B&I Lions 2017

[antipodean]

@rotated said in B&I Lions 2017:

Ayoub will TMO all three tests.

How the fuck is he employed?

[Stargazer]

I don't like Romain Poite. He's always micro-managing a game, using his whistle way too often. He also loves handing out cards. Well, at least when I'm watching Top 14 games.

[MajorPom]

@Stargazer Which is exactly why the journo's up north love him. I think there is a strong expectation that there are going to be at least 2-3 Yellows and probably a red against the AB's in each test, as they are finally "refereed properly".

[Stargazer]

@MajorRage I think you should qualify that "journos up north" though. A lot of Frenchies I talk to, dislike the guy with a vengeance. If you're right, it's "journos in the UK & Ireland".

[MajorPom]

@Stargazer Fair call. Although from what I've understood about French fans, alot of them are firmly on the ABs are cheats and refs a lenient to them bandwagon!!

[Derm McCrum]

@Stargazer said in B&I Lions 2017:

@MajorRage I think you should qualify that "journos up north" though. A lot of Frenchies I talk to, dislike the guy with a vengeance. If you're right, it's "journos in the UK & Ireland".

Errr. No.

[Margin_Walker]

I agree. It's hard to move up here without stumbling across a Romain Poite puff piece in the press.

[Derm McCrum]

@Margin_Walker said in B&I Lions 2017:

I agree. It's hard to move up here without stumbling across a Romain Poite puff piece in the press.

Err No!!

[Margin_Walker]

@Pot-Hale said in B&I Lions 2017:

@Margin_Walker said in B&I Lions 2017:

I agree. It's hard to move up here without stumbling across a Romain Poite puff piece in the press.

Err No!!

[Billy Tell]

So what are we thinking people? 4 locks?

Whitelock & Retallick.

Then 2 from Romano, Barrett, tuipolotu and a resurgent bird.

Anyone else?

[Frye]

@Billy-Tell said in B&I Lions 2017:

So what are we thinking people? 4 locks?

Whitelock & Retallick.

Then 2 from Romano, Barrett, tuipolotu and a resurgent bird.

Anyone else?

Franklin should be in the discussion. Maybe Fifita too if he returns and hits form.

But Romano, Barrett and Tuipulotu are probably the front runners.

I'm certainly not concerned about our lock depth. (Y'know as long as we actually pick locks and aren't trying to throw games)

[rotated]

@Billy-Tell said in B&I Lions 2017:

So what are we thinking people? 4 locks?

Whitelock & Retallick.

Then 2 from Romano, Barrett, tuipolotu and a resurgent bird.

Anyone else?

Good call on having Bird at least in the frame. I am a huge Tuipolotu & Blues fan - absolutely love his game and he has been pretty good all things considered this season - but jeez Bird this year has something about him that makes me want to see him in black this season and coming off the bench.

[Billy Tell]

@rotated said in B&I Lions 2017:

@Billy-Tell said in B&I Lions 2017:

So what are we thinking people? 4 locks?

Whitelock & Retallick.

Then 2 from Romano, Barrett, tuipolotu and a resurgent bird.

Anyone else?

Good call on having Bird at least in the frame. I am a huge Tuipolotu & Blues fan - absolutely love his game and he has been pretty good all things considered this season - but jeez Bird this year has something about him that makes me want to see him in black this season and coming off the bench.

I personally think Bird will miss out, simply because to include him would involve ditching recent ABs in Barrett, Tuipolotu and Romano who are all currently in good form. I imagine he would command decent money in Europe, it's hard to see how Canterbury/the Chiefs/NZRU would find a way to keep him here. I hope Hansen at least initially names an extended squad, so he can include players like Bird, and let them know they are not out of the picture.

[Rembrandt]

Any word on the size of the abs squad for the Lions?

[Tim]

Chris Rattue has picked his bolter:

Here's my All Blacks bolter - Michael Collins.

[taniwharugby]

@Rembrandt cant find the 2005 squad, but we used 45 ABs that year.

http://www.allblacks.com/Teams/AllBlacks/Previous/80

[antipodean]

@Tim

[MiketheSnow]

Composite Lions XV, from the selections of 20 leading pundits, created by the Western Mail.

Not sure who those pundits are, but it's an interesting team....4 Welsh, 1 Scot, 6 English and 4 Irish.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/definitive-lions-xv-experts-picked-12803029

Here's my take

B&I Lions XV

15 Stuart Hogg
14 George North
13 Jonathan Joseph
12 Owen Farrell
11 Liam Williams
10 George Ford
9 Rhys Webb

1 Mako Vunipola
2 Ken Owens
3 Tadhg Furlong
4 AW Jones
5 Maro Itoje
6 Ross Moriarty
7 Sam Warburton
8 Billy Vunipola

Replacements:
Joe Marler, Jamie George, Dan Cole, Joe Launchbury, Justin Tipuric
Connor Murray, Elliot Daly, Leigh Halfpenny

[Catogrande]

@MiketheSnow Not bad but I would be concerned about the goal kicking if Farrell went off. That would mean a major re-shuffle to get Halfpenny on the pitch. I'd take Sexton over Ford for just that reason (plus his superior game management and "character").

[gollum]

I can't see any way if he's fit Sexton is not at 10.

He wont stay fit, but for the brief time he is, he'll be first choice at 10 with Farrell outside him slotting into 10 at the 60 minute mark when Sexton fails his 3rd concussion test of the game & goes off for a full shoulder reconstruction.