Lions XV

[Cameo]

The competition at 7 will be interesting with Watson thrown into the mix. Obviously didnt play enough this time to really show but pretty extraordinary 100 minutes of gametime.

The real question is will SA be any good by then.

[Banquo]

I would give serious though to getting both BillyV and Faletau on the pitch at 8 and 6 respectively. Tipuric at 7.

Hardest pick is lock. Probably the 3 would be Itoje, Ryan and AWJ, but what order...

I'd probably go for...

Mako
George
Sinckler
Itoje
AWJ
Faletau
Tipuric
BillyV
Davies
Russell
May
God knows, they're all pretty poor...
Ringrose
L Williams
Hogg

McInally, Evans, Furlong, Ryan, SOB, Murray , Sexton, Stockdale

JD2 at 13, despite his occasionally clumsy handling. POM is a whiny git but a very effective 6, and Navidi has also impressed. I'd take Furlong to start over Sinckler.

[Stom]

I would give serious though to getting both BillyV and Faletau on the pitch at 8 and 6 respectively. Tipuric at 7.

Hardest pick is lock. Probably the 3 would be Itoje, Ryan and AWJ, but what order...

I'd probably go for...

Mako
George
Sinckler
Itoje
AWJ
Faletau
Tipuric
BillyV
Davies
Russell
May
God knows, they're all pretty poor...
Ringrose
L Williams
Hogg

McInally, Evans, Furlong, Ryan, SOB, Murray , Sexton, Stockdale

JD2 at 13, despite his occasionally clumsy handling. POM is a whiny git but a very effective 6, and Navidi has also impressed. I'd take Furlong to start over Sinckler.

I would just prefer a more direct 12 and skillful 13, tbh. Like England have tried... Parkes could go 12, but JD2 I've never warmed to because he passes less often and with less skill than Mike Brown, who is constantly criticised for it and who no-one would pick at 13...

I just think having Faletau and BillyV together would wreak havoc.

I can go with swapping the THPs.

[Banquo]

I would give serious though to getting both BillyV and Faletau on the pitch at 8 and 6 respectively. Tipuric at 7.

Hardest pick is lock. Probably the 3 would be Itoje, Ryan and AWJ, but what order...

I'd probably go for...

Mako
George
Sinckler
Itoje
AWJ
Faletau
Tipuric
BillyV
Davies
Russell
May
God knows, they're all pretty poor...
Ringrose
L Williams
Hogg

McInally, Evans, Furlong, Ryan, SOB, Murray , Sexton, Stockdale

JD2 at 13, despite his occasionally clumsy handling. POM is a whiny git but a very effective 6, and Navidi has also impressed. I'd take Furlong to start over Sinckler.

I would just prefer a more direct 12 and skillful 13, tbh. Like England have tried... Parkes could go 12, but JD2 I've never warmed to because he passes less often and with less skill than Mike Brown, who is constantly criticised for it and who no-one would pick at 13...

I just think having Faletau and BillyV together would wreak havoc.

I can go with swapping the THPs.

As I said, he is a clumsy handler, but a consummate defender. If JJ were starting and playing well, I'd be thinking about him, mebbe. I think the same as you generically in midfield, as you know, but sometimes you have to adapt around a quality player. The Faletau/Billy thing is interesting but unproven, as in Faletau at 6 (as far as I know). What is Faletau's lineout like?

[MrK]

Hogg, Stockdale, Davies, Tuilagi, Williams, Russell, Webb
Mako, George, Furlong, Kruis, Ryan, Moriaty, Watson, Vunipola

McInally, Evans, Sinkler, Itoje, Faletau, Murray, Biggar, Lamour

[Sourdust]

I understand why so many posters have Curry at seven but what we don’t know yet if he is a first season wonder.

Compare him to Tipuric who has seen it and done it and there is no comparison at this stage.

Still there’s another two years to go so we will see.

Agreed. A promising first season and congrats to England for finding a player at open side who looks the part, but a Lions player he is not. Yet.

Fully agreed but surely we're not seriously suggesting a Lions squad for 2021, are we? This is just a bit of fun based on what we've just witnessed, isn't it?

If the Lions were playing next weekend, I'd say Curry had a shout, on form. They aren't, and he very likely won't. But IF...

[Banquo]

I'd think Daly would have a decent shout to be the third back on the bench tbh.

[Banquo]

Interesting that Tuilagi getting picked a lot at 12- not that I disagree tbh,

[Sandydragon]

I understand why so many posters have Curry at seven but what we don’t know yet if he is a first season wonder.

Compare him to Tipuric who has seen it and done it and there is no comparison at this stage.

Still there’s another two years to go so we will see.

Agreed. A promising first season and congrats to England for finding a player at open side who looks the part, but a Lions player he is not. Yet.

Fully agreed but surely we're not seriously suggesting a Lions squad for 2021, are we? This is just a bit of fun based on what we've just witnessed, isn't it?

If the Lions were playing next weekend, I'd say Curry had a shout, on form. They aren't, and he very likely won't. But IF...

If the game was next weekend then I’d definitely go for Tipuric.

[Sandydragon]

Interesting that Tuilagi getting picked a lot at 12- not that I disagree tbh,

No real outstanding performer at 12. Parkes came good at the end but no player was dominant. Tuilagi does offer something when he is used properly.

[Banquo]

Interesting that Tuilagi getting picked a lot at 12- not that I disagree tbh,

No real outstanding performer at 12. Parkes came good at the end but no player was dominant. Tuilagi does offer something when he is used properly.

Most pundits are saying he should be at 13, but I’ve always thought he could be effective at 12. Parkes is another player who Gatland gets the most out of.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Interesting that Tuilagi getting picked a lot at 12- not that I disagree tbh,

No real outstanding performer at 12. Parkes came good at the end but no player was dominant. Tuilagi does offer something when he is used properly.

Most pundits are saying he should be at 13, but I’ve always thought he could be effective at 12. Parkes is another player who Gatland gets the most out of.

NB Pivac gets a lot out of Parkes too. I think Parkes is simply a very good player - not flashy, but complete.

[Banquo]

No real outstanding performer at 12. Parkes came good at the end but no player was dominant. Tuilagi does offer something when he is used properly.

Most pundits are saying he should be at 13, but I’ve always thought he could be effective at 12. Parkes is another player who Gatland gets the most out of.

NB Pivac gets a lot out of Parkes too. I think Parkes is simply a very good player - not flashy, but complete.

Apols not seen much of Parkes other than for Wales. I was more making a general point about Gatlands coaching.

[Stom]

Agreed. A promising first season and congrats to England for finding a player at open side who looks the part, but a Lions player he is not. Yet.

Fully agreed but surely we're not seriously suggesting a Lions squad for 2021, are we? This is just a bit of fun based on what we've just witnessed, isn't it?

If the Lions were playing next weekend, I'd say Curry had a shout, on form. They aren't, and he very likely won't. But IF...

If the game was next weekend then I’d definitely go for Tipuric.

Same. I actually think by 2021, Curry would have a good chance. But Tipuric is just class (and an absolute arse to play against), and right now he's a better player, as good as Curry can be.

It's quite damning that we're struggling to get a good 9,10,12 going here... It's kind of important and the options are...meh.

[Banquo]

Murray is a quality 9, he just had a poor 6N, along with his team mates. Sexton ditto a quality 10.

[normanski]

Murray is a quality 9, he just had a poor 6N, along with his team mates. Sexton ditto a quality 10.

If Gatland takes a year out, doesn’t get the All Blacks job and then is appointed Lions coach for the third time then my suspicion is that Webb (even if he’s still in France but can travel) and Anscombe could be leading contenders for 9 and 10.

[Banquo]

Murray is a quality 9, he just had a poor 6N, along with his team mates. Sexton ditto a quality 10.

If Gatland takes a year out, doesn’t get the All Blacks job and then is appointed Lions coach for the third time then my suspicion is that Webb (even if he’s still in France but can travel) and Anscombe could be leading contenders for 9 and 10.

He went with Murray and Sexton in NZ (and Oz for Sexton) but yes. Mind, they will both be towards the end of their careers then as likely as not, Sexton especially- didnt realise he was 33 already.

[Numbers]

How anyone would have Billy Vunipola and Faletau in the same backrow boggles the mind, Faletau playing 6 would not see the best of him as he's good in the loose, you either pick one or the other.

[Stom]

How anyone would have Billy Vunipola and Faletau in the same backrow boggles the mind, Faletau playing 6 would not see the best of him as he's good in the loose, you either pick one or the other.

Meh, I can go with that. I just feel like it'd be a worthwhile experiment considering Faletau's all-round quality.

[normanski]

Murray is a quality 9, he just had a poor 6N, along with his team mates. Sexton ditto a quality 10.

If Gatland takes a year out, doesn’t get the All Blacks job and then is appointed Lions coach for the third time then my suspicion is that Webb (even if he’s still in France but can travel) and Anscombe could be leading contenders for 9 and 10.

He went with Murray and Sexton in NZ (and Oz for Sexton) but yes. Mind, they will both be towards the end of their careers then as likely as not, Sexton especially- didnt realise he was 33 already.

No, I didn’t think Sexton was quite that old. Looking back he does seem to have been around for ages.

Gatland has a soft spot for Anscombe so he and Russell could be in the 23.

[Son of Mathonwy]

If Gatland takes a year out, doesn’t get the All Blacks job and then is appointed Lions coach for the third time then my suspicion is that Webb (even if he’s still in France but can travel) and Anscombe could be leading contenders for 9 and 10.

He went with Murray and Sexton in NZ (and Oz for Sexton) but yes. Mind, they will both be towards the end of their careers then as likely as not, Sexton especially- didnt realise he was 33 already.

No, I didn’t think Sexton was quite that old. Looking back he does seem to have been around for ages.

Gatland has a soft spot for Anscombe so he and Russell could be in the 23.

Not convinced that Russell is Gatland's kind of player. He's a bit too "Hooky".

[Sourdust]

Murray is a quality 9, he just had a poor 6N, along with his team mates. Sexton ditto a quality 10.

If Gatland takes a year out, doesn’t get the All Blacks job and then is appointed Lions coach for the third time then my suspicion is that Webb (even if he’s still in France but can travel) and Anscombe could be leading contenders for 9 and 10.

He went with Murray and Sexton in NZ (and Oz for Sexton) but yes. Mind, they will both be towards the end of their careers then as likely as not, Sexton especially- didnt realise he was 33 already.

Webb and Anscombe will be 33 and 30 respectively in 2021.

Not necessarily past it, but that feels like a fairly aged hinge.