Wallabies vs Lions: team of the series

Here's the Rugby Blog's crack at selecting a combined Lions/Wallabies side from the 3 tests. IMO it's not bad, though in a few places he's opted to be swayed by 1-off performances rather than efforts in all 3 games: http://www.therugbyblog.co.uk/australia-v-lions-team-of-the-series. He's also gone for 12 Lions in the XV, which given how close the 1st 2 games were is a tad harsh IMO.

I've included TRB's selections below (without their reasoning to appease the copyright police, check the original article for that ), and I've put my pick alongside (I have 9 Lions, 6 Wallabies)

15. Leigh Halfpenny   agree
14. Israel Folau        agree
13. Jonathan Davies    Adam Ashley-Cooper
12. Christian Leali’ifano  agree
11. George North          agree
10. Johnny Sexton        agree
9. Will Genia                agree
1. Alex Corbisiero         agree
2. Tom Youngs            agree
3. Adam Jones         agree
4. Alun-Wyn Jones         agree
5. Geoff Parling       James Horwill
6. Ben Mowen         agree
7. Sam Warburton    Michael Hooper
8. Toby Faletau       agree

Couldn't have Hooper, I don't think, who was surprisingly anonymous before losing his place and was equally invisible when replacing Smith in Sydney. Warburton was excellent in a losing cause in the second test, but I might give O'Brien the berth for the nature of his impact in the decider.

Think your other two shouts are a coin toss, frankly - as Horwill was arguably extremely lucky to play games 2 and 3, not to mention made some absurd captaincy decisions not to take points in the third test when they were on offer, I might stick with Parling. Most of the side is pretty unarguable, really.

No Grant?! Did a lot of the unseen work that never gets commented on.

Agree with every selection of your team apart from Hooper, didn't see him do much at all, especially considering how bloody hyped up him and the breakdown was!!. Gill made more of an impact in the short time he was on the field and that lineout steal potentially sealed the aussie win. I would probably go with Sam W, just beacuse of the amount of critism he was under, he played well, tackled everything, got some good turnovers and lead the team. SOB given more of a chance could of been there but 1 game wasn't enough however his midweek performances were immense.

STC, Faletau only started one game as well (think he is the right selection, by the way). Feel that of the 4 players who started at 7 on either side during the series, O'Brien's impact was possibly the greatest.

I thought Hooper caused our scrum halves no end of trouble, particularly Youngs and Phillips. By contrast Genia has Warburton eating out of his hands for two tests.

I'd be inclined to go with Kiwis picks. I thought O'Connell display in the first test was the best by a lock though.

At 12 I'd go for Roberts for his impact in the 3rd test.

Must say that I missed that, rodders, near-sighted as I am becoming. Can only assume that the Wallaby selectors did too or surely he would have started in Sydney?

captain carrantuohil wrote:Must say that I missed that, rodders, near-sighted as I am becoming. Can only assume that the Wallaby selectors did too or surely he would have started in Sydney?

I thought it was odd that they gave George Smith the start myself - a case of Deans picking on reputation. And picking 2 flankers on the bench showed he wasn't 100% convinced he was right.

I reckon that Hooper was by some way the best ...... 12

Poite.