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Vacamion

British and Irish Lions 2017

By Vacamion, in General Football and Sport

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Vacamion

Vacamion

Posted
Posted

 

Squad announced just now.

 

I can imagine who is going to respond to this :ph34r:, but the Welsh were rather useless in the last 6N, yet 12 of them are selected by Gatland. :blink:

 

The Jocks I know are a bit puzzled that they get two squad members. 

 

It's a bold strategy, let's see if it pays off....

 

 

 

 

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Finnegan

Finnegan

Posted
Posted

Yeah OK, I'll bite. Haven't had a rant about the rugby in a while.

 

England beat Wales in an even game pouncing on a last minute mistake. They then lost to Ireland, who Wales beat. Let's not kid ourselves that the three of us aren't largely on par.

 

I'd say, ironically really (given the Lions coach), Wales are comfortably the worst coached of the three and England the best (if you picked a Lions coach today it'd be Jones hands down) but in playing staff? Much of a muchness.

 

The 6N only tells a part of the story. Glasgow, ie, brave, plucky Scotland in domestic form, sit sixth in the Pro 12 behind three Irish and two Welsh sides (by about ten points n'all) and that's overlooking the Welsh that play for tidy clubs in England.

 

The whole series was being played in Murrayfield? Maybe, MAYBE, you pick a couple more Scots but two home wins doesn't make a team and they're shit away from home.

 

England deserve their majority and I'm glad the stuff about Joseph being dropped were rubbish, he should start.

 

Warburton is the obvious choice for captain, having already won the last series, but it's a strange one given he voluntarily stepped back from the Wales captaincy to focus on his performances.

 

Doesn't matter though, we'll get whitewashed. I just can't see us beating them. At full strength (with their All Blacks) the Chiefs and Hurricanes would probably beat us, let alone their test side.

 

Not because I'm being negative or I think we're all useless but because I think this emerging generation of All Blacks is the most terrifyingly brilliant collection of players I've seen in my lifetime.

 

Gatland thinks assembling a team of big, physical lads is the Kiwi way and that's all we have to do to stop them. He's so stuck in the past, they've got electric ball skills that we just can't compete with.

 

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Finnegan

Finnegan

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Leicester69 said:

Couldn't care less...would never support any team that represented another country/team other than my own.

 

Then you've obviously no respect for or interest in the great camaraderie and tradition of the Lions. So why even open the thread?

 

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Leicester69

Leicester69

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Finnegan said:

 

Then you've obviously no respect for or interest in the great camaraderie and tradition of the Lions. So why even open the thread?

 

I didn't...read your comment properly!

Just because I don't support the team or couldn't care less it doesn't mean I cant read it or comment...does it?

 

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stripeyfox

stripeyfox

Posted
Posted

I don't really get the Lions thing. It's like "lets pick a super team made up of four of the top countries in the world and then cream ourselves when we beat a team made up of players from one country?"

 

I mean, if France/Germany/Spain and Italy picked a super squad and came over and kicked our arses at Wembley, we'd probably just shrug and say "what did you expect".

 

It's a no from me, I'm afraid

 

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Finnegan

Finnegan

Posted
Posted
8 minutes ago, stripeyfox said:

I don't really get the Lions thing. It's like "lets pick a super team made up of four of the top countries in the world and then cream ourselves when we beat a team made up of players from one country?"

 

I mean, if France/Germany/Spain and Italy picked a super squad and came over and kicked our arses at Wembley, we'd probably just shrug and say "what did you expect".

 

It's a no from me, I'm afraid

 

 

You might as well say "what's the point of the Barbarians, it's a team full of players from all over the world against one country..."

 

It works for a few reasons:

 

It's exhibition rugby, it's not really for trophies or enormous silverware. It's largely for fun and entertainment. There's a lot of good will associated with the tours (not that they haven't gotten incredibly violent over the years! See the 99 call and the battle of Ballymore.) 

 

The team that actually play together, train together and host us in their own back yard are always going to be favourites over a rag tag bunch that have been playing together for a couple weeks.

 

The Southern Hemisphere is generally better than the North, we need all the help we can get. lol

 

We've lost more tours and more tests than we've won so it's obviously not all that one sided. In New Zealand especially we've lost ten tours and won once, back in the 70s.

 

Touring is just a big part of rugby culture, from the Lions and the baa baas right down to Belgrave RFC.

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RonnieTodger

RonnieTodger

Posted
Posted

Always loved watching the Lions. I must admit, I've lost track with club rugby somewhat. Was hugely into it around the late 00s when Tigers were still dangerous in Europe, but I still love watching the Six Nations in particular. 

 

Lets not pretend that the Lions are comprised of 4 random countries. 

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Blue ROI

Blue ROI

Posted
Posted
18 hours ago, stripeyfox said:

I mean, if France/Germany/Spain and Italy picked a super squad and came over and kicked our arses at Wembley, we'd probably just shrug and say "what did you expect".

 

 

 

Like spurs in the Champions League? 

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Lionator

Lionator

Posted
Posted

I don't think they'll even get close to the All Blacks. The Lions are a scratch team playing against the best club sides in the world in the warm up games alone. They'll get injuries and they'll lose at least 2 of the warm up games. The All Blacks on the other hand are in the middle of their season and will be fresh as daisies.

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Finnegan

Finnegan

Posted
Posted

I don't think we'll lose many, if any, midweek games.

 

Canes, Landers, Chiefs and Crusaders are probably four of the best domestic teams in the world, sure, Hurricanes probably THE best. I'd back the Canes to run in 40/50 points against Clermont, Toulon, Wasps or Sarries without breaking a sweat.

 

What they don't have, though, is great strength in depth. The NZ conf teams have great first 15s but then outside that they tend to favour filling their squads with young development players, which is partly how they keep cultivating such talent.

 

We'll be playing regional teams without their starting All Blacks. You might find some fringe players like Damien McKenzie getting released back to the Chiefs or Ioane to the Blues (if he even gets a call up) but the NZ test starters will all be kept in reserve.

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Izzy

Izzy

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Posted

I'm not a huge Rugby fan but I love the tradition of the Lions and think it's one of sports great institutions.

 

The fact they'll be 30,000 fans making the trip down to NZ shows it's as popular as ever I guess.

 

Listening to the players, it's the pinnacle of their careers and the pride they have in wearing the jersey is massive.

 

I'll be watching with keen interest and can't wait to see this Lions squad pit their wits against the All Blacks.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
Nalis

Nalis

Posted
Posted

Never been a fan of the Lions though I can understand why its a big thing for players as it shows they are one of the best players in their position from 4 countries.

 

Would rather see them win than lose and will be something interesting to watch over the summer but I'd always exchange any Lions tour win with a Six Nations victory (or if our case, a World Cup semi final/final).

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Izzy

Izzy

Posted
Posted

A 'must win' Lions warm up game vs the Blues this morning, ahead of the first test next week.

 

I thought of a football analogy for the All Blacks vs The Lions.

 

It's a bit like Pep managing an elite PL team made up of the best players from City, Utd, Chelsea and Spurs.

 

Throwing them together in a few weeks and then expecting them to go over to Spain and beat Real Madrid in the Bernabau.

 

Not easy. Some would say unlikely or maybe even impossible. 

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Nick

Nick

Posted
Posted
8 minutes ago, Izzy Muzzett said:

A 'must win' Lions warm up game vs the Blues this morning, ahead of the first test next week.

 

I thought of a football analogy for the All Blacks vs The Lions.

 

It's a bit like Pep managing an elite PL team made up of the best players from City, Utd, Chelsea and Spurs.

 

Throwing them together in a few weeks and then expecting them to go over to Spain and beat Real Madrid in the Bernabau.

 

Not easy. Some would say unlikely or maybe even impossible. 

Looking forward to this one! It's like being in America - waking up and watching your team play live - quite like it!

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Finnegan

Finnegan

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Izzy Muzzett said:

A 'must win' Lions warm up game vs the Blues this morning, ahead of the first test next week.

 

I thought of a football analogy for the All Blacks vs The Lions.

 

It's a bit like Pep managing an elite PL team made up of the best players from City, Utd, Chelsea and Spurs.

 

Throwing them together in a few weeks and then expecting them to go over to Spain and beat Real Madrid in the Bernabau.

 

Not easy. Some would say unlikely or maybe even impossible. 

 

Yeah that's reasonably accurate.

 

Missed most of the first half, just switched it on, as much as Jack Nowell shouldn't be anywhere near a Lions' jersey, he's unlucky there. That's clearly forward off a blue hand regardless of whether or not Nowell gets there also. 

 

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