Official Lions Tour to Australia 2013 thread
Discussion
So, as expected, Gatland is confirmed as Head Coach:
http://www.therugbyblog.co.uk/warren-gatland-confi...
So who's going to be on his coaching staff. Shaun Edwards must be a shoe in, surely? Graham Rowntree as forwards coach.
Looking forward to this, I do enjoy a good Lions tour!
http://www.therugbyblog.co.uk/warren-gatland-confi...
So who's going to be on his coaching staff. Shaun Edwards must be a shoe in, surely? Graham Rowntree as forwards coach.
Looking forward to this, I do enjoy a good Lions tour!
Your schedule looks ridiculous! No bloody prep time 
http://m.guardian.co.uk/ms/p/gnm/op/sX7EH99oQ0IpOI...
http://m.guardian.co.uk/ms/p/gnm/op/sX7EH99oQ0IpOI...
What are people's thoughts on George North?
Every game I've seen him in (which is, admittedly, only internationals) he's been absolutely stunning for the first 20-30 minutes of the game, then absolutely anonymous for the remainder. Has he got the stamina to be a starting Lion, or does he need to wait until the 2017 tour to be able to sustain his work rate through a whole game?
I know it's only Australia, so far less bruising than either the Boks or the Kiwis would've been, but all the same, I can't help thinking he's a little over-hyped just at the moment.
Every game I've seen him in (which is, admittedly, only internationals) he's been absolutely stunning for the first 20-30 minutes of the game, then absolutely anonymous for the remainder. Has he got the stamina to be a starting Lion, or does he need to wait until the 2017 tour to be able to sustain his work rate through a whole game?
I know it's only Australia, so far less bruising than either the Boks or the Kiwis would've been, but all the same, I can't help thinking he's a little over-hyped just at the moment.
So play him for the first half and then sub him. Thats not exactly taking much in the way of coaching brilliance! Hell let North go bully them for 40mins, then replace with Ashton to rip them apart after North has run over them. On the other wing? Who knows? The Welsh like Cuthbert, but I havent seen enough of him to really make my mind up.
Desolate reckons Wade is s
t hot stuff and he has certainly started the season on fire. The Irish boys?
The series wont be won or lost on the wings though. It will be how much damage can the Lions do up front and how well can the Lions midfield defend their channels. In some ways it is a series tailor made for the tanned wonder if he bothered. Stick him with Brad B in midfield to present an absolute defensive block and then give him a back 3 to fire off + the Doc and Manu.
But lets be honest, do any of us actually expect the tanned wonder to step up to the plate?
Desolate reckons Wade is s
t hot stuff and he has certainly started the season on fire. The Irish boys?The series wont be won or lost on the wings though. It will be how much damage can the Lions do up front and how well can the Lions midfield defend their channels. In some ways it is a series tailor made for the tanned wonder if he bothered. Stick him with Brad B in midfield to present an absolute defensive block and then give him a back 3 to fire off + the Doc and Manu.
But lets be honest, do any of us actually expect the tanned wonder to step up to the plate?
DJRC said:
Desolate reckons Wade is st hot stuff and he has certainly started the season on fire. The Irish boys?
He will score lots again this year - but all the chaps who know better then I reckon he is a bit lightweight. I say they have no soul. He's a hard worker and takes it all very seriously so let's se what happens this year!t hot stuff and he has certainly started the season on fire. The Irish boys?I'll say it - I reckon we'll dick them, and will be disappointed if we don't.
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 5th September 11:31
hornetrider said:
Surely not. Even his biggest fans will acknowledge he's nowhere near an international side, let alone Lions class.
Well quite, but I'm struggling to work out who else fits the "tanned wonder" tag? 
As for Henson, I think there's a huge doubt over whether he'll ever play for Wales again let alone the Lions. However, I really hope he takes the opportunity to put all the nonsense behind him and he makes a success of it at LW.
Can't wait for this....seriously thinking about going out for the Brisbane Test. One of my closest friends lives there and have "booked" his spare room.
As hornetrider said.....Pocock/Warburton will be key. You'd expect The Lions to dominate the scrum but that's obviously never a given with some referees interpretation of the rule book. I also think the back line will need to play with a lot more imagination that Wales did in the last six nations.
As hornetrider said.....Pocock/Warburton will be key. You'd expect The Lions to dominate the scrum but that's obviously never a given with some referees interpretation of the rule book. I also think the back line will need to play with a lot more imagination that Wales did in the last six nations.
TheGreatSoprendo said:
hornetrider said:
Surely not. Even his biggest fans will acknowledge he's nowhere near an international side, let alone Lions class.
Well quite, but I'm struggling to work out who else fits the "tanned wonder" tag? As for Henson, I think there's a huge doubt over whether he'll ever play for Wales again let alone the Lions. However, I really hope he takes the opportunity to put all the nonsense behind him and he makes a success of it at LW.
Note my use of "in theory" and earlier qualification of asking whether any of us seriously believe he will bother putting in the effort again to play at the top level.
Edited by DJRC on Wednesday 5th September 23:54
Even though it's miles away I'm really looking forward to the tour.
I'm just hoping that the home nations lads have a storming 6 nations and HC, stay fit, get battle hardened and give the selectors a real headache and lots of options.
Also, yes I'm a rabid taff but please lets not mention the orange one any longer, our shores have some excellent centre talents at the moment such as Roberts, BOD, Tuilagi, Scott Williams (watch this lad over the next few years, next Gibbs!), J.Davies, I'd possibly even add Hook to that list. Orange one need not be mentioned!
I'm just hoping that the home nations lads have a storming 6 nations and HC, stay fit, get battle hardened and give the selectors a real headache and lots of options.
Also, yes I'm a rabid taff but please lets not mention the orange one any longer, our shores have some excellent centre talents at the moment such as Roberts, BOD, Tuilagi, Scott Williams (watch this lad over the next few years, next Gibbs!), J.Davies, I'd possibly even add Hook to that list. Orange one need not be mentioned!
disco1 said:
Even though it's miles away I'm really looking forward to the tour.
I'll enjoy watching the rugby, but I just don't feel any emotional attachment to the Lions in the way I do watching an England tour.I know this makes me a rarity, and doubtless many will be on here accusing me of heresy by lunchtime, but whenever a Lions tour coincides with what is effectively a Saxons tour badged as an England tour, my main reaction is just to feel somewhat irked that England aren't putting out their best team because they've lost some players to the Lions.
Kermit power said:
disco1 said:
Even though it's miles away I'm really looking forward to the tour.
I'll enjoy watching the rugby, but I just don't feel any emotional attachment to the Lions in the way I do watching an England tour.I know this makes me a rarity, and doubtless many will be on here accusing me of heresy by lunchtime, but whenever a Lions tour coincides with what is effectively a Saxons tour badged as an England tour, my main reaction is just to feel somewhat irked that England aren't putting out their best team because they've lost some players to the Lions.
I bloody love the Lions Tours (2005 aside which was a shower of st, mainly due to selection IMO). I’ll be doing everything in my power to get out there for at lease one test.
Interesting that at this point several commentators are saying ‘it’s a must win series’ and one that the Lions ‘will be expected to win’. As much as it pains me to say you should never write off the Aussies even though IMO after watching the Tri Nations sorry, Rugby Championship with injuries and lack over cover they seem be on a downward trend at the moment but they have time to build momentum/blood new talent in the autumn internationals/Super 15 next season. Part of me thinks if we go for the power forward game we’ll potentially steam roller them but look how they defended against South Africa in the WC quarter final. And as someone else mentioned the referee’s interpretation on how the scrum and breakdown goes will be key as always.
Bit of chest beating from Toulon about not realesing GJ if they get to the French final but in reality would only miss the Barbarians game in HK? This also applies to a few other of the Welsh exports to France.
Was interesting listening on the radio about the first Lions Tour. 8-9 months with a squad of only 21, then one was dropped after being given £15 by his club to buy kit with and was dropped! Played some Aussie rules football too on the first tour.
t, mainly due to selection IMO). I’ll be doing everything in my power to get out there for at lease one test.Interesting that at this point several commentators are saying ‘it’s a must win series’ and one that the Lions ‘will be expected to win’. As much as it pains me to say you should never write off the Aussies even though IMO after watching the Tri Nations sorry, Rugby Championship with injuries and lack over cover they seem be on a downward trend at the moment but they have time to build momentum/blood new talent in the autumn internationals/Super 15 next season. Part of me thinks if we go for the power forward game we’ll potentially steam roller them but look how they defended against South Africa in the WC quarter final. And as someone else mentioned the referee’s interpretation on how the scrum and breakdown goes will be key as always.
Bit of chest beating from Toulon about not realesing GJ if they get to the French final but in reality would only miss the Barbarians game in HK? This also applies to a few other of the Welsh exports to France.
Was interesting listening on the radio about the first Lions Tour. 8-9 months with a squad of only 21, then one was dropped after being given £15 by his club to buy kit with and was dropped! Played some Aussie rules football too on the first tour.
disco1 said:
Kermit power said:
disco1 said:
Even though it's miles away I'm really looking forward to the tour.
I'll enjoy watching the rugby, but I just don't feel any emotional attachment to the Lions in the way I do watching an England tour.I know this makes me a rarity, and doubtless many will be on here accusing me of heresy by lunchtime, but whenever a Lions tour coincides with what is effectively a Saxons tour badged as an England tour, my main reaction is just to feel somewhat irked that England aren't putting out their best team because they've lost some players to the Lions.
Would you really rather watch a Lions tour over a Wales tour though?
Kermit power said:
I'll enjoy watching the rugby, but I just don't feel any emotional attachment to the Lions in the way I do watching an England tour.
I know this makes me a rarity, and doubtless many will be on here accusing me of heresy by lunchtime, but whenever a Lions tour coincides with what is effectively a Saxons tour badged as an England tour, my main reaction is just to feel somewhat irked that England aren't putting out their best team because they've lost some players to the Lions.
I'm with you, I can understand that for a player it's the only step up from being in the national side, but for a supporter I don't get it.I know this makes me a rarity, and doubtless many will be on here accusing me of heresy by lunchtime, but whenever a Lions tour coincides with what is effectively a Saxons tour badged as an England tour, my main reaction is just to feel somewhat irked that England aren't putting out their best team because they've lost some players to the Lions.
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