Winters coming;all inclusive rugby thread.

Corbs is knackered though isnt he like long term might not play again knackered. Kearney hasnt been great and his tackling is weak imo better options available. Visser would be a big risk v aus I think good defence out wide will be really important. Maitland looks good to me him or 1/2p on rightwing North on left. Lawes isnt in tbe england team so will struggle to make the lions. He certainly made a statement yesterday!!

Lee Mead has just retired from Rugby – heart condition. 🙁

Whereas Hartley has calmed down a bit, I always worry that Lawes is going to go too far and give penalties/yellow card away. But his an incredible athlete/enforcer when on top form.

Lee MeadMears has just retired from Rugby – heart condition.

So sad. A really top chap; came down to my club and coached a fair bit. Always bought holdalls full of Bath and England training kit for the lads too.

There are worries over his long term fitness, that said the Saints must be pretty confident that it isn’t career over. He’ll struggle to make it me thinks. Cole to LH and Jones at TH for the Lions? Gethin looks short of form and Healy is over rated for me. I guess Healy is actually in pole position though.

Edit. Very sad for Mears…does he part own the cafe/restaurant things with Stevens?

 Cole to LH and Jones at TH 

jesus christ!!

Sexton seems mentally tough enough to me, winning a few European cups while Farrell has only just nailed down his England place this weekend.

I was kidding man….I knew you’d like that one 8)

I would say Healy has been in pole position for a tour berth at loosehead (if not likely test starter) but may drop down the pecking order due to his upcoming ban (surely they are going to cite him, surely….)

Healey has his shoes polished, a smar suit, a remorsfull attitude and some nice choccy biscuits to share. He’ll get four weeks, reduced to two for saying sorry and sharing the biscuits.

That sounds about right AA, miss the Scotland game and back for France. The Scotland match is on a Sun so God’s prop would be at TH for them anyway

anagallis_arvensis – Member
Healey has his shoes polished, a smar suit, a remorsfull attitude and some nice choccy biscuits to share. He’ll get four weeks, reduced to two for saying sorry and sharing the biscuits.

Posted 7 minutes ago # Report-Post

Sorry,you are getting your hartleys mixed up with your Healeys. 😀

Sorry, typo with the props Tom. No Lawes because he does the same thing as Gray, just not as well imo,and gives away more pens.He also seems to have a hangover after being out for a while injured.I think you need a lock with dog and one who likes wide open spaces and I have been very impressed with Launchbury this season.

anagallis_arvensis – Member

jesus christ!!

Full back or wing?

Full back or wing?

Wing, dodgy hands I’ve heard

Nailed on as a centre for me

Nailed on as a centre for me

Nah. He’ll get pinged for crossing.
Being omnipresent, he’s gotta be an openside.

We’re all gonna burn

Healy cited, hopefully thats the last we will see of him in the 6N

What an idiot. That monumentally stupid move *could* (I dunno, do I?) have wrecked his lions chances.

No it won’t he is still the best LH available. Hopefully he will get the same board that saw fit to give Adam Thomson a one week ban for stamping on Strokosh’s head

Hardly a stamp of the same magnitude though was it.

Healey is he best 1 available to the Lions and I expect will be picked even if he misses the rest of the six nations. Marler and Grant would be next and Gethin did quite well against France so he might improve.

Healey is he best 1 available to the Lions and I expect will be picked even if he misses the rest of the six nations. Marler and Grant would be next and Gethin did quite well against France so he might improve.

He is. But. If Marler, Grant or Gethin have excellent games then they may well be able to edge Healy out of the test spot, and there would not be much he could do about it. He’d be in a better position if he were able to play, and Gats will certainly NOT be impressed with the Healy stamp of disapproval.
Of all the times to have a moment, the last few games before a lions tour is not really the smartest time to do it.

I wonder how much Coles ankle played out in the scrums. Healey did a number on Cole but got no change out of Adam the week before. Having one start and one to come on later will be great for the lions. Just watching the game again now. Ashtons defence is awful worse thann Cuthbert

Duckman has it pretty close IMO

Think Farrell will edge out Sexton

Back row is tough as there are a lot of good choices. Heaslip played him self out of contention for now at least. A few big games from him will be required to be back in the mix

Won’t gatland be more loyal to Welsh players though? I can see faletau getting in at 8 and i wouldn’t be surprised to see some other surprise Welsh inclusions. When ever the coach is a national coach they tend to go with what they know. Look at woodward in 2005

2005 was the lowest point of the Lions, Woodward and his idiotic selections nearly broke the Lions tradition.

Won’t gatland be more loyal to Welsh players though?

I’ve seen suggestions that the opposite may be the case – if he feels the need to show that he’s not being overly favourable to them.

The Leinster loose-head could be ruled out of the rest of Ireland’s Six Nations campaign if found guilty of “stamping or trampling on an opponent”.

IF? IF?[/i][/b]

The evidence, m’lud;

FFS

Well gatland is the coach and he can do whatever he damn pleases 😀
I shall be supporting (alas, from home) whoever he selects.

Hardly a stamp of the same magnitude though was it.

True a stamp to the head is much worse.

Faletau would hardly be an outragous pick for the squad.
If you look at what he’s picked for Wales size and fitness are his big things. Cant see him going for Fatties like Morgan or Waldron or little backs like Gilroy or Earls.

Earls shouldn’t be even mentioned in terms of Ireland let alone the Lions, I think he is one of the most overrated players in Ireland. He can’t defend at all yet insists that he is a centre

Picking up on what AA says, Cole is still a relative novice and has an iffy game every handful of matches, so I’d start with adam jones.

Cole is excellent at the breakdown though so maybe start with him. Dont know. If both stay fit its a hell of a choice.

Ok if not Earls how about Zebo?

Ok if not Earls how about Zebo?

IMHO, Y Gat will only choose one little flyer on the wing. As Shane’s retired, it’s between Zebo and Walker.

Sadly for Zebo, his injury might rule him out.

No surprise Healy Cited

I fancy Eli Walker or Christian Wade as the surprise pick.

I’ll be very suprised if any of them go tbh. Gatland loves a big lump.