B&I Lions 2017
-
For all the reminiscing and rehashing of things, this tour is likely to be "the last great rugby tour" as I heard someone describe it recently.
It's against New Zealand for starters.
It's against a lot of tough sides crammed into a short space of time. No room for the faint-hearted.
It's a Mission Improbable yet everyone will watch just to see if the improbable could become possible - outside of NZ anyway.
The next tour is going to be under new global agreement in 2021 against South Africa. Who knows where South African rugby will be at that stage. The revised touring schedule with tours moved to July was immediately gobbled up by the English Premiership clubs saying they were moving their final to the end of June and saying they were still going to start the season in September. As a bone-headed move following at least some element of sensible re-ordering of the global season, this takes some beating. At least, the PRO12 intends to shorten their league season, start later and finish sooner (well so far they've said that, but let's see what the English and French clubs decide to do with the European Cup).
With that grabbing of the empty space in June, there will now be concerted calls to shorten the Lions tour to 7-8 matches, to provide some prep time in-country before the tour starts.
Eventually, it's possible that by the time NZ's turn rolls around again, there'll have been a decision to just do some prep-time and have a three-test series.
So I for one, will watch this one with even greater interest.
@Pot-Hale said in B&I Lions 2017:
The next tour is going to be under new global agreement in 2021 against South Africa. Who knows where South African rugby will be at that stage. The revised touring schedule with tours moved to July was immediately gobbled up by the English Premiership clubs saying they were moving their final to the end of June and saying they were still going to start the season in September. As a bone-headed move following at least some element of sensible re-ordering of the global season, this takes some beating. At least, the PRO12 intends to shorten their league season, start later and finish sooner (well so far they've said that, but let's see what the English and French clubs decide to do with the European Cup).
I hadn't heard that mate but it's all too believable. Madess if it happens.
-
Visited planet rugby to see the reaction to that long article linked to here today, best post was from an English poster.
"Woodward really should take the psychopath test. I bet he'd find that rather than being a once in a lifetime visonary genius, he's actually sat naked eating shit out of an ice-cream tub in front of his fridge full of fannies."
-
Liins team announcement this evening around 9/10pm Irish time apparently.
-
Liins team announcement this evening around 9/10pm Irish time apparently.
@Pot-Hale said in B&I Lions 2017:
Liins team announcement this evening around 9/10pm Irish time apparently.
I suppose it won't matter what the time is in Scotland.
-
@Pot-Hale said in B&I Lions 2017:
Liins team announcement this evening around 9/10pm Irish time apparently.
I suppose it won't matter what the time is in Scotland.
@Crucial said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Pot-Hale said in B&I Lions 2017:
Liins team announcement this evening around 9/10pm Irish time apparently.
I suppose it won't matter what the time is in Scotland.
A small wager that all three will be in Saturday's team?
-
@Crucial said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Pot-Hale said in B&I Lions 2017:
Liins team announcement this evening around 9/10pm Irish time apparently.
I suppose it won't matter what the time is in Scotland.
A small wager that all three will be in Saturday's team?
@Pot-Hale said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Crucial said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Pot-Hale said in B&I Lions 2017:
Liins team announcement this evening around 9/10pm Irish time apparently.
I suppose it won't matter what the time is in Scotland.
A small wager that all three will be in Saturday's team?
Won't matter. The sweaties have all forgotten about it anyway.
But yes, could be the case.
Gatland may want to play as many first stringers as possible in this game to give them time during the week to train for the Crusaders game. He certainly won't want a Saturday loss early on the tour.
-
Lions 2005: Inside the Lions den is on at the moment on Sky UK.
Interesting watching, especially a lot of what would now be considered old school dealing with players.
Keep getting glimpses of this orange guy called Gavin that looks like an overgrown Oompa Loompa. -
@Pot-Hale said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Crucial said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Pot-Hale said in B&I Lions 2017:
Liins team announcement this evening around 9/10pm Irish time apparently.
I suppose it won't matter what the time is in Scotland.
A small wager that all three will be in Saturday's team?
Won't matter. The sweaties have all forgotten about it anyway.
But yes, could be the case.
Gatland may want to play as many first stringers as possible in this game to give them time during the week to train for the Crusaders game. He certainly won't want a Saturday loss early on the tour.
@Crucial said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Pot-Hale said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Crucial said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Pot-Hale said in B&I Lions 2017:
Liins team announcement this evening around 9/10pm Irish time apparently.
I suppose it won't matter what the time is in Scotland.
A small wager that all three will be in Saturday's team?
Won't matter. The sweaties have all forgotten about it anyway.
But yes, could be the case.
Gatland may want to play as many first stringers as possible in this game to give them time during the week to train for the Crusaders game. He certainly won't want a Saturday loss early on the tour.
On the other hand he may want to go with my selection.....
-
@Crucial said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Pot-Hale said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Crucial said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Pot-Hale said in B&I Lions 2017:
Liins team announcement this evening around 9/10pm Irish time apparently.
I suppose it won't matter what the time is in Scotland.
A small wager that all three will be in Saturday's team?
Won't matter. The sweaties have all forgotten about it anyway.
But yes, could be the case.
Gatland may want to play as many first stringers as possible in this game to give them time during the week to train for the Crusaders game. He certainly won't want a Saturday loss early on the tour.
On the other hand he may want to go with my selection.....
@Pot-Hale said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Crucial said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Pot-Hale said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Crucial said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Pot-Hale said in B&I Lions 2017:
Liins team announcement this evening around 9/10pm Irish time apparently.
I suppose it won't matter what the time is in Scotland.
A small wager that all three will be in Saturday's team?
Won't matter. The sweaties have all forgotten about it anyway.
But yes, could be the case.
Gatland may want to play as many first stringers as possible in this game to give them time during the week to train for the Crusaders game. He certainly won't want a Saturday loss early on the tour.
On the other hand he may want to go with my selection.....
Will you be naming the team each Wednesday? That will really upset things.
-
Nah - I've told Gatty (best mates already) that I won't spoil his fun.
He's gone with my advice to get all the players out on the paddock by Game Three - that's good enough for me. I'll let him take it from there - you have to let these guys stand on their own feet at some stage.....
-
I just noticed that Ollie Jager - formerly of this parish - is in the NZ Baa-Baas squad as TH prop.
Wonder if he'll get a game. He played with Garry Ringrose in the Schools Cup-winning team for Blackrock a few years ago.
-
An interesting fact I had forgotten that came up in this doco I am watching is that Gordy Slater played the Lions twice, 12 years apart. Good man. Can't be too many that have done that.
-
@jegga said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Pot-Hale how is Gatland though of in Ireland after coaching there?
Anyone I would talk to in rugby in my age group wouldn't even think about him as a former Ireland coach, to be honest. Too long ago. He'd probably be more remembered for his comments about Welsh players hating Irish players priot to a 6N match a few years ago which didn't work out too well for him, and his non-selection of O'Driscoll for the Lions in 2013.
But I could care less. He's a spiky kind of guy - the world is made up of all sorts. At the end of the day, it's results that count in his business.
-
@jegga said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Pot-Hale how is Gatland though of in Ireland after coaching there?
Anyone I would talk to in rugby in my age group wouldn't even think about him as a former Ireland coach, to be honest. Too long ago. He'd probably be more remembered for his comments about Welsh players hating Irish players priot to a 6N match a few years ago which didn't work out too well for him, and his non-selection of O'Driscoll for the Lions in 2013.
But I could care less. He's a spiky kind of guy - the world is made up of all sorts. At the end of the day, it's results that count in his business.
@Pot-Hale said in B&I Lions 2017:
Anyone I would talk to in rugby in my age group wouldn't even think about him as a former Ireland coach, to be honest. Too long ago. He'd probably be more remembered for his comments about Welsh players hating Irish players priot to a 6N match a few years ago which didn't work out too well for him, and his non-selection of O'Driscoll for the Lions in 2013.
Speaking of Gatland and O'Driscoll...
-
One thing I think is very noticeable in difference between 2005 and what I have seen so far is the knowledge about NZ that Gatland has added.
The response to the powhiri was good and confident. In 2005 A handful of Lions looked very uncomfortable and almost giggled through a rendition of Bread of Heaven.
Gaining a bit of respect off the field will help a lot with the on field performances. -
One thing I think is very noticeable in difference between 2005 and what I have seen so far is the knowledge about NZ that Gatland has added.
The response to the powhiri was good and confident. In 2005 A handful of Lions looked very uncomfortable and almost giggled through a rendition of Bread of Heaven.
Gaining a bit of respect off the field will help a lot with the on field performances. -
@jegga said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Pot-Hale how is Gatland though of in Ireland after coaching there?
He is utterly loathed in Ireland.
-
