Outside Choices of the Home Nations for the 2013 Lions tour to Australia

First topic message reminder :

Following the polls for your opinions on positional selections for the tour, there are a couple of spaces left. Outside chances, guys not at the fore front who may bag a shirt...

Lets hear your opinions on who else should likely be included. A currently injured player or one who may soon find form they previously displayed. Old or Young but not a fore runner in the polls. Do NOT SELECT PLAYERS LISTED BELOW

15. Kearny, Foden

14. Bowe and either Ashton

13. O'Driscoll, Tuilagi

12. Jamie Roberts and Brad Barritt

11. North and either Sharples or Trimble

10. Sexton, Farrell and either Flood or Priestland

9. Phillips, Youngs and Blair

8. Morgan and Denton

7. Warburton and Rennie

6. Ferris and Lydiate

5. Gray and Lawes

4. POC and either Ian Evans or Geoff Parling

3. Adam and Cole

2. Best and Hartley

1. Gethin and Corbisiero

Utility backs and Forwards are

Earls, Jonny May, Sean O'Brien, Kelly Brown and Ryan Jones

Oh my mistake, it was the right Shingler. But I suppose Schwelsh Shingler might be a good option to- he could play fOr the Lions without ever playing for a country!

ChequeredJersey wrote:Oh my mistake, it was the right Shingler. But I suppose Schwelsh Shingler might be a good option to- he could play fOr the Lions without ever playing for a country!

Stephen Shingler would be possibly considered as a utility back if he plays well for L.Irish next season.

maestegmafia wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Stag - Shingler is not only capped, but he has a grandslam medal

He has looked very useful too. Covering both lock and flanks. Did a great job stepping in at seven against the scots at the last minute.

I would take him for sure

maes, really?
7's ahead of him: Warburton, Rennie, Barclay, SOB
6's ahead of him: Ferris, Lydiate, Brown, Robshaw, Wood, Croft
Locks ahead of him: too many to list individually

Honestly, there's not a chance in hell he'll tour with the Lions in 2013, sorry

Asbo - I would agree that he is unlikely to go

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Stag - Shingler is not only capped, but he has a grandslam medal

He has looked very useful too. Covering both lock and flanks. Did a great job stepping in at seven against the scots at the last minute.

I would take him for sure

maes, really?
7's ahead of him: Warburton, Rennie, Barclay, SOB
6's ahead of him: Ferris, Lydiate, Brown, Robshaw, Wood, Croft
Locks ahead of him: too many to list individually

Honestly, there's not a chance in hell he'll tour with the Lions in 2013, sorry

If he keeps improving as he has done in his first two seasons he will be ahead of a number of player, great forager and a good game reader... Naturally a six, behind the Masterers like Ferris and Lydiate but he is possibly ahead of some of the also-rans you mentioned.

I watched a Scarlets warm up game last season, a pretty turgid affair with losts of unkown players trying too hard to impress.

One moment a magic was the incusion into the line of a tall slim (I thought 13 or 15), arrow straight, startling pace, drawing the defence and delivering a perfect pass to the wing to score in the corner.

I immediately thought I must check to see who he is, he looks a class 3/4. Imagine my suprise when he turned around and I saw the number 4 on his back! It was Aeron Shingler.

He is not a Lydiate or Ferris type of player but could be the next Croft!

Similar to croft but more consistent with his performances. 80% of games Croft plays he is anonymous.

Given that you'd have to watch the games lives to have seen 80% of Croft's games I'm impressed with your dedication in following the Tigers. Bravo that man

maestegmafia wrote:
If he keeps improving as he has done in his first two seasons he will be ahead of a number of player, great forager and a good game reader... Naturally a six, behind the Masterers like Ferris and Lydiate but he is possibly ahead of some of the also-rans you mentioned.

Sorry, but there's absolutely no way he's currently ahead of Croft, Robshaw and Wood. That's not to say he wont make it if he has a great season next year, but his current international experience is playing pretty well in one game against Scotland. Croft and Robshaw have come off very strong tournaments with England. One of them is the England captain and the other one already has three lions caps. What's more, Gatland knows Croft from 2009 and knows how to get the best out of him.

Shingler could have a great season and make the plane, but he simply is not ahead of those guys at the moment.

HammerofThunor wrote:Given that you'd have to watch the games lives to have seen 80% of Croft's games I'm impressed with your dedication in following the Tigers. Bravo that man

I am semi retired, I get a lot more time to watch rugby than you.

thomh wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:
If he keeps improving as he has done in his first two seasons he will be ahead of a number of player, great forager and a good game reader... Naturally a six, behind the Masterers like Ferris and Lydiate but he is possibly ahead of some of the also-rans you mentioned.

Sorry, but there's absolutely no way he's currently ahead of Croft, Robshaw and Wood. That's not to say he wont make it if he has a great season next year, but his current international experience is playing pretty well in one game against Scotland. Croft and Robshaw have come off very strong tournaments with England. One of them is the England captain and the other one already has three lions caps. What's more, Gatland knows Croft from 2009 and knows how to get the best out of him.

Shingler could have a great season and make the plane, but he simply is not ahead of those guys at the moment.

I disagree, Shingler has been playing better than both Robshaw and Croft all season at the Club level. He has only had one cap at international but with the quality of players like Lydiate, Ryan Jones, Warburton etc ahead of him his chance of caps are limited at the moment and certainly a lot harder than Robshaw or Croft who only have the injured Tom Wood to contend with.

No, that not true.

Is this maestegmafia guy for real?

Fair enough, it's fine to rate your own players highly in a biased way but those comments about Shingler are bizarre to say the least!

maestegmafia wrote:

HammerofThunor wrote:Given that you'd have to watch the games lives to have seen 80% of Croft's games I'm impressed with your dedication in following the Tigers. Bravo that man

I am semi retired, I get a lot more time to watch rugby than you.

So, you attend every single Tigers game that isn't televised?

sugarNspikes wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

HammerofThunor wrote:Given that you'd have to watch the games lives to have seen 80% of Croft's games I'm impressed with your dedication in following the Tigers. Bravo that man

I am semi retired, I get a lot more time to watch rugby than you.

So, you attend every single Tigers game that isn't televised?

Cyril/SafeAsMilk/SugarNspikes,

There is a house Rule against previously banned members of 606V2 returning with different i.d's.

Thanks, Ozzy. Weather's not great here, but could be worse!

Lovely sunny day here, nice chilled out Sunday morning watching the marathon!

HammerofThunor wrote:Given that you'd have to watch the games lives to have seen 80% of Croft's games I'm impressed with your dedication in following the Tigers. Bravo that man

OK 80 % of the games I see Croft play he is anonymous.

maestegmafia wrote:

HammerofThunor wrote:Given that you'd have to watch the games lives to have seen 80% of Croft's games I'm impressed with your dedication in following the Tigers. Bravo that man

OK 80 % of the games I see Croft play he is anonymous.

80% seems like quite an exact figure. Can we see your working? It's always good to see behind the thinking of a well-balanced fan.

I have a good outside choice Eoin O'Malley the Leinster centre, Bods understudy.

Jeez boys, just give it up. Take the whole Welsh squad (+ Aberavon reserves for the mid week games) to Aus and everyone else can chill out on holiday.

Seemples.

maestegmafia wrote:I have a good outside choice Eoin O'Malley the Leinster centre, Bods understudy.

Personally I would take Cave and Spence from Ulster over O'Malley.. could be biased here but I do believe both are better

Hound_of_Harrow wrote:Jeez boys, just give it up. Take the whole Welsh squad (+ Aberavon reserves for the mid week games) to Aus and everyone else can chill out on holiday.

Seemples.

Quite.

To be fair, so many posters talk of welsh bias etc....

... but then the best centre of the 6 nations doesnt get selected. Probably the most complete centre at the moment too.

Step-forward JD2.

I can accept Halfpenny not being picked despite his excellant 6nations and performances. (Kearney and Foden are both excellant FBs who had good 6nations and Halfpennys kicking isnt such a plus when you have a solid kicking 10 in the side with wings with size or pace).

However, to have those 4 centres above JD2 and then joke about welsh bias is all a bit rich for me

Hanno Dirksen could force his way into the reckoning if he continues to progress the way he has this season. His first in senior rugby.

Also very impressed with Munster's Peter O'Mahony at number 8. Could well get a look in.

maestegmafia wrote:Hanno Dirksen could force his way into the reckoning if he continues to progress the way he has this season. His first in senior rugby.

Also very impressed with Munster's Peter O'Mahony at number 8. Could well get a look in.

Backrow is an incredibly strong area for he Lions,there could be 3 or 4 injuries and that still leaves a bunch of quality options.

By next summer the 13's fighting for the lions spot could be between...

Lowe, Tuilagi, and JJ...

And Maesteg...i have been a big critic of Croft for a long time now...but in this 6n i finally saw his worth.

Now im not completely sold yet...however i do believe he is far better than i and possibly many of his other critics have given him credit for.

He looked good v south Africa in 2009, and imagine against the less physical Aussies...he could be a very good weapon.

On today's form Marler will be pushing to replace Corbs as England's first choice.
He was stronger against both Saints props today ( Tonga & PDJ) & was MOM.

Scary to think he is still only 21 & if he continues to develop as he has this season he could well be on the tour to Oz.

I'm looking forward to seeing how Fearns gets on in SA, he's pretty much had a season off through injury but has a great attitude and is able to provide back row cover.

Good call on Marler BigTrevs, he's matured well this season - definitely a talent if he continues to improve on his scrummaging technique.

maestegmafia wrote:Hanno Dirksen could force his way into the reckoning if he continues to progress the way he has this season. His first in senior rugby.

You were having a go at Visser and questioning his eligibility for the Lions. I assume you now think the same for Dirksen.