Mark Reason & 'RR' pick their Lions XV (on form!)
Now before you all get too irate, we acknowledge that the following fifteen players will not start the first test for the Lions. We know that Julia Gillard will have Russell Crowe’s love child before Dan Biggar, Luke Marshall and Richard Hibbard come together in Brisbane. But we have picked off performance over the last weekend of Six Nations matches and not off reputation.
Hogg, Halfpenny and Brown start at the back partly due to their own all round excellence and partly due to the surprising poverty of genuine wing play so far in this year’s Championship. Craig Gilroy has been excellent in much that he has done, but his kicking game needs improvement. The Welsh duo have been a big (literally) disappointment. Sean Maitland came close, unlike Visser and Ashton, both of who have to improve defensively.
Brian O’Driscoll slots in at 13, still way ahead of anyone else and a try scorer against Scotland if Keith Earls had the slightest vision. Marshall joins him in the centre for the excellence of his performance, although we would like him to work on his pass off the left hand.
Dan Biggar had a hand, foot in Wales’s tries and kicked well under instruction. Ben Youngs gets in just ahead of Conor Murray and Greg Laidlaw on a tight call.
We have gone for an all Wales front row. The scrummage was the difference between the sides in Italy and whilst acknowledging some of the technical deficiencies of the Italian number eight in locking and loading in the absence of Parisse, the Welsh boys took huge advantage.
In the second row Parling and Hamilton both put in a shift. The Welsh boys are unlucky, but our main issue with the other candidates is their high body positions which make them more vulnerable in the tackle and less efficient at clearing out at the breakdown.
The back row is perhaps the richest area of the team alongside full back. But Tom Wood was the weekend’s outstanding player and Sean O’Brien and Chris Robshaw were not far behind. So here is our team. We know that you won’t agree, so let us know what you think and why.
Lions XV
Stuart Hogg (Scotland)
Leigh Halfpenny (Wales)
Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland)
Luke Marshall (Ireland)
Mike Brown (England)
Dan Biggar (Wales)
Ben Youngs (England)
Gethin Jenkins (Wales)
Richard Hibbard (Wales)
Adam Jones (Wales)
Geoff Parling (England)
Jim Hamilton (Scotland)
Sean O’Brien (Ireland)
Chris Robshaw (England, captain)
Tom Wood (England)
So you’ve heard theirs, now let’s hear yours. Comments below…
Posted under News & Opinions
3 months ago
Even on form I’d pick farrel over biggar
3 months ago
Not sure about Biggar, or Mike Brown….they need to show a lot more……Sexton at 10, has a proven pedigree and behind a dominant scrum will flourish, if he recovers quickly!!!! Hard to leave out George North, he terrifies defences!! Worry a bit about no 7, Aussies good at snuffling ball n the floor, Robshaw great player, but not an excellent No 7,
3 months ago
With the single exception of a good game against Italy I really struggle to see how Gethin Jenkins who hasn’t played for most of the season can take the place of the in form and hugely consistent Cian Healy. Including Bigger is even further perplexing.
3 months ago
I think some people have missed the point here – it is based JUST ON THE LAST ROUND’S PERFORMANCES! So Cian Healy and Sexton did not play! I agree – what has happened to all of our wingers?! They’ve either forgotten how to attack or how to defend (or is Ashton’s case both it would seem). Here’s to hoping a)Tommy Bowe gets fit soon and b) The wingers all change their sparkly boots before the next round and showcase to us what they can really do and put their hands up for a Lions place. As I’m not having Hogg in the lions 15!
3 months ago
Looks good to me. Looking forward to the Lions tour without foreboding – unless Steve Walsh is officiating at any of the matches!!
3 months ago
Halfpenny Ashton Tuilagi Barritt North/Visser Sexton Youngs
Sheridan Best Cole Launchberry Hines Wood Robshaw © Heaslip (I wish Ferris was fit)
Jones Healy Best/Youngs (Let’s see how TY gets on and if he can improve his throwing) Ryan Tipuric Phillips Farrell Hogg/Brown
3 months ago
Bit of a bandwagon for Launchberry. Case not proven at all. Lot of noise for him but not shown it Test level especially so against France. Ashton has been missing for some considerable some so not a credible choice. It could be down to Farells inability to bring him in. Perhaps also a reflection on Farells fairly one dimensional game and the options the presents as a result.
3 months ago
certainly some interesting selections here – think from last weekend – I would still pick Youngs at hooker. He gave real impact. Yes Wales killed the Italian scrum but it was down last week and the French one was definitely up. I also think Jones from Wales @ 6 he has has 2 standout games since his return and has seemed to have much to do with the improvement for the Welsh. I disagree with Marshall and BOD, the former had a few nice linebreaks but butchered relatively easy passes to link up after and the later was largely anonymous – on form I think you would still have to pick Barritt and Tuilagi.
3 months ago
Here goes my selection Halfpenny, Visser, North, O’Driscoll, Tuilagi, Sexton, Phillips Healy, Best (capt), Jones, Wyn Jones, Lauchbury, Ryan Jones, Heaslip, tupiric bench- Hibbard, Cole, Vainipola, Grey, Robshaw, B. Youngs, Hook, Bowe
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