2013: The Lions Tour Look Ahead

[RedCard]

I hate to be a doom and gloom merchant but I can genuinely see this tour not happening; enthusiasm for this Murdoch drenched anachronism is waining in the NH IMHO. I will certainly not be supporting it in any way as apart from anything else it continues to place SH teams on a pedestal which results at this RWC have shown you fellas don't really warrant. Much better for nation to play nation in proper 3 match tours than piss about with this artificial construct which is nothing but a money printing exercise for Murdoch. Would add that after the racist filth emanating from Wales regarding Alain Rolland and the Irish nation I will never support a team with a welsh player in it again.

I would think it's a small minority that go over the top, most just argue the toss on whether it's a red or yellow. Bringing up the case that Rolland has a French Father isn't a big deal. Most of us are outside of that racist stereotype you are trying to indicate.






Besides, don't know what the big issue is as it's just a Froggy half breed we are talking about! (Should I add a laughing smiley at this stage?)

 

[Dai bando]

Well said RC, I think Paddy has his own personal agenda, For a nation to be volatile after expecting so much and then to be denied it by a referee who against a game between Eng&Wal only a week before the WC let a very simlar offence go, I think one is entitled to be a little aggrieved,

We don't discuss it any more paddy I suggest you do likewise.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

The only solution is to appoint refs from, as Rex Mossop, would say wandering nomads:
With a name like O'Brien there would be Irish in paddy, and Walsh is kiwi in fact but is recorded as Aussie, Bryce would have Anglo Celtic genes and so on....
Refs do not cheat


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[the plastic paddy]

Well said RC, I think Paddy has his own personal agenda, For a nation to be volatile after expecting so much and then to be denied it by a referee who against a game between Eng&Wal only a week before the WC let a very simlar offence go, I think one is entitled to be a little aggrieved,

We don't discuss it any more paddy I suggest you do likewise.

Made my final post on the matter on the wales v france thread no reply so far. Stand by the comment about the racist shite coming out of Wales by the way but wouldn't say that would include anyone on this site. Would like to see the lions wound up myself, although given how lucrative the sky money is it won't be happening any time soon. If we keep saying we need to pool 4 nations together to compete with the SH teams we will keep needing to pool 4 nations together to compete with the SH teams. We have to get over ourselves up north, Ireland beat Aus in a must win game at the RWC, You lot should have beaten SA although it wasn't a bad one to lose. We can compete one on one and shouldn't be pissing about with this cap doffing bollix to the 'superior' SH teams.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Sorry Paddy but in which part of the northern hemisphere is enthusiasm waning ?

I know lots of Scots, Welshman and Irishmen who are all planning on going let alone a few Englishmen who have been on every tour since 2001.

Don't let your apparent hatred of all Welsh people be smeared by a few.

Ranger (Englishman and Lions supporter)

I Don't hate any Welsh people I just said I won't support a team with Welsh people in it after the racist filth that has come out of Wales concerning Alain Rolland.

 

[Cardiffblue]

I Don't hate any Welsh people I just said I won't support a team with Welsh people in it after the racist filth that has come out of Wales concerning Alain Rolland.

I can't reply to the racist slurs post cos I haven't actually seen any? This stuff hasn't reached Oz. The idea that a ref can't perform fairly cos his dad/ mum/ aunty came for France is riduculous- straight out ot the Spiro Zavos book of the paranoid. But the journos like him are constantly whippng this stuff about nationalism and NH vs SH.

I haven't seen any evidence of bias in the reffing. I've seen plenty of bad refs mind. In previous RWCs I've often thought one of the advantages we have is that we don't get the Welsh refs, since they often seemed amongst the worst.

Seen Jeremy Gussett's team for the Lions tour on the BBC website?

there's very little difference between Best NH teams and SH, 'cept for ABs. Previous dominance comes down to the squad system. The Australians are together for ages and hardly play for clubs. We have to fight to release players. this time Cement Head has had the bois since the 6N and it shows.

 

[the plastic paddy]

I can't reply to the racist slurs post cos I haven't actually seen any? This stuff hasn't reached Oz. The idea that a ref can't perform fairly cos his dad/ mum/ aunty came for France is riduculous- straight out ot the Spiro Zavos book of the paranoid. But the journos like him are constantly whippng this stuff about nationalism and NH vs SH.

I haven't seen any evidence of bias in the reffing. I've seen plenty of bad refs mind. In previous RWCs I've often thought one of the advantages we have is that we don't get the Welsh refs, since they often seemed amongst the worst.

Seen Jeremy Gussett's team for the Lions tour on the BBC website?

there's very little difference between Best NH teams and SH, 'cept for ABs. Previous dominance comes down to the squad system. The Australians are together for ages and hardly play for clubs. We have to fight to release players. this time Cement Head has had the bois since the 6N and it shows.

Agree with you wholeheartedly about the refs not being biased. Don't want to bring up the shit about the SW business again but one thing that makes me uncomfortable is the whole directive culture. One man i.e Paddy O'Brien should not have so much control over the game IMHO. That does not mean that I don't think it was a red card I hasten to add!?!

 

[Jets]

http://www.lionsrugby.com/news/10330.php

Jerry Guscott says the Lions Test side would be dominated by Welshmen and Irishmen if it were picked today.

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The Lions travel to Australia in two years’ time and, based on current form, Guscott says his starting team for the first international against the Wallabies would feature just two Englishmen and not a single Scot.

All that is likely to change by May 2013 but the former Lions and England centre’s thoughts make interesting reading.

Of his starting side, eight are Welsh and five Irish, with those two countries also making up the entire forward pack. Almost half the team were Lions in 2009, while Gethin Jenkins and Paul O’Connell are the only two to remain from 2005.

A third of the side hadn’t even played international rugby before the Lions left for South Africa two years ago, with Sean O’Brien and Sam Warburton winning their first caps in 2009, George North making his debut in 2010 and Manu Tuilagi and Rhys Priestland following suit in 2011.

There is no place for the likes of Chris Ashton or James Hook, while the omission of players coming towards the close of their international careers such as Brian O’Driscoll, Ronan O’Gara and Jonny Wilkinson means there isn’t a single survivor from the Lions’ last tour to Australia 10 seasons ago.

Jerry Guscott’s Lions XV


15 Ben Foden (England)

14 George North (Wales)

13 Manu Tuilagi (England)

12 Jamie Roberts (Wales)

11 Keith Earls (Ireland)

10 Rhys Priestland (Wales)

9 Mike Phillips (Wales)


1 Gethin Jenkins (Wales)

2 Rory Best (Ireland)

3 Adam Jones (Wales)

4 Luke Charteris (Wales)

5 Paul O'Connell (Ireland)

6 Sean O'Brien (Ireland)

7 Sam Warburton (Wales)

8 Jamie Heaslip (Ireland)

 

[JimboJoe1006]

Guscott's team looks mighty strong, with that likes of Halfpenny/Bowe, Youngs, Cole and Gray on the bench.

 

[Braveheart81]

Surely Richie Gray has to get a gig just so people don't forget that Scotland is part of Britain & Ireland.

 

[Ruggo]

Davies over Tuialagi any day of the week.

 

[TheNextBigThing]

Surely Richie Gray has to get a gig just so people don't forget that Scotland is part of Britain & Ireland.

Richie Gray is a beneficiary of having a recognizable hairstyle. Latest in a long line of quite good players who's distinctive melon gets them raps.

That said he probably deserves a spot in the squad.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Richie Gray is a beneficiary of having a recognizable hairstyle. Latest in a long line of quite good players who's distinctive melon gets them raps.

That said he probably deserves a spot in the squad.

Think that is a bit unfair. Have seen a fair amount of him playing in the Magners League and HEC and he more than holds his own in a very poor team. Very good player IMHO, certainly better at the moment than Courtney 'the enforcer' Lawes who is in danger of turning into the new Danny Grewcock. Bear in mind Paul O'Connell will only be 34 by the time the next Lions tour comes around and would not have the miles on the clock that many 34 year olds have given significant time out with injury. No shortage of good locks in Britain and Ireland, keep an eye out for an ex one of yours, Dan Tuohy; plays for Ulster and has played a couple of tests for Ireland including against you fellas in june 2010 I think. Wyn Jones a cracking player, Charteris has been a complete revelation and Bradley Davies is not the worst. If Donnacha Ryan gets a good run for Ireland in next 6 nations think he will surprise a few. Probably one of the most competitive areas of the lot lions wise.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Davies over Tuialagi any day of the week.

13 is weak area IMHO, Think Tuilagi will be playing league within a year anyway and Roberts was superb inside BOD for Lions in 09 but BOD will not make this tour, his left shoulder is completely fucked and I hope he packs it in before he ends up crippled. Lots will laugh at me but I really like the scottish lad Ansbro, not a bish bash bosh merchant and underated IMHO. Davies has obviously had a good RWC. Anyway 2 years is a fecking long time.

 

[light]

Yeah I'm with you PP, Ansbro would be my choice too. Eoin Murray would have a good case for a prop position as well. Give it two years and Ben Youngs will probably be a superstar of English rugby based on potential, he will be thereabouts.

 

[mountburra]

IMO, good article from Cully re this tour as it's roughly shaping up post-RWC 2011.

Sort of ironically amusing headline: "...the next big test for the Wallabies...".

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...ig-test-for-the-wallabies-20111019-1m6wx.html

Btw, here are the provisional dates for the 2013 Tests:

Saturday 22 June 2013, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Saturday 29 June 2013, Etihad Stadium, Melbourne
Saturday 6 July 2013, ANZ Stadium, Sydney

whats the best way to get in early for tickets ???

 

[RedsHappy]

whats the best way to get in early for tickets ???

I don't think there's any tickets on sale yet, except maybe in full tour packages. See, for example:
http://www.weloverugby.com/lions/

THe ARU's main site www.rugby.com.au will likely be amongst the first to announce ticket availability for the BIL tour.

 

[Ulrich]

I honestly think this Lions team will be stronger than the one that faced the Boks in 2009, although I think ultimately it may be less experienced. Only time will tell. I just for the life of me can't imagine anyone other than a UK&IRE coach motivating a team concisting of UK&IRE players...