Lions tour 2019 (Merged Threads)

[ghost crayfish]

Why insist on re-establishing GB only to not pick anyone from Wales? The number of withdrawals from this squad exposes it for the meaningless friendlies tour it is. 

[Tex Evans Thigh]

7 minutes ago, Wolford6 said:

Some of those players are selected on reputation. When it comes to props, Liam Watts should have been first name on the teamsheet. Ryan Hall has hardly played this season; Tommy Makinson would be a much sounder selection. Joe Philbin before Mike McMeeken? ... do me a favour.

Is this a serious post? 

Makinson dislocated his shoulder in the Grand Final and McMeeken hasn't been good since he had 5 good games in 2017.

[Rupert Prince]

12 minutes ago, roughyedspud said:

England in different shirts...just like we said it would be...what a waste of time

So who from Scotland Ireland and Wales would you select? I do not see any that are better that could fit in?

On other matters,  because of injuries I do not see any additional centres or wingers to bring in... I can think of 3 quality wingers who are out injured, so we have gone back to the old guard. Hardaker could cover centre and wing. Williams could cover centre, and we have a number of halves who could cover hooker. 

I am guessing that the NZ games will be selected with the notional  best team, but there seems nothing wrong in being a bit experimental with the others.

[Tex Evans Thigh]

Pretty weird squad.

Agree that Watts should be in there, there must be something up there. With Makinson's withdrawal it would seem to be the ideal opportunity to get 'genuine Welshman' Regan Grace in the squad. 

The lack of outside backs and middle forwards is worrying. You could easily replace a couple of surplus halves for a middle and outside back. Maybe Dudson could have got a run after a decent run in the play-offs and add a bit more 'Welshness' and someone like Ratchford/Evalds/Burgess to pad out the outside backs.

Don't mind hardaker's inclusion. He seems to have turned it round somewhat and has had a decent season. He also can cover 1-5 at a push, certainly fullback and centre. Maybe Lomax will be considered at fullback and Hardaker will play a game or two in the centres.

Still not convinced about the point of this tour and I'm not particularly excited about it but hopefully it delivers some entertainment.

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

Lots of players missing through injury, the squad doesn’t look very strong, can see us winning only 1 of our 4 games. 

[Oliver Clothesoff]

I really like Wayne Bennett. I was fuming when the idiot RL journalists got on his back early in his tenure but that’s a strange squad. Without reasoning for some exclusions, it reads a poor squad. 

Watts not in the main squad but in the 9’s is strange, as is the poor cover in the threequarters, especially with Handley (while not the best, is a threequarter) in the England squad and Grace and evening Rhys Williams in the Wales squad and in that part of the world at the same time. 

[Dunbar]

I vote we put to bed the debate about whether this should be England or Great Britain and the selection of heritage players. We have done both to death.

It's a Great Britain tour and the squad has been selected so let's focus on that.

[Dunbar]

As for the make up of the squad. 

Yes, it is heavy in halfbacks and light on outside backs and (maybe) middle forwards.

I assume that as this is a tour and not a tournament we could call up cover players as and when needed.

[Bring back the Boyd]

Lachlan Coote is a bit Scottish —- I think if it was a full GB tour as in years gone by, the squad would  have been bigger and maybe included a few none English ( or Aussie players ). As it is, you have to pick your best. I sort of get the hoohaa about the Aussie players but it’s never bothered them much so it is what it is. Personally, I just love international matches so bring it on

[DoubleD]

1 hour ago, damp squib said:

Australians make more sense in that team than Irish.

Australia has the queen as head of state and a union flag in their flag. Ireland isn't even in the commonwealth.

 Northern Ireland is 

[southwalesrabbitoh]

31 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

As for the make up of the squad. 

Yes, it is heavy in halfbacks and light on outside backs and (maybe) middle forwards.

I assume that as this is a tour and not a tournament we could call up cover players as and when needed.

Hardaker and Bateman can play in the centres. 

[Rupert Prince]

25 minutes ago, Bring back the Boyd said:

Lachlan Coote is a bit Scottish —- I think if it was a full GB tour as in years gone by, the squad would  have been bigger and maybe included a few none English ( or Aussie players ). As it is, you have to pick your best. I sort of get the hoohaa about the Aussie players but it’s never bothered them much so it is what it is. Personally, I just love international matches so bring it on

I'm sure the Aussies moan about who is in NSW and not in QL and vice versa. It's all grist to the mill.  There will always be some selections on the margin. 

My take is that what we will be looking at in training and the games is working out the best half back / playmaking combinations. Plus how the full back position pans out.  Remember that Widdop had to be shoehorned into full back in the world cup.

[DavidM]

15 minutes ago, southwalesrabbitoh said:

Hardaker and Bateman can play in the centres. 

Ok if injury hits , I just hope he’s not thinking of Bateman as a centre from the outset. With Wayne on this one you never know . 

[Chris22]

My squad would have looked a bit different. Watts is probably the most unlucky to miss out. I think we have one if not two too many half backs. I can see why Hall was selected, but I am cautious of a player being selected for international rugby despite barely having played all year.

Given the squad selected, I doubt there will be too much debate about the backline or pack. There are a number of different potential full backs and half backs though.

I think I would go

1. Coote
6. Widdop
7. Hastings

with Lomax on the bench.

[DavidM]

1 minute ago, Chris22 said:

My squad would have looked a bit different. Watts is probably the most unlucky to miss out. I think we have one if not two too many half backs. I can see why Hall was selected, but I am cautious of a player being selected for international rugby despite barely having played all year.

Given the squad selected, I doubt there will be too much debate about the backline or pack. There are a number of different potential full backs and half backs though.

I think I would go

1. Coote
6. Widdop
7. Hastings

with Lomax on the bench.

You wouldn’t have lomax and clark on the bench , I’d say Clark is more likely 

[southwalesrabbitoh]

7 minutes ago, DavidM said:

Ok if injury hits , I just hope he’s not thinking of Bateman as a centre from the outset. With Wayne on this one you never know . 

Bennett played Beau Scott in the centres, he doesn't mind a defensive minded centre who plays mostly as a second-rower, as we saw in the 2017 WC.

[roughyedspud]

4 hours ago, Rupert Prince said:

So who from Scotland Ireland and Wales would you select? I do not see any that are better that could fit in?

There's no Scots,Irish or Welsh good enough which renders GB absolutely pointless....where have you been for the last decade? Cos that's been my point against GB returning from day dot..

[Buderus]

I would pair 20 year old Trueman with 24 year old Williams in the halves. 

There isn’t a ton riding on this series all throng considered. May aswell give the younger players an opportunity to gain experience. Put Widdop and Hodgson with the in the spine so they have plenty of experience around them and get them ready for the 2021 WC.

1. Widdop, 6. Williams, 7. Trueman, 9. Hodgson

[Rupert Prince]

1 hour ago, roughyedspud said:

There's no Scots,Irish or Welsh good enough which renders GB absolutely pointless....when have you been for the last decade? Cos that's been my point against GB returning from day dot..

My country is the United Kingdom, the fact that most players come from Lancashire and Yorkshire is irrelevant.  Most players from Australia come frome two States, if they happened to select 13 from NSW it would still not be any less than Australia. If we do not have anyone from say Wales I do not see GB any less of a team.

Perverse sports politics and sports grants split the game into different categories.  Hence our split.

[Rupert Prince]

1 hour ago, DavidM said:

Ok if injury hits , I just hope he’s not thinking of Bateman as a centre from the outset. With Wayne on this one you never know . 

Hardaker is listed as a centre, if some injury crisis hits the centres we have Lomax.

If we have a crisis at fullback we have Hardaker. 

If we have an injury crisis with Widdop we have various permutations. 

For various reasons we have not seen Widdop in the half backs for ages... I hope we see him there and he stays fit.  We have not seen our best half back pairing for ages either. 

[roughyedspud]

1 hour ago, Rupert Prince said:

My country is the United Kingdom, the fact that most players come from Lancashire and Yorkshire is irrelevant.  Most players from Australia come frome two States, if they happened to select 13 from NSW it would still not be any less than Australia. If we do not have anyone from say Wales I do not see GB any less of a team.

Perverse sports politics and sports grants split the game into different categories.  Hence our split.

We have teams that represents England,Scotland,Ireland & Wales...

A GB team should represent all 4 nations for it to make sense...this doesn't...even more so when it contains 3 Australians...

[roughyedspud]

1 hour ago, Rupert Prince said:

My country is the United Kingdom, the fact that most players come from Lancashire and Yorkshire is irrelevant.  Most players from Australia come frome two States, if they happened to select 13 from NSW it would still not be any less than Australia. If we do not have anyone from say Wales I do not see GB any less of a team.

Perverse sports politics and sports grants split the game into different categories.  Hence our split.

We have teams that represents England,Scotland,Ireland & Wales...

A GB team should represent all 4 nations for it to make sense...this doesn't 

[Spidey]

11 hours ago, roughyedspud said:

England in different shirts...just like we said it would be...what a waste of time

Philbin is Irish & Coote is Scottish

 

 

[RP London]

13 minutes ago, Spidey said:

Philbin is Irish & Coote is Scottish

 

 

Philbin played for the england knights last year so I assume has now committed to England?

[roughyedspud]

17 minutes ago, Spidey said:

Philbin is Irish & Coote is Scottish

 

 

Behave....