bit underwhelmed by that.
And anything that involves Gatland will always be underwhelming to me.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 11:50 am
That's one of the big shocks for me.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 11:51 am
From a Bok point of view, very interesting side with some serious leftfield picks. Gatland is definitely planning to spring some surprises.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 11:52 am
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 11:52 am
Bloody delighted here. I was trying to keep my expectations down to 5 or 6. Been hurt too many times.
Actually feels like fair representation for the first time in forever. The only one who surprises me is Price, though if you’d mentioned Harris 6 months ago I’d have laughed at you. Ritchie’s time will come, he’s still young. Jonny Gray is the one I really feel bad for.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 11:52 am
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 11:52 am
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 11:54 am
No Ringrose and Sinckler were probably the biggest shocks for me.
May on past history probably deserved a pick.
May on past history probably deserved a pick.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 11:56 am
Some of the picks are designed to be rock solid defensively. Harris is picked for his defence.
Looks like they plan to move the boks around, there is some big lads there but they are all mobile.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 11:56 am
Solid is overselling it. He's been a one-trick pony and that trick has rarely worked. Desperately limited player at international level.ScarfaceClaw wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 11:50 amInteresting. Been solid but hardly set the world on fire has he?
Weird fucking squad. Form doesn't appear to count for Mako, Daly, Farrell, Aki. Lawes picked on hope. Underhill ignored in a squad light on actual opensides. Only two actual tens (a very Gatland thing to do) in Russell and Biggar who offer completely different styles of play, and Farrell presumably an option as a 3rd despite his continued shitness at 10 for internationals, so Ford misses out. Uninspiring set of 9s, thought Cooney might be an outside chance and would go well in SA. Johnny Hill picked largely off his excellent club form as his international career so far has been a mess of ill-discipline and stupid mistakes. Porter ahead of Sinckler. No Ringrose in a squad with few actual 13s.
Think all the Scots who deserved to go got picked. Gatland did well to avoid picking James Ryan. Back three options are tasty. We all know Gatland is more than happy to pick his team before the first training session, and I think there's a decent 1st XV in there.
Edit: Oh, forgot J Gray. Definitely should've been there, probably ahead of Hill or even Lawes. Strange call.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:00 pm
I think even if Cooney was involved 9 was always going to be a bit "meh".JM2K6 wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 11:56 amSolid is overselling it. He's been a one-trick pony and that trick has rarely worked. Desperately limited player at international level.ScarfaceClaw wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 11:50 amInteresting. Been solid but hardly set the world on fire has he?
Weird fucking squad. Form doesn't appear to count for Mako, Daly, Farrell, Aki. Lawes picked on hope. Underhill ignored in a squad light on actual opensides. Only two actual tens (a very Gatland thing to do) in Russell and Biggar who offer completely different styles of play, and Farrell presumably an option as a 3rd despite his continued shitness at 10 for internationals, so Ford misses out. Uninspiring set of 9s, thought Cooney might be an outside chance and would go well in SA. Johnny Hill picked largely off his excellent club form as his international career so far has been a mess of ill-discipline and stupid mistakes. Porter ahead of Sinckler. No Ringrose in a squad with few actual 13s.
Think all the Scots who deserved to go got picked. Gatland did well to avoid picking James Ryan. Back three options are tasty. We all know Gatland is more than happy to pick his team before the first training session, and I think there's a decent 1st XV in there.
Edit: Oh, forgot J Gray. Definitely should've been there, probably ahead of Hill or even Lawes. Strange call.
I don't get not taking Ringrose at all.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:03 pm
Sexton’s omission will trigger the Swarm, but difficult to argue that he should be there on form. Agree that hill and Lawes are strange picks, given that Gray has been ignored. I’d have included Underhill as well.JM2K6 wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 11:56 amSolid is overselling it. He's been a one-trick pony and that trick has rarely worked. Desperately limited player at international level.ScarfaceClaw wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 11:50 amInteresting. Been solid but hardly set the world on fire has he?
Weird fucking squad. Form doesn't appear to count for Mako, Daly, Farrell, Aki. Lawes picked on hope. Underhill ignored in a squad light on actual opensides. Only two actual tens (a very Gatland thing to do) in Russell and Biggar who offer completely different styles of play, and Farrell presumably an option as a 3rd despite his continued shitness at 10 for internationals, so Ford misses out. Uninspiring set of 9s, thought Cooney might be an outside chance and would go well in SA. Johnny Hill picked largely off his excellent club form as his international career so far has been a mess of ill-discipline and stupid mistakes. Porter ahead of Sinckler. No Ringrose in a squad with few actual 13s.
Think all the Scots who deserved to go got picked. Gatland did well to avoid picking James Ryan. Back three options are tasty. We all know Gatland is more than happy to pick his team before the first training session, and I think there's a decent 1st XV in there.
Edit: Oh, forgot J Gray. Definitely should've been there, probably ahead of Hill or even Lawes. Strange call.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:03 pm
Forwards: Tadhg Beirne, Jack Conan, Luke Cowan Dickie, Tom Curry, Zander Fagerson, Taulupe Faletau, Tadhg Furlong, Jamie George, Iain Henderson, Jonny Hill, Maro Itoje, Alun Wyn Jones, Wyn Jones, Courtney Lawes, Ken Owens, Andrew Porter, Sam Simmonds, Rory Sutherland, Justin Tipuric, Mako Vunipola, Hamish Watson.
Backs: Josh Adams, Bundee Aki, Dan Biggar, Elliot Daly, Gareth Davies, Owen Farrell, Chris Harris, Robbie Henshaw, Stuart Hogg, Conor Murray, Ali Price, Louis Rees-Zammit, Finn Russell, Duhan van der Merwe, Anthony Watson, Liam Williams.
37 player squad.
Backs: Josh Adams, Bundee Aki, Dan Biggar, Elliot Daly, Gareth Davies, Owen Farrell, Chris Harris, Robbie Henshaw, Stuart Hogg, Conor Murray, Ali Price, Louis Rees-Zammit, Finn Russell, Duhan van der Merwe, Anthony Watson, Liam Williams.
37 player squad.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:04 pm
Ringrose and Gray are the two omissions that stick out for me.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:04 pm
Pretty even split, 11 England players, 10 Wales players, and eight each from Scotland and Ireland.clydecloggie wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 11:50 am did anyone do a breakdown by country? 8 Scots - I may have to bite the bullet and start supporting these cats.
Jonny Gray and Jamie Ritchie the only ones in the conversation not to make it, and our hookers were injured when it mattered otherwise Brown and/or McInally perhaps could have been involved.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:04 pm
We have lots of second rows, with several of them basically covering blindside. Drop Lawes, put Underhill in there. Drop Hill, put Gray in there. Easy.Lobby wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 12:03 pmSexton’s omission will trigger the Swarm, but difficult to argue that he should be there on form. Agree that hill and Lawes are strange picks, given that Gray has been ignored. I’d have included Underhill as well.JM2K6 wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 11:56 amSolid is overselling it. He's been a one-trick pony and that trick has rarely worked. Desperately limited player at international level.ScarfaceClaw wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 11:50 am
Interesting. Been solid but hardly set the world on fire has he?
Weird fucking squad. Form doesn't appear to count for Mako, Daly, Farrell, Aki. Lawes picked on hope. Underhill ignored in a squad light on actual opensides. Only two actual tens (a very Gatland thing to do) in Russell and Biggar who offer completely different styles of play, and Farrell presumably an option as a 3rd despite his continued shitness at 10 for internationals, so Ford misses out. Uninspiring set of 9s, thought Cooney might be an outside chance and would go well in SA. Johnny Hill picked largely off his excellent club form as his international career so far has been a mess of ill-discipline and stupid mistakes. Porter ahead of Sinckler. No Ringrose in a squad with few actual 13s.
Think all the Scots who deserved to go got picked. Gatland did well to avoid picking James Ryan. Back three options are tasty. We all know Gatland is more than happy to pick his team before the first training session, and I think there's a decent 1st XV in there.
Edit: Oh, forgot J Gray. Definitely should've been there, probably ahead of Hill or even Lawes. Strange call.
Sexton's fragility will have counted against him more than his form, I expect.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:06 pm
That’s what I would have done (Gray and Underhill).JM2K6 wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 12:04 pmWe have lots of second rows, with several of them basically covering blindside. Drop Lawes, put Underhill in there. Drop Hill, put Gray in there. Easy.Lobby wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 12:03 pmSexton’s omission will trigger the Swarm, but difficult to argue that he should be there on form. Agree that hill and Lawes are strange picks, given that Gray has been ignored. I’d have included Underhill as well.JM2K6 wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 11:56 am
Solid is overselling it. He's been a one-trick pony and that trick has rarely worked. Desperately limited player at international level.
Weird fucking squad. Form doesn't appear to count for Mako, Daly, Farrell, Aki. Lawes picked on hope. Underhill ignored in a squad light on actual opensides. Only two actual tens (a very Gatland thing to do) in Russell and Biggar who offer completely different styles of play, and Farrell presumably an option as a 3rd despite his continued shitness at 10 for internationals, so Ford misses out. Uninspiring set of 9s, thought Cooney might be an outside chance and would go well in SA. Johnny Hill picked largely off his excellent club form as his international career so far has been a mess of ill-discipline and stupid mistakes. Porter ahead of Sinckler. No Ringrose in a squad with few actual 13s.
Think all the Scots who deserved to go got picked. Gatland did well to avoid picking James Ryan. Back three options are tasty. We all know Gatland is more than happy to pick his team before the first training session, and I think there's a decent 1st XV in there.
Edit: Oh, forgot J Gray. Definitely should've been there, probably ahead of Hill or even Lawes. Strange call.
Sexton's fragility will have counted against him more than his form, I expect.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:07 pm
Sam Underhill is a big omission.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:09 pm
Of the England picks, for the test team i only see Maro, LCD, Curry and Watson as realistic contenders as starters, the rest are dirt trackers/bin juice
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:09 pm
A solid chunk of this squad will be injured either before or during the tour, given past indicators. Anyone likely to do a Hartley?
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:11 pm
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:11 pm
Somewhat scarily, Daly is likely to be 2nd choice for 13 and if Henshaw breaks...
(Harris is a great pick but I don't expect Gatland to consider him for the Test team)
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:12 pm
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:14 pm
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:14 pm
I hate youHal Jordan wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 12:14 pmMove Aki out one and pick Farrell. Midfield solidity.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:16 pm
A defensive genius at 13? Nah, Gats will never go for that in a Test Lions team...
If it comes down to Daly or Harris it'll be Harris at 13, surely.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:17 pm
Maybe i just think that because of the balance of the centres picked seems a little off. Although I say this as a former second row/back row!Uncle fester wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 12:11 pmDidn't expect him to make it. Form has been very mixed. Once outside Leinster comfort zone, his issues get exposed. Check PR and you'll find lads admitting that he should have been developed as a winger.
I suspect he will be key to helping Tandy's system bed in. 13 seems to be the key spot for the way Scotland defends. Few of us had money on him getting in after the France game.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:19 pm
Harris has defied a lot of expectations (including mine) just to get into the squad. Not sure I’d rule anything out just yet.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:24 pm
No big Swarm issues really.
Shame that Sexton misses out, but he has been very fragile - not very useful for a tour.
Ryan has been lacking in gametime, and since his return in consistency/impact. Shame, but that's the way (though apparently not for all selections, but that's a different conversation)
The likes of Stander and VdF maybe a bit unlucky, but it's Gatland - they'll be too small for him.
Ringrose has been injured a bit and not in great form yet, so his omission was already being debated. But that Aki is selected ahead of him says everything about Gatland.
Shame that Sexton misses out, but he has been very fragile - not very useful for a tour.
Ryan has been lacking in gametime, and since his return in consistency/impact. Shame, but that's the way (though apparently not for all selections, but that's a different conversation)
The likes of Stander and VdF maybe a bit unlucky, but it's Gatland - they'll be too small for him.
Ringrose has been injured a bit and not in great form yet, so his omission was already being debated. But that Aki is selected ahead of him says everything about Gatland.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:26 pm
Who is England's TH prop? Is it still Sinkler?
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:27 pm
Yes.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:30 pm
If I was Irish Simmons over Stander would annoy me.salanya wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 12:24 pm No big Swarm issues really.
Shame that Sexton misses out, but he has been very fragile - not very useful for a tour.
Ryan has been lacking in gametime, and since his return in consistency/impact. Shame, but that's the way (though apparently not for all selections, but that's a different conversation)
The likes of Stander and VdF maybe a bit unlucky, but it's Gatland - they'll be too small for him.
Ringrose has been injured a bit and not in great form yet, so his omission was already being debated. But that Aki is selected ahead of him says everything about Gatland.
He obviously great for Exeter but seems to me Gatland poking Eddie in the eye.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:34 pm
I think Gatland recognises that Simmonds does what no other back row can. Stander... well, he couldn't get in ahead of Conan, which is the bigger problem I think.I like neeps wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 12:30 pmIf I was Irish Simmons over Stander would annoy me.salanya wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 12:24 pm No big Swarm issues really.
Shame that Sexton misses out, but he has been very fragile - not very useful for a tour.
Ryan has been lacking in gametime, and since his return in consistency/impact. Shame, but that's the way (though apparently not for all selections, but that's a different conversation)
The likes of Stander and VdF maybe a bit unlucky, but it's Gatland - they'll be too small for him.
Ringrose has been injured a bit and not in great form yet, so his omission was already being debated. But that Aki is selected ahead of him says everything about Gatland.
He obviously great for Exeter but seems to me Gatland poking Eddie in the eye.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:37 pm
Johnny South African doesn't like it up him! Our bold, brave Lions will give them what for, even the ones from Ireland we have to pretend are still part of the glorious British Empire for the purposes of the tour!JM2K6 wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 12:14 pmI hate you
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:39 pm
As an Irish supporter, my problem like you all stated was Conan over Stander....
Simmonds I get...
And I love to hate the English...but I love Underhill's game.
Simmonds I get...
And I love to hate the English...but I love Underhill's game.
Re: Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 12:43 pm
From what I've seen of Simmons, it's a bit of a toss up between him and Stander. Good, but not outstanding.
With Conan there it's not a great shock that Simmons was selected.
With Conan there it's not a great shock that Simmons was selected.