The Rugby Thread

[Paddingtonwolf]

Odd on Joseph, reasonably understandable on Launchbury. AWJ is likely to be captain, Itoje will be the other lock and you have Kruis and Lawes. The competition is brutal at lock.

 

[Jabbawolf]

You could say that Joseph had one amazing game, and a number of fairly anonymous games in the 6N.

 

[Donegal Wolf]

Odd on Joseph, reasonably understandable on Launchbury. AWJ is likely to be captain, Itoje will be the other lock and you have Kruis and Lawes. The competition is brutal at lock.

Agreed case can be made for all of them. Also have Henderson, strong word in Ulster is that he has been told that he is going

 

[Donegal Wolf]

If Joseph isnt going then they are going with biff in the centres then god forbid someone capable of a sidestep Gatball in all its glory

 

[Tredman]

If Joseph isnt going then they are going with biff in the centres then god forbid someone capable of a sidestep Gatball in all its glory

Yeah, shame really as I can't see us out-biffing the ABs

 

[Jabbawolf]

Worth bearing in mind that there will be a fair amount of attrition, so Launchbury and Joseph may well end up out there in due course anyway.

 

[Dinowolf]

Told you there would be surprises.

I'll wait for tomorrow though.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I haven't seen a surprise yet. Joseph might be a little shock. Might be. Launchbury just isn't.

 

[Tony Towner]

Rugby isn't my game, but a none French captain of the 6 nations champions not going on a Lions tour seems a surprise?

 

[Jabbawolf]

Hoping the rumours of Jamie Roberts are wide of the mark - yesterday's man.

 

[Nando]

Hoping the rumours of Jamie Roberts are wide of the mark - yesterday's man.

Laughable if true.

Biggar too FFS.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Biggar as fly half of the midweek bolters behind the two test fly halves makes a bit of sense.

Jamie Roberts is insane as a decision.

Now you know how I felt when Woodward selected the last team for New Zealand I suppose. Grand Slam team ignored for older players he knew.

With a bit of luck it won't be as extreme.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Rugby isn't my game, but a none French captain of the 6 nations champions not going on a Lions tour seems a surprise?

It has happened before plenty of times. Plus - it is about selection for HIS position as he is not in the hunt for overall tour captaincy. Jamie George, Rory Best and Ken Owens are ahead of him as hookers, with George and Best fighting it out for the test spot for me.

 

[Tredman]

Biggar as fly half of the midweek bolters behind the two test fly halves makes a bit of sense.

Jamie Roberts is insane as a decision.

Now you know how I felt when Woodward selected the last team for New Zealand I suppose. Grand Slam team ignored for older players he knew.

With a bit of luck it won't be as extreme.

At least the players Woodward picked had been successful at beating NZ, Biggar and Roberts not so much.

Roberts, if true, is a ridiculous pick. I'm going to reserve my thoughts until the squad is chosen - I just hope it is chosen with a view to winning games, rather than stopping NZ from playing.

 

[Nando]

Biggar shouldn't be starting for Wales at the moment, let alone going on a Lions tour. Ford is an infinitely better fly half.

We'll get biffed into next year if we go there playing Warrenball.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

My honest view, assuming Jamie Roberts makes the party, is that he has a place as an experienced head on the midweek squad and no more than that.

Reasons:

Hogg is SURELY the full back number one pick. Has to be. And I am not convinced that 1/2p has done enough to even make the plane (a great shame - but that is the way of it as he comes back from his career-threatening injury). To win in New Zealand you absolutely HAVE to kick everything on offer. So Farrell MUST be one of the centres, with Sexton at fly half. You just have to have those kicking options. With Farrell as one centre, I cannot make a case for Roberts being the other. Jonathan Davies, yes, but not Jamie Roberts playing Gatland crash ball all the time. Plus, you would imagine that you would have North drifting in from his wing to offer that, and I would play Watson or Nowell on the other wing to provide the rapier contrast to North's claymore.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Sounds like Warburton is the captain. CEO of world rugby has let the cat out of the bag early.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

An injured captain and numerous WTF picks. Good work Warren.

You could accept it if Wales had been any good for the last two years, they haven't been though.

 

[Nando]

15. Halfpenny
14. Williams
13. Davies
12. Roberts
11. North
10. Biggar
9. Webb
8. Faletau
7. Tipuric
6. Warburton
5.
4. AWJ
3.
2. Owens
1.

Fill in the blanks with whoever has incriminating pictures of Gatland and off we go.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

If, and I say IF, you are picking a Welshman as captain, then AWJ is the only sane choice.

Personally, I can't see what would be wrong with Rory Best or Sexton as captain. Or indeed Hartley if he could get on the plane.

Jamie Roberts would be a really retrograde choice. We will get thumped if we try and play Gatlandball against that New Zealand backline.