Although apparently his genitals are not orange. Bitter disappointment.
Sadly I am hearing whispers that he may not play again (not Pat, Gav)
Shame, because he's in great nick, still fast, still sharp
Sad but he must be pushing 35 now isnt he? I was suprised he came back from his leg break. That 20 mins before Marler took him out showed what could have been.
From Stuff.co.nz
I loves Loopy Liam as he is our **** but not sure he'd be in my world 15, not sure about Dagg either. Obviously Henson would replace Faz if fit.
1. Jack McGrath (Ireland). The Irish loose-head has been building for a few years and enjoyed a breakout November as the Irish scrum took a major step forward under coach Greg Feek, the former All Black.
2. Dane Coles (New Zealand). Coles' work around the park is a bonus, albeit a sizeable one. His base game, his set-piece work, is outstanding. His lineout throwing in particular puts him ahead of Agustin Creevy.
3. Owen Franks (New Zealand). The most dominant scrummaging tight-head in world rugby, Juan Figallo, didn't play a test this year because of Argentina's selection policy and Franks added enough to his all-round game to head the rest of the field.
4. Brodie Retallick (New Zealand). He's not just the world's best lock but he's been in the top three players in the world for the past three years. On his way to a special place in All Blacks history.
5. Maro Itoje (England). Attitude, aggression, size, agility and intelligence. He bossed the Wallabies in June and is a certainty to tour with the Lions in 2017.
6. Chris Robshaw (England). Exceptional work rate makes him vital to resurgent England. Lesser players would have disappeared after the World Cup shambles.
7. David Pocock (Australia). There are better all-round No 7s - Sam Cane, Sean O'Brien - but I'm not sure they've quite put together a sufficient body of work in 2016. Pocock was hindered by being continually picked out of position but he's still a rock.
8. Kieran Read (New Zealand). It's true he's not at his peak, but give me Read over Billy Vunipola over 80 minutes any day. Undeniable, though, that a queue is forming behind Read with Vunipola and Taulupe Faletau at the front.
9. Conor Murray (Ireland). Big, physical, lump of a player in the flesh whose ability to put Ireland in the right part of the paddock is outstanding.
10. Beauden Barrett (New Zealand). Game management has improved out of sight and his ability to manufacture points out of nothing has set the All Blacks apart.
11. Liam Williams (Wales). This year represented a lull in the age of the power winger. Had to find room for this fellow because he has it all.
12. Owen Farrell (England). Mental toughness to rival the best because physically he is unremarkable. The world's best at building scoreboard pressure.
13. Jonathan Joseph (England). Defensive work has gone up a gear or two and he is now a real intercept master in the midfield of the type not seen since Jean de Villiers left the arena.
14. Israel Dagg (New Zealand). Isn't really a wing but that's fine because wings aren't really wings these days anyway. Reads the game instinctively and has somehow found a yard of pace previously thought lost.
15. Ben Smith (New Zealand). Liam Williams could have deposed him here but Smith's understanding with Beauden Barrett at No 10 was a thing of wonder.
I loves Loopy Liam as he is our **** but not sure he'd be in my world 15, not sure about Dagg either.
They've based that on the NZ/Wal series where Liam was outstanding. You couldn't really leave Dagg out, he's been consistently brilliant since coming back this year. It was a big mistake to rest him for the Chicago game where his ability to field high balls and to read the game well enough to know when to counter (and when not to) might have got them out of a hole.
I'd have picked Henshaw over Farrell, Vunipola over Read and any number of tightheads over Franks.
No comment on Howley in Lions - how odd? 😉
Hearing that London Irish have gone into liquidation - anybody got any news on that?
London Welsh I think are in trouble
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2016/12/06/exclusive-london-welsh-will-go-business-next-week/
any number of tightheads over Franks.
This one for a start!
[img] http://img2.thejournal.ie/inline/3091778/original/?width=700&version=3091778 [/img]
After clarification from my source (MsD) it's definitely London WELSH not Irish!
Maybe Sarries can lend them a few quid
London Welsh have been in trouble for a while....writing has been on the wall. Was the prem a poison chalice for them?
Wasn't there talk of them and London Scottish trying to join the Pro 12? They'd be better value than both of the Italian clubs that's for sure!
There was talk yes - but its never going to happen for a multitude of reasons. The RFU / PRL would not allow it. There is no room in the calender for more games as that would take the pro 12 to 14 teams. There is no desire in the pro 12 to do so. London Scottish are used as a feeder club by the SRU and we would lose that.
BBC reporting its L Welsh
Having watched Bath again last weekend I have to say Faletau was superb for the 20 mins he played. Probably couldn't have done much more other than score a 80m breakaway try! Outstanding player and by all accounts an all round nice bloke.
Vunipola over Read
It a tough choice and it will mirror the choice the Lions will need to make if both Vinipola and Faletau are fit. Read and Faletau the better all round players lineout option, tackles, turnovers, link play all above what Vunipola does but he carries so so well. Reminds me of 2001 Lions when Dilly Dally and Quinnel went it was all lined up to be a massive selection and then Dilly Dally got injured!
London Welsh are always in the shit.
Jersey too.
It a tough choice and it will mirror the choice the Lions will need to make if both Vinipola and Faletau are fit. Read and Faletau the better all round players lineout option, tackles, turnovers, link play all above what Vunipola does but he carries so so well
All good points but based on the recent internationals Faletau has been missing injured and Read has not been his normal self. He has not been getting involved in link play and popping up in the wider channels, probably because he's been doing more of the gruntwork.
Faletau and Read are both classier all round players than Big Billy but for sheer impact, over the past year, he's been the man.
For the Lions? Who knows? Faletau starting and Billy off the bench? Or maybe, as per 2001, one or both might go down injured and we'll have Heaslip and Nathan Hughes instead......
Heaslip has also been excellent this season too.
I think Vunipola would suit Gatlands style. He is an interesting one. completely predictable in what he will do but still very hard to stop
Billy's a more intelligent player than he gets credit for. His positioning is spot on. Heaslip does offer a lot around the park though, a great all-rounder even if he doesn't quite have the punch that not toby and billy offer.
Welsh really in the shit,unlikely to finish the season. Same foolishness as London Scottish 20 odd years ago.I had some cracking,cracking times playing at dead deer park. Just over the wall from Richmond and they were our real derby, you saw so much of the Richmond boys you struggled to stamp on them with a clear conscience. You played Welsh and they(London urbanites or not) turned into a valley 15, all fury and 30 man brawls. Gawd knows what they did to Richmond as they had the double whammy of being both a derby AND English. But then in all fairness AA seems to hate us all equally so maybe they were the same. 😛
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Not a bad team. To be honest I think the 2nd 11 will be pretty strong this time too.
No Itoje is a bit special!!
anagallis_arvensis - Member
No Itoje is a bit special
Only when you take it out of context. That was his lions xv from the AIs and Itoje didn't play so isn't eligible to be in it.
McGrath
Ford
Cole
Itoje
AWJ
Robshaw
Haskell
Faletau
Youngs
Sexton
Trimble
Farrell
J Davies
Watson
Halfpenny
Ain't a bad reserve team!!
With Howley as backs coach, it'll be a blood bath whoever plays if the Welsh attack this autumn was anything to go by!
It'll be interesting to see who they pick.
Was interesting to see the NZ guys pick a few English backs like Farrell (who has been very good out of position).
Hasn't Farrell always played Eng age rugby at 12 outside Ford?
He's played 10 as well I'm sure - in fact I think he was playing 10 for England whilst playing 12 outside Hodgeson for his club...
Lions still too far away, the 6 nations form will decide (possibly due to who's left standing!)
Oh, he's played 10 plenty for England, but I was just pointing out he's played 12 plenty too, and he's looking a natural there a the moment.
With Howley as backs coach, it'll be a blood bath
He's shit but no one else would do it!!
Anyone watching the Varsity match? Its weird to see rugby being played by normal(ish) sized blokes
Would hate to be the chef for La Rochelle!!
Anyone watching the Varsity match?
One of ours (charlie amesbury) played in that match didn't he? Did you notice how he got on by chance?
Heard him mentioned a few times. Can't say owt beyond that
Blonde hair, back 3, ring any bells?
Aye - he was playing and as I say mentioned a few times by the commentators. One of the more obvious players on the pitch
On another topic - anyone give Glasgow a chance away to racing? Should be picking from a full strength squad more or less and they need to atone for some disasters in the last few weeks. gonna be one heck of an ask tho.
Put a nice hit in!
https://twitter.com/VarsityMatch/status/807244457343090688
Frodo's mate just put in a massive hit on the Grenoble full back. Fist time I have seen him play since his injury. Keelan Giles scored 2 as well in a 7-59 away win!!
Quite the rout!
Meanwhile in Northampton.....has Hartely just been sent off?! Bloody Cricfree has crashed!
It would appear he has!
Swinging arm to the back of the head of Sean O'Brien. Stupid, needless. Not his normal brand of nasty cheating. 🙂
Happened right in front of me, SOB was really putting a shift in 'til then.
