Can we have some serious Lions 15 articles now?

First topic message reminder :

As has been abundantly clear in all posters picks on this site, there has been a strong bias to welsh players based upon their astounding quality of beating Fiji, Namibia, Samoa and Ireland at the World cup. Before claiming a grandslam against a baby england team, a french side who didnt turn up, a good Ireland side and the usual italian and scottish dross.

Many other posters (mainly english) have always said that the apparent welsh dominance in the Lions was a joke and that they aren't really that good. Warburton for starting 7 and captain? he doesn't even start for Wales! Philips is one of the worst scrumhalves around (unless you rank a scrum half on being able to run straight into other people). Those huge giants of men on the wing that can run through anyone and saunter to the line, but who actually just run straight into the closest person and get tackled. Roberts, the beast who will dominate all in the centres yet has a habit of getting concussed alot due to having awful tackling technique. The world class welsh front row, who just got comprehensively outscrummed and outplayed by a Pacific Island team. I wont even get started on Priestland, and people say that Flood is poor?

Halfpenny is a great player though.

Anyways, enough wumming (though im sure some will wholeheartedly agree with what i just wrote) congrats to Samoa, who played very well and thoroughly deserved their win. Also, i think they become the first second tier nation to crack the top 8 so even more reason to celebrate.

Where from here though for Wales? You seemed to have zero plan for anything, you knew from last week that the ruck was an issue and there were all sorts of noises about how you would correct it, but yet again you were completely outplayed there. Attacking was woeful, while what i said was in jest its true that all your wingers and roberts did was run straight into the closest person. Howley seriously needs to man up and take a lot of responsibility for all of this, he said during the week that Wales would produce a performance to be proud of and look what we have all just watched, are any of you Welsh fans proud of that? If after all the work that Gats has done, Howley can't come in and hold the fort for a few games then why is he in charge? he's also the attacking coach and Wales never looked like scoring when they had the ball, a well read play by Beck was all they had to show attacking wise.

If things keep on like this i fear for you guys next week against the All Blacks, and you may end up towards the bottom of the 6N table too unless something is done.

Once again, congrats to Samoa

Risca Rev wrote:

anotherworldofpain wrote:So first Wales scrum was destroyed by Samoa and now England were upset by the Aussies?

Just WHAT is going on?

This is fair GG, but nobody was building up Jarvis like our English friends were building up Cole. I am genuinely confused how the English were so arrogant to think they should have the Lions share (no pun intended) of the pack/whole squad.

Yeah that and to think they've also been rubbishing Australia for over a year = Arrogance beyond belief.

Morgannwg wrote:

Risca Rev wrote:

anotherworldofpain wrote:So first Wales scrum was destroyed by Samoa and now England were upset by the Aussies?

Just WHAT is going on?

This is fair GG, but nobody was building up Jarvis like our English friends were building up Cole. I am genuinely confused how the English were so arrogant to think they should have the Lions share (no pun intended) of the pack/whole squad.

Yeah that and to think they've also been rubbishing Australia for over a year = Arrogance beyond belief.

I know we could be as arrogant as the Welsh, who think that the whole welsh squad are lions certs? As well as expecting a series win against Oz showing no respect? Or predicting a 4-0 autumn international clean sweep? But as we all know the Welsh are so humble and would not be arrogant like that at all eh!

KK, you missed an extra K from your name I think.

I think you're getting the 'Welsh' confused with rogue poster RogerLewis (I'm sure you can work out what his countless previous IDs were).

10 - Rhys Priestland

Only joking hahaha classic.

wow I didn't think this thread could deteriorate... how I was wrong!

Sorry, I do apologize.

Knackeredknees wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:

Risca Rev wrote:

anotherworldofpain wrote:So first Wales scrum was destroyed by Samoa and now England were upset by the Aussies?

Just WHAT is going on?

This is fair GG, but nobody was building up Jarvis like our English friends were building up Cole. I am genuinely confused how the English were so arrogant to think they should have the Lions share (no pun intended) of the pack/whole squad.

Yeah that and to think they've also been rubbishing Australia for over a year = Arrogance beyond belief.

I know we could be as arrogant as the Welsh, who think that the whole welsh squad are lions certs? As well as expecting a series win against Oz showing no respect? Or predicting a 4-0 autumn international clean sweep? But as we all know the Welsh are so humble and would not be arrogant like that at all eh!

What like your man Parling in Rugby World was predicting a 4-0 sweep? Guess we are all guilty. Next.

sadly French players are not eligible

Morgannwg wrote:KK, you missed an extra K from your name I think.

I think you're getting the 'Welsh' confused with rogue poster RogerLewis (I'm sure you can work out what his countless previous IDs were).

Um so I type something that does not blow smoke up the collective welsh behind and I should be labeled a racist???

Risca Rev wrote:

Knackeredknees wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:

Risca Rev wrote:

anotherworldofpain wrote:So first Wales scrum was destroyed by Samoa and now England were upset by the Aussies?

Just WHAT is going on?

This is fair GG, but nobody was building up Jarvis like our English friends were building up Cole. I am genuinely confused how the English were so arrogant to think they should have the Lions share (no pun intended) of the pack/whole squad.

Yeah that and to think they've also been rubbishing Australia for over a year = Arrogance beyond belief.

I know we could be as arrogant as the Welsh, who think that the whole welsh squad are lions certs? As well as expecting a series win against Oz showing no respect? Or predicting a 4-0 autumn international clean sweep? But as we all know the Welsh are so humble and would not be arrogant like that at all eh!

What like your man Parling in Rugby World was predicting a 4-0 sweep? Guess we are all guilty. Next.

Yep we're all guilty, but only us English get labeled as arrogant

Knackeredknees wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:KK, you missed an extra K from your name I think.

I think you're getting the 'Welsh' confused with rogue poster RogerLewis (I'm sure you can work out what his countless previous IDs were).

Um so I type something that does not blow smoke up the collective welsh behind and I should be labeled a racist???

No, I just like to accuse people of racism because I'm not all there.

Lions watch...

Please don't take Chris Ashton, not just is he a knob but he is sh!te

Fair enough least you honest

ATM England and Wales fighting over who's going to have the most lions is like two bald men fighting over a comb

But Ashton has scored four tries against Italy in one game, the lad is a living legend

Knackeredknees wrote:Fair enough least you honest

ATM England and Wales fighting over who's going to have the most lions is like two bald men fighting over a comb

This is true. I don't label the English as arrogant per se, but why was a Welsh series defeat used as justification for barely any Welsh players in a Lions squad? That's the only answer I'm after. I have no doubt that Wales will lose to Australia at home too, but all we have been subjected to recently is the English know how to beat Australia. I'm just a bit miffed how that know how wasn't utilised today.

We are no more or no less arrogant than any other nation. The whole thing started after the six nations when SOME welsh posters/wums declared its will be wales + BOD and no English were good enough, carried on after the summer and is still going on from SOME welsh posters that all English players are worse than there counterparts. Like I said pointless arguing over a comb when there's nothing to brush

Im not English and im extremely arrogant

Knackeredknees wrote:We are no more or no less arrogant than any other nation. The whole thing started after the six nations when SOME welsh posters/wums declared its will be wales + BOD and no English were good enough, carried on after the summer and is still going on from SOME welsh posters that all English players are worse than there counterparts. Like I said pointless arguing over a comb when there's nothing to brush

We aren't that bad. It was probably Wales + BOD + Gray. Give us some credit

Hey everyone knows the kiwi fans are the most arrogant of all!

nganboy wrote:Hey everyone knows the kiwi fans are the most arrogant of all!

Genuinely have reason too be though. Im dissapointed yor not playing France this autumn as france are in fine form and it would be a hell of a game

' As has been abundantly clear in all posters picks on this site, there has been a strong bias to welsh players based upon their astounding quality of beating Fiji, Namibia, Samoa and Ireland at the World cup. Before claiming a grandslam against a baby england team, a french side who didnt turn up, a good Ireland side and the usual italian and scottish dross.'

Ok, to get on topic. What you're saying is Wales got to the semi finals of the world cup . You can only play the teams in front of you, we did, we won up to the semi final and lost. Better than any other side qualified to play for the B&I Lions. Yes, we also won a grand slam. The 'baby' England were collectively older than Wales. The usual Italian and Scottish dross almost and perhaps should have beaten England but yes Wales beat all in front of them. England however did not. Since then Wales and England didn't win on the three full international tests they played in summer but England have however beaten the mighty Fiji this month. A side both Wales and Ireland XV have nilled the last times they played. Im sort of wondering how England are any better. I admit Wales are very very poor at the moment but if a win against Fiji is all England have to feel they deserve more players in the Lions squad then I think Ireland and Scotland should feel a bit aggrieved, they too have won games, Scotland beat Australia which Wales and England failed to do this year. Ireland didn't even think Fiji were cap worthy so had a select 15 nil them.
I think the Ozzy front row would love to demolish Englands scrum again given the chance (congratulations Australia by the way) so I think all of B&I Lions fans are hoping for a fit Adam Jones for the tour. Other than that there's a lot of rugby to be played before the Lions are picked.

So it's a baby England team now?
Wales are a younger team than England

Dear god, this is desperate. The answer to the OPs question is, it seems, 'no'.

Roll on the Six Nations. There is quite literally no point in starting threads with 'here's who I'd pick if everyone was fit'. Not everyone is going to be. You might as well stick a 24 year old Gerald Davies and a 21 year old Andy Irvine in there. They're fantasy characters for the purposes of the tour next year as well.

Injuries will play a big part and unfortunate through it is, there's a real chance that Ferris, O'Connell, Sheridan, Warbuton and a number of others will be let down by their bodies. The 6N will be the arbiter of where we are now, which it is clear is a damn distance from where the last tournament left us.

The NH has had a bad set of results in this AIs series but if one good thing comes out of that, it's that a number of unfashionable players have held up their hands as showing an awful lot of promise - Ryan Grant, Simon Zebo, Henry Pyrgos and Joe Launchbury to name just four - and that a number of conventionally second choice players are starting to establish themselves as being a cut above the incumbent - Tipuric, Morgan, Sharples, Marler and Care being good examples.

George I've been calling for launchbury for.months.....he's not.unfashionable he's class.

Dear god, this is desperate. The answer to the OPs question is, it seems, 'no'.

That is the big issue, whatever the lions does we certainly cannot debate it seriously on here...

I disagree blue

overlordofthewest wrote:' As has been abundantly clear in all posters picks on this site, there has been a strong bias to welsh players based upon their astounding quality of beating Fiji, Namibia, Samoa and Ireland at the World cup. Before claiming a grandslam against a baby england team, a french side who didnt turn up, a good Ireland side and the usual italian and scottish dross.'

Ok, to get on topic. What you're saying is Wales got to the semi finals of the world cup . You can only play the teams in front of you, we did, we won up to the semi final and lost. Better than any other side qualified to play for the B&I Lions. Yes, we also won a grand slam. The 'baby' England were collectively older than Wales. The usual Italian and Scottish dross almost and perhaps should have beaten England but yes Wales beat all in front of them. England however did not. Since then Wales and England didn't win on the three full international tests they played in summer but England have however beaten the mighty Fiji this month. A side both Wales and Ireland XV have nilled the last times they played. Im sort of wondering how England are any better. I admit Wales are very very poor at the moment but if a win against Fiji is all England have to feel they deserve more players in the Lions squad then I think Ireland and Scotland should feel a bit aggrieved, they too have won games, Scotland beat Australia which Wales and England failed to do this year. Ireland didn't even think Fiji were cap worthy so had a select 15 nil them.
I think the Ozzy front row would love to demolish Englands scrum again given the chance (congratulations Australia by the way) so I think all of B&I Lions fans are hoping for a fit Adam Jones for the tour. Other than that there's a lot of rugby to be played before the Lions are picked.

Guessing you missed the part at the end where i said enough wumming then? I was merely mimicking the general anti-welsh nonsense spouted by some of my fellow englishmen on here.

I said on another forum that the aussie scrum with Alexander and Robinson in it is not weak at all.

viewtothegym, i hope you're right about Gats picking the right squad and (more importantly) game plan, he loves big strong runners with little guile and that won't be enough to win against the Aussies. They shut down the english attack easily and Tuilagi didn't have any of his runs (the try aside, which was lucky) and as shown in the summer, when the welsh plan of running through them didnt work either. The australians are the smallest of the 3N team, they have spent years playing against the SA forwards and the powerful Maoris. Big direct runners do not scare them and do not get through them, they know how to deal with players who are bigger and stronger than them, and dare i say it, i think they prefer them.

There is plenty of talent from all teams (everyones backrows, scottish and irish second rows, welsh and english front rows, Irish and english half backs, everyones backs) to beat the aussies. The trick is getting the style right and picking the players to play it. We have to have some guile in the centres and in the back 3, to that end i wish that Joseph had a few more years playing at 13 for england, he is fast with a good step, strong and is a good passer. Or if BOD was a good few years younger.

Back 3 would like to see Halfpenny (told to counter and not kick) or a fit and on form Foden, wings, someone like Bowe (Ashton alongside if he finds his form again, he scores more tries than any of the other options when he's on form) and maybe a live-wire like Wade or Zebo or a big strong strike runner like Cuthbert or North.

Firstly I'd like to say despite Fridays performance I still think tipuric with a solid front five in front of him may be the answer next summer...however at the moment I can't pick a lions side despite the one I posted earlier on anything other than reputation as based on current form there are very few if any English or celts nailed on by form alone. For me possibly healey and really that's all I can settle on .id like to say ferris,Adam jones ,bod ,orbrien but they are all injured. I've gone from thinking this is the lions best series chance for a long time to evens. Having said that we need a good six nations from all the uk sides for the best chance in oz next year.