British and Irish Lions Tour of Australia

Discussion in 'Rugby Union Discussion' started by chris473, Apr 30, 2013.

Page 75 of 76

  1. The Boy Brumby ZJ Brumby

    I guess with his State coach taking the reigns of the national side we can expect to see Cooper back in the Wobbly #10 jersey soon.

    Quite right too; it's pretty sad the country of Ella, Lynagh & Larkham is reduced to playing a wing with a half decent step at fly half.
     
    The Boy Brumby, Jul 9, 2013
    #1481

  2. Howe JHF Howe

    O'Connor is easy to blame because the solution is obvious, so most of the criticism will focus around that. But the Aussies are fucked until they sort out their tight 5, and everyone seems to have gone a bit quiet on finding replacements, suggesting it's a much bigger problem
     
    Howe, Jul 9, 2013
    #1482

  3. Skippos SM Morgan

    We went toe to toe with the Lions for a good while with an average tight 5. Fucking O'Connor back to the wing is an improvement so I'd hardly say we're fucked with our current 5 given we're what? 3 in the world with some average decisions anyway.
     
    Skippos, Jul 9, 2013
    #1483

  4. BoyBlunder BOY Blunder

    Decent fly half and you've got an immense backline for a few years to come
     
    BoyBlunder, Jul 9, 2013
    #1484

  5. Sultan Pepper HG Emm

    British and Irish Lions should be the worlds best side by rights. Fuck O'Connor off out of the flyhalf spot and the Lollabies win the first two matches imo, which would've been a massive accomplishment.
     
    Sultan Pepper, Jul 9, 2013
    #1485

  6. Sultan Pepper HG Emm

    I missed the 3rd match and as I always say I'm not expert. But if Beale is going to be fullback, then I think Barnes should be the long term fly half.
     
    Sultan Pepper, Jul 9, 2013
    #1486

  7. Jabba HJ Bots

    How does this lions team rate to previous ones? how many players in the alltime lions team would be picked from their performances in the last 2-4 years
     
    Jabba, Jul 9, 2013
    #1487

  8. The Boy Brumby ZJ Brumby

    It's a functional Lions side and reflects the current strengths of British Isles' rugby: strong tight five and big cattle in the backs. Although it's maybe instructive that size isn't everything that the relatively petite Leigh Halfpenny (think at 5' 10" he's the only non six footer in the starting line up for the third test) was our player of the tour.

    As for an AT Lions XV, none of the current crop would trouble the selectors too much. George North might just conceivably have a shot, especially if he backs up in 2017, but even Halfpenny isn't going to displace JPR Williams from #15.
     
    The Boy Brumby, Jul 9, 2013
    #1488

  9. Mike ML Martyn

    It's funny when you think about it but if Beale makes that kick in the first test Australia win the series.

    Some of the players in the Australian backline are ridiculous, especially the back three. Folau, Beale, Ioane and Mogg. Return O'Connor to his rightful position on the wing and talent-wise you're stronger there than any other country in the world.
     
    Mike, Jul 9, 2013
    #1489

  10. Howe JHF Howe

    Bowe? O'Connell? O'Driscoll? Adam Jones? Admittedly for previous years' stuff.

    What's really interesting about this team is you'd expect most of them to be going to NZ where they can really stake a claim
     
    Last edited: Jul 9, 2013
    Howe, Jul 9, 2013
    #1490

  11. Mike ML Martyn

    Carter/McCaw won't be around for us either
     
    Mike, Jul 9, 2013
    #1491

  12. BoyBlunder BOY Blunder

    Im not going to speak for all time but I reckon only 3 from the 15 on sat would have a shout at making the team of the last 16 years
     
    BoyBlunder, Jul 9, 2013
    #1492

  13. BoyBlunder BOY Blunder

    Bowe no. I rate North higher and neither are ahead of the god which is Jason Robinson
     
    BoyBlunder, Jul 9, 2013
    #1493

  14. Skippos SM Morgan

    Yeah

    9. Genia
    10. Cooper
    11. Ioane
    12. Leali'ifano (sp?)
    13. meh
    14. Folau
    15. Mogg

    I mean, that's something else already. You could probably put one of Beale/JOC at outside centre but it'd be overkill. I mean the fact that I can't even fit Beale in itself is a testament to how much potential is there. Barnes too, those fellas and JOC would be challenging Leallifano for the second five spot, I'd say. And I'm forgetting blokes too.

    Some of the young fellas coming through too - Lucas, Harris, Tomane, Tapaui, Horne - staggering depth.

    It's just the forwards that are the worry. They're old and average. Not much youth coming through and arguably our two best in the front 8 are in the same fucking position in Hooper and Pocock, and our best youngsters both are opensides too in Hooper and Gill. fucking ridiculous.

    I think we're set at openside and slipper's a really handy prop. Sio's got a bit to work with but aside from that we've got nothing. Absolutely nothing. I'm glad McKenzie plans to play the game he is as it's really the only way we're going to do anything with the forwards we've got over the next few years.
     
    Skippos, Jul 9, 2013
    #1494

  15. Howe JHF Howe

    Ashley-Cooper was pretty damn good too. The backs really aren't a problem at all
     
    Last edited: Jul 9, 2013
    Howe, Jul 9, 2013
    #1495

  16. chris473 CJ Devonshire

    Well with McKenzie making the Reds fowards pretty decent he might be able to do the same with the Wallabies and get more consistency from them
     
    chris473, Jul 9, 2013
    #1496

  17. BoyBlunder BOY Blunder

    Yeh agreed
     
    BoyBlunder, Jul 9, 2013
    #1497

  18. Droos JP Rhodes

    I agree with the principle that Skip is bringing to the table in that Aus needs to play the most potent possible backline because their forwards, especially the tight forwards, aren't up to scratch, so their backline needs to be able to do a lot of damage.
     
    Droos, Jul 10, 2013
    #1498

  19. The Boy Brumby ZJ Brumby

    Bowe's no chance; he's got guys like JJ Williams, Dai Duckham, Ieuen (sp?) Evans and Jason Robinson to get past.

    Ditto O'Connell; Willie John McBride and Johnno are mortal locks (ha, see what I did there?) for the second row with Broon frae Troon not far behind. I'd personally have him behind the prosaic (ie violent) charms of Ackford & Dooley too.

    O'Driscoll's a maybe, I suppose. Still got guys like Gerald Davies, Mike Gibson, Gusgitt & Geech himself to contend with.

    Adam Jones is definitely behind Fran Cotton and probably Sean Lynch too.
     
    The Boy Brumby, Jul 10, 2013
    #1499

  20. Cribbage RG Cribb

    I do wonder how much of this has to do with the fact that backs can cross over from league to union with relative ease in a league-dominated country. I know only two of the back options mentioned have ever played league at a professional level but I wonder how many of them benefited from playing a bit of league as kids. Not because league better prepares you for union intrinsically or anything like that, but because it's more popular here so they'd get more exposure to better opposition, better junior coaches etc. Playing league is never really going to help you as a union forward so it might be partially why Australia's forwards are lagging in comparison.
     
    Cribbage, Jul 10, 2013
    #1500
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