British & Irish Lions

[LeadBelly]

Anybody else looking forward to the squad announcement at midday? (game in NZ June/early July)
There've been a couple of apparent leaks (from disappointed parties?) over the past 24 hours but less than 4 hours to wait now for the official list. Whatever the selection, there'll be a fair bit of interesting debate/disagreement around it with people from the 4 home teams all tending to support their own lads.

It'll be a busy sports period June/early July with these games early morning on TV + ICC cricket competition in early June, SA cricket tour here + (for me) the lure of various Sandown, Ascot & Newbury race meetings.

No footy but all this other sport will be great.

[hampsteadclaret]

Snap LeadBelly..

[scamander]

I'm really looking forward to it, unsure about Jamie Roberts though. Appreciate that to beat the ABs you need to pick a team which plays to their weaknesses (assuming they have any) but this does seem wildcard.

[Darthlaw]

Likely to be majority Gatlands Welsh Lions as per usual. Jonny Joseph and Joe Launchbury were some of the best players during the Six nations and England's winning run, yet they'll miss out to make Warren's Taff mates feel better.

I can see us getting smashed by the All Blacks. I'll still watch it, mind.

[box_of_frogs]

Hopefully the rumours about 10 Welsh players are incorrect. They just weren't that good this year!

[sound and vision]

Gatland is an arse - Joseph, Launchbury and Brown all deserve to get in ahead of the Welsh failures. Not to mention Hartley!

[ClaretDiver]

Didn't expect that....16 England players in the squad...

[Darthlaw]

Joseph in is a surprise. The rest not so much.
Who needs the double six nations winning captain, who has also captained his side to equal the world record winning run of wins anyway. Clearly Hartley is overrated, eh?

Lets keep the crocked Warburton in the side, eh? Jobs for the boys and all that.

[CaptJohn]

Amazed that Hartley isn't in the squad TBH.

[Firthy]

No surprises in there really. Absolutely no bias whatsoever. 12 welsh from a team who 2/5 in the six nations and only two Scots who played some of the best attacking rugby in the competition.

[LeadBelly]

I'm not so surprised about Hartley. He was a successful captain of a good England side but quite a lot of respected commentators were saying George should be picked ahead of him as a player to start. Best has been outstanding over the past few years and Owens has become v good lately so it was always possible he'd miss out.
I guess Gatland will take some stick for 12 Wales v 11 Irish v 2 Scots (16 Eng) - given Ireland & Scotland finished above Wales in this season's 6N.
There'll be a few debates & gripes in the press over the next few days but vast majority will get behind the team for June. Then Gat's selections will have to really prove themselves one way ot t'other.

[Caernarfon_Claret]

16 - 12 -11 - 2
En - Wa - Ir - Sc

Should be

17 - 6 - 13 - 6

Scotland played well at home but that mauling against England was poor. Wales played well in spells. Ireland were poor against Wales and Scotland but have beaten the top two teams in World Rugby in the last 6 months. England played poorly at times but still managed to win. more to do with Eddie Jones than the players and that first half against Italy probably cost a few English players - need to think on your feet against the all blacks. The test xv (+ the bench) should be mainly Irish and English players. As those are the players who have beaten the all blacks. The bit about Eddie Jones is the ability to win when not at your best which England have discovered under Eddie Jones and often had the ability to lose no matter how well they played. If Eddie Jones managed Ireland they'd be World Beaters.

[Chester Perry]

far too many England players in for my liking - this tour will crucify the players - 10 games in 1 month is just ridiculous they will be lucky to win a test - the autumn internationals and European competitions are going to be much poorer for it. Just hope not to many get the treatment dished out to the last Lions captian in New Zealand - spear tackle on 41 seconds and out of the tour

[minnieclaret]

love the egg chasing but have never been able to get excited about the Lions.
Sky will over hype it, as with everything.
The ABs will be waiting to smash into us.

[box_of_frogs]

A little bit disappointed in the selections though 95% happy. I'd have taken Dylan for a start. No way Roberts should be going though.

[LeadBelly]

Roberts isn't in the squad- that was this morning's fake news (along with the "Joseph is missing out" fake news).
There are some oddities in selection but hopefully the debate will subside in a couple of days and all get behind the squad by the time they leave for NZ.

[hampsteadclaret]

13..the tour lasts 35 days to be accurate, so it is pretty busy though it is two matches a week...41 players in the squad.

Out of interest Chester, which English players would you have left behind and who would you have replaced them with?

The spear tackle on O' Driscoll that you refer to Chester...one of the worst things that I have seen on a rugby field, and the two All Blacks got away with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsXJyDHFKn0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chester Perry]

All - spread them evenly between Scots and Irish to keep them happy - it means so much more to them

Just don't want them on the tour for Gatland to screw with - we are building for a world cup, our own league generates enough injuries and player turnover without him sticking his oar. Out weighs the experience of facing the kiwis in my mind

[hampsteadclaret]

18...'All - spread them evenly between Scots and Irish to keep them happy - it means so much more to them'..


The bit where you say..'it means so much more to them'..

I presume you have run this by the 16 English players selected yesterday, and they agree with you...players like Maro Itoje, Billy Vunipola, and Owen Farrell.
I doubt it.

Scotland and Ireland [and Wales] are all building towards the same World Cup that you refer to.

I think that every player selected yesterday, all 41 of them, is absolutely delighted to be included - for many of them, it will be the pinnacle of their career.

[Chester Perry]

The Celtic nations are the ones that talk about all year about getting into the squad and playing, same with the ex players who are pundits to them the only objectives they have had this season is beat England and get into the Lions squad. English players only talk about the Lions when asked a direct question on the subject.

Yes I am sure the English players who have made it are proud and for a few it might be a useful experience given their limited opportunities so far - but all England players have a higher objective than the Lions - A world cup has to be won and they are the only country likely to make it happen in the Northern Hemisphere unless France truly pull themselves together.

Either way I do not trust Gatland with our players

[hampsteadclaret]

We might just do the All Blacks 3-0 in their own backyard, and have them krappping themselves until the next World Cup.

[Chester Perry]

Hampstead - oh were it so - the schedule all but makes it impossible I fear - too many opportunities for the nearly boys to fly at them - including between the 1st and 2nd test - just plain crazy. An awful lot of those players could do with a summer off and recharge and just let the body heal - many will end up with serious injuries in the next 8 months unfortunately