Babylon Posted 21 April 2009 Posted 21 April 2009 Backs: Lee Byrne, Rob Kearney, Shane Williams, Leigh Halfpenny, Ugo Monye, Luke Fitzgerald, Tommy Bowe, Tom Shanklin, Jamie Roberts, Brian O'Driscoll, Keith Earls, Riki Flutey, Ronan O'Gara, Stephen Jones, Mike Phillips, Harry Ellis**, Tomas O'Leary. Forwards: Jamie Heaslip, Andy Powell, David Wallace, Stephen Ferris, Alan Quinlan, Joe Worsley, Martyn Williams, Alun Wyn-Jones, Paul O'Connell (capt), Donncha O'Callaghan, Simon Shaw, Nathan Hines, Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones, Andrew Sheridan, Phil Vickery, Euan Murray, Jerry Flannery, Lee Mears, Matthew Rees. ** Well played cus'... chuffed.
Finnegan Posted 21 April 2009 Posted 21 April 2009 As average as his form has been, I'm genuinely surprised to see Hook dropped given there's only two fly halves going. I really, really would have taken a third given that neither O'Gara or Jones really offer quite as much imagination as other younger lads. I honestly think O'Gara will be poor, they Saffers will hit him early and he'll drop out of games. You need someone more physical than him for this. Also a bit sad to see no Tom Croft with Worsley getting in purely on the back of one good performance in the Six Nations. It is, otherwise, an obvious Ireland love-in as is to be expected I guess. I'd put money on the backs being: Shane Williams (with Halfpenny waiting in the wings), Lee Byrne, Tommy Bowe, Mike Phillips (will be vital, I think), Ronan O'Gara (won the 6N, will deserve the chance to start though I think he'll fluff it), Riki Flutey, Brian O'Driscoll The forwards are a little less tagged on but Alun Wyn Jones and Paul O'Connell have the lock spots in the bag if they stay fit. I think we'll have Geth Jenkins, Jerry Flannery and Euan Murray in the front row. Not sure about the back row. I'd like to think Martyn Williams is a certainty but you never know.
dandannieldanok Posted 21 April 2009 Posted 21 April 2009 Phil Vickery , you can tell McGeechan is head coach.
Finnegan Posted 21 April 2009 Posted 21 April 2009 No Croft? Baffling, really. It's hard not to preach about some sort of anti-Tigers bias when players like Croft seem to get repeatedly ignored.
Sparky Posted 21 April 2009 Posted 21 April 2009 Suprising selection , no Ryan Jones ? Not convinced by Monge and leaving Croft out is a joke . Mike Phillips may be favorite for the 9 jersey but both O Leary and Ellis will be pushing him hard . I think Kearney is a shoe in at full back
surrifox Posted 21 April 2009 Posted 21 April 2009 far too many Taffs, Paddies and Sweaties for my liking
Finnegan Posted 21 April 2009 Posted 21 April 2009 I know Kearney has his fans but I'd be massively surprised if he outs Lee Byrne. Byrne has more experience, a much better footballing brain, picks a much better running line, is far steadier under the high ball and kicks much, MUCH better than any other fullback in the Northern Hemisphere. I think he's almost Wales' best player at the moment. Kearney's bigger and stronger but that's really all he's got on a fit Lee Byrne. I'd agree with you on O'Lein. Plus Ellis has even worse discipline than Phillips, haha, the Boks'll just wind him up. Ryan Jones is a surprise casualty on the face of things but he really had a poor Six Nations - both as a player and as a leader - he lost his place to Andy Powell and Andy Powell wasn't that good really.
Milky Posted 21 April 2009 Posted 21 April 2009 Sky Sports apologises for Dick Best comment about Delon ArmitageFormer England rugby coach makes race-related remark about black player Delon Armitage live on air The former England coach Dick Best made the comment about Armitage while he was being interviewed at Heathrow airport by Sky Sports News ahead of today's squad announcement for the British Lions rugby union tour of South Africa this summer. After his choices for the Lions' first XV were published onscreen, which included full-back Armitage out of position on the wing, Best was asked why he had selected the England player over Ireland winger Tommy Bowe. "You've always got to have a coloured boy in the team," Best remarked. The camera then cut back to the studio. Sky Sports News presenter Millie Clode later apologised: "[best] made remarks that he thought were off-camera. We would like to apologise for any offence this may have caused." The other presenter was that black bloke Mike wedderburn? He looked a bit stunned.
Sparky Posted 21 April 2009 Posted 21 April 2009 I know Kearney has his fans but I'd be massively surprised if he outs Lee Byrne. Byrne has more experience, a much better footballing brain, picks a much better running line, is far steadier under the high ball and kicks much, MUCH better than any other fullback in the Northern Hemisphere.I think he's almost Wales' best player at the moment. Kearney's bigger and stronger but that's really all he's got on a fit Lee Byrne. I'd agree with you on O'Leary and Ellis, I think if we were going to Australia then they may get a nod but against someone as physical as the Saffers I think Phillips' size and presence will get him the nod. Plus Ellis' has even worse discipline than Phillips, haha, the Boks'll just wind him up. Ryan Jones is a surprise casualty on the face of things but he really had a poor Six Nations - both as a player and as a leader - he lost his place to Andy Powell and Andy Powell wasn't that good really. Thats maybe why Kearney will get the nod over LB, granted i only watched Byrne in the 6 nations but i have seen a fair bit of Kearney and he was consistant through out the 6N and looked impressive under the high ball and when kicking from hand. Lets face it , the games against the Provences will decide the test squad . On the last tour Easterby and Ryan Jones arrived as replacements and along with Alfie were probably the pick of the players on that tour
Finnegan Posted 21 April 2009 Posted 21 April 2009 Thats maybe why Kearney will get the nod over LB, granted i only watched Byrne in the 6 nations but i have seen a fair bit of Kearney and he was consistant through out the 6N and looked impressive under the high ball and when kicking from hand.Lets face it , the games against the Provences will decide the test squad . On the last tour Easterby and Ryan Jones arrived as replacements and along with Alfie were probably the pick of the players on that tour True, that. I miss Alf. And I think Byrne's strong enough defensively to get the job done. The difference with having the big man at Scrum Half is that it's an instant base for a strong break. It's not that O'Leary and Ellis aren't good enough because of their size - it's just that Phillips offers some vastly more and utterly unique to the position because of his. He's possibly even better than an on-form Dwayne Peel was at making breaks.
WardyisPukka Posted 21 April 2009 Posted 21 April 2009 Croft not being selected is the biggest joke ever , most rugby critics had him in their starting 15 so leaving him out entirely is just shocking Armitage is unlucky , way too many welsh players who arent at the top of their game for my liking
Finnegan Posted 21 April 2009 Posted 21 April 2009 Croft not being selected is the biggest joke ever , most rugby critics had him in their starting 15 so leaving him out entirely is just shockingArmitage is unlucky , way too many welsh players who arent at the top of their game for my liking Like who? I'd say quite the opposite. Temptation must have been there to take Henson, Hook and Ryan Jones on reputation alone and they were dropped.
Finnegan Posted 21 April 2009 Posted 21 April 2009 Certainly no English bias you expected Finners Yeah. To be fair I can't see any English players getting in the starting fifteen from that... Some Welsh, some Irish, one New Zealander...
Sparky Posted 21 April 2009 Posted 21 April 2009 Yeah. To be fair I can't see any English players getting in the starting fifteen from that...Some Welsh, some Irish, one New Zealander... Vickery will i have no doubt due to his club director being in charge , Flutey is as English as they come , i love his cockney accent . I was hoping Wilko got picked just to see your reaction
dandannieldanok Posted 21 April 2009 Posted 21 April 2009 Like who? I'd say quite the opposite. Temptation must have been there to take Henson, Hook and Ryan Jones on reputation alone and they were dropped. I think it would be fair to say neither Lee Byrne or Shane Williams reached the heights they were expected too in the six nations, and I've never understood the hype that surrounds Andy Powell. Having said that, this is by no means an admission that they shouldn't be in the squad, far from it.
Finnegan Posted 21 April 2009 Posted 21 April 2009 I think it would be fair to say neither Lee Byrne or Shane Williams reached the heights they were expected too in the six nations, and I've never understood the hype that surrounds Andy Powell. Having said that, this is by no means an admission that they shouldn't be in the squad, far from it. I think Andy Powell is there because he offers something that not many others really do at the moment. He's like something out of Rugby League. He reminds me of what I think people were expecting from Farrell. Byrne and Williams are doing alright at the moment, Williams will always be a danger and like I said - I think Byrne's one of our better performers at the moment. His try against the French was magical. I think Williams is a very consistent player - you just have to keep in mind that Wales generally underperformed as a unit and a player like Williams won't really seem much of a shining light if his side are playing generally dull rugby. He'll be fine. He'll be in his element against the Saffers, you should have seen some of the things he did to Habana last time we toured SA. That rematch is what I'm looking forward to the most about the whole damn tour. & Sparky, if Cipriani or Wilko'd been picked I'd actually have gone and assassinated the selectors.
Sparky Posted 21 April 2009 Posted 21 April 2009 I think Andy Powell is there because he offers something that not many others really do at the moment. He's like something out of Rugby League.He reminds me of what I think people were expecting from Farrell. Byrne and Williams are doing alright at the moment, Williams will always be a danger and like I said - I think Byrne's one of our better performers at the moment. His try against the French was magical. I think Williams is a very consistent player - you just have to keep in mind that Wales generally underperformed as a unit and a player like Williams won't really seem much of a shining light if his side are playing generally dull rugby. He'll be fine. He'll be in his element against the Saffers, you should have seen some of the things he did to Habana last time we toured SA. That rematch is what I'm looking forward to the most about the whole damn tour. & Sparky, if Cipriani or Wilko'd been picked I'd actually have gone and assassinated the selectors. Henson is the new Wilko nowadays
Finnegan Posted 21 April 2009 Posted 21 April 2009 [/b] Henson is the new Wilko nowadays Yeah, gutting really. I mean naturally I know you meant to say that Henson had and still has more potential, genius, brilliance and better hair. But I can vaguely see why you'd make the comparison.
Sparky Posted 21 April 2009 Posted 21 April 2009 Yeah, gutting really.I mean naturally I know you meant to say that Henson had and still has more potential, genius, brilliance and better hair. But I can vaguely see why you'd make the comparison. Perhaps ill let you have that one
C-man Posted 21 April 2009 Posted 21 April 2009 Tom Croft's absence was almost amazing until I saw Joe Worsley's name and remembered who was the coach. Well done IMc, really excelled yourself there... Wasps cunt.
Finnegan Posted 21 April 2009 Posted 21 April 2009 Tom Croft's absence was almost amazing until I saw Joe Worsley's name and remembered who was the coach. Well done IMc, really excelled yourself there... Wasps cunt. Yup.
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