Winters coming;all inclusive rugby thread.

Schmidts a good choice. Although i am suprised as I thought Bradley had left Edinburgh to go for the Ireland job 🙂

Kearney, Hogg,

Bowe, Halpee, Maitland

BOD, JDavies, Tuilagi

Madigan, Robberts,

Zebo, North

Sexton, farrell

C.Murray, Phillips, Youngs

Healy, Jenkins, Vunipola

Strauss, Best, Youngs

Mike Ross, AJones, E.Murray

POC, AWJ, Hines

Doncha Ryan, Richie Gray,

P O’Mahoney, Croft,

SOB, Tipuric, Warburton

Heaslip, Faletau

Jeremy Guscotts from the BBC site.

Props

Cian Healy, Ryan Grant, Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones, Dan Cole

Hookers

Rory Best, Richard Hibbard, Ken Owens

Locks

Alun-Wyn Jones, Paul O’Connell, Joe Launchbury, Ian Evans, Richie Gray

Flankers

Justin Tipuric, Sam Warburton, Tom Wood, Sean O’Brien, Tom Croft

Number eights

Toby Faletau, Ben Morgan

Scrum-halves

Mike Phillips, Ben Youngs, Danny Care

Fly-halves

Johnny Sexton, James Hook

Centres

Jamie Roberts, Jonathan Davies, Manu Tuilagi, Brian O’Driscoll, Billy Twelvetrees

Wingers

George North, Tommy Bowe, Simon Zebo, Sean Maitland, Alex Cuthbert

Full-backs

Leigh Halfpenny, Rob Kearney

apart from Morgan, I like that! I’d take Heaslip instead.

Good to see Ken Owens getting a mention too- he been developing nicely for Wales

I think Woody had Ken Owens as his pick, he must see something there as well. No Farrell from Guscott

As it’s the “all-inclusive rugby thread” can I just shout up for Huddersfield U 15s who humped beat Otley Zebras 15 nowt in the Yorkshire cup yesterday? 😀

That Guscott squad is a joke surely! Or did Robshaw not have a good enough six nations?! and Richie Grey….seriously 😯

BEST
MINI
RUGBY
SHIRT

EVER!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-22280880

Ken Owens is an excellent Hooker but like maybe other welsh borderline picks I dont think he’ll go as a lot of welsh will and Gatland needs to be seen to be including all.

My best guess:
Leigh Halfpenny, Stuart Hogg

George North, Tommy Bowe, Alex Cuthbert, Simon Zebo

BOD, Manu Tuilagi, Jamie Roberts, Jonathan Davies, Hook

Jonny Sexton, Owen Farrell, Henson

Mike Phillips, Murry, Ben Youngs

Gethin Jenkins, Cian Healy, Ryan Grant, Adam Jones, Dan Cole, Euan Murray

Richard Hibbard, Rory Best, Tom Youngs

Alun Wyn Jones, POC, Ian Evans, Joe Launchbury, Parling

Dan Lydiate, Robshaw, SOB, Sam Warburton (c), Justin Tipuric

Toby Faletau, Johnnie Beattie

One of those is a joke by the way 😆

One of those is a joke by the way

BOD!

Comedy genius! 😀

Only the one a_a!! 🙂

Warburton will definitely go, but is he best left without the captaincy? Losing it didn’t seem to do him any harm against England.

Warburton will definitely go, but is he best left without the captaincy?

Yes. Best without the armband.

AWJ or POC as captain for me.

Can we take this guy as a wildcard please?

With Warburton its not the armband that worries me its the head guard, you hardly ever see him play well when he’s got a head gaurd on. I thinks its due to one too many bangs on the head.

Right then 😀

3 Scrum halves- Phillips, Laidlaw, Youngs
3 Fly halves- Sexton, Farrel, Hook
4 Centres- BOD, Roberts, Tuilagi, Davies
4 Wings- North, Cuthbert, Maitland, Hogg
2 Full backs- 1/2p, Kearney

6 Props A Jones, Healy, Cole, Jenkins, Murray, Vinupola
3 Hookers Hibbard, Best, Owens
5 Locks AW Jones, Launchbury, Parling, Ian Evans, POC
5 Flankers Warburton, Robshaw, Tipuric, O’Brien, D. Ryan
2 No 8’s Faletau, Morgan

POC/ BOD as “squad captains” I think.

So, today is the day!

Indeed, it all starts now. Then the arguments will be about what test XV. Fantastic!

Sssshhhh im in work, whats the best website to have the live announcement minimized in my taskbar????

Chris Ashton gets a text….

Courtesy of – https://twitter.com/WelshDalaiLama

^ 😀

Very good

😆

Arf! 😆

I think anyone brave/ stupid enough to suggest Ashton in their Lions squad prediction should automatically get the win if he is in… for the sheer outrageousness of it all 🙂

What time are we expecting the announcement?

11am press conference is due to start

Well that was quick!

Full-backs:
Leigh Halfpenny, Stuart Hogg, Rob Kearney
Wings:
Tommy Bowe, Sean Maitland, George North, Alex Cuthbert
Centres:
Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, Brian O’Driscoll, Manu Tuilagi
Fly-halves:
Owen Farrell, Jonathan Sexton
Scrum-halves:
Mike Phillips, Ben Youngs, Conor Murray
Props:
Cian Healy, Adam Jones, Dan Cole, Matt Stevens, Mako Vunipola, Gethin Jenkins
Hookers:
Dylan Hartley, Richard Hibbard, Tom Youngs
Locks:
Alun Wyn Jones, Paul O’Connell, Geoff Parling, Richie Gray, Ian Evans
Back row:
Toby Faletau, Jamie Heaslip, Dan Lydiate, Sean O’Brien, Justin Tipuric, Tom Croft, Sam Warburton

Loving Sky’s coverage:

ROBSHAW AND WILKINSON NOT IN LIONS SQUAD!

Obviously everyone in all four nations are very interested in which English players aren’t going 🙄

Should be easy enough to pick the 1XV from that lot. Wales back three, spoilt for rest of the back, Great props, mixed bunch at 2, and great back row.

Looking forward to it!

Score of 28/37 for me. 😀

Seems I know least about Hooker and and the back row 😀

That squad is a joke! Croft in place of Robshaw?! **** me!

Robshaw a victim of playing out of position.He is a very good six,but an average seven. Stevens and Gray VERY lucky, who is the wildcard?

Bit of a risk with only two number 10’s. Pity Hook isn’t trusted.

Stevens and Gray are hilarious picks. Stevens is the wildcard I guess.

Hogg is 10 cover I guess.

No risk of not having enough players in any one position as such as injuries can easily be covered with a new plane ticket

The Lions can name an entirely Welsh team minus fly half which I think most would agree is the only position lacking for Wales. A_A was on to something with the pro-welsh talk after all 😉

Stevens is in for his singing.

Agree Tom and there is already one token so why the need for Gray. Sorry that’s harsh on Hogg. I hope the big three Irish names live up to their experience and true potential. I thougt Keanrey was average in 6N, but it doesn’t matter at 1/2p is a shoe in. And BoD was disappointing. If picked I hope he has a good swansong this time without the over-zealous defence!

Warburton as captain too! Gonna be an interesting back row Warbs Tips Falatau?

Feel a bit deflated seeing that squad

Disappointed there are only 3 Scots especially when one is Richie Gray.

Only one of the scrum halves has a decent pass on him.

There is only one regular inside centre and he is pass shy.

EDIT: As far as i know Hogg has never played at 10 but has played 13 a bit for Glasgow this year

Mmmm interesting choices some a bit bizzare, this will be Gatlands legacy as a coach as well.

If the best of that lot play well they should see off Australia.

The samoan will have to learn to pass 😆 Roberts and BOD 4 years on will they still have that magic?