Fazlet

[R3dders]

I’m trying to work out why Farrell would select Farrell (aside from nepotism). He isn’t in form, and there are better options at both fly half and full back. If full back is now looking light, why not send for Blair Murray or someone who has actually played fullback during this years six nations? I’d get it if Farrell junior was pulling up trees domestically, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

This is exactly my view - beyond picking on reputation or nepotism, I don't get this whatseover. "Leadership", I suppose?

It's not a position we need, and if we wanted a FH, why not pick Ford (who has been playing substantially better than Farrell)

If it were a replacement for Daly, pick a FB.

This is as irritating as it was inevitable

Leadership is the worst reason of all, as it completely undermines the existing leaders in the squad.

[Banquo]

Massive piss take. The good and bad news is that it will make little difference in reality, but its a fucking shambles.

[Galfon]

Thought this was a wind-up tbh..
He'll be 34 in a few months, last played international rugby 2 years ago and has not been exceptional at Racing this year.
He has a full set of Lions Tours and did well on the first 2 (-13, -17)
The likes of Jordan are at peak level and may never get another chance to experience this pinnacle.
He may possess exceptional leadership qualities, but there is a wealth of experience in the large coaching group and 10 of this party were in SA in -21., you'd think that would be sufficient.
However, Faz is the man and if he goes for it, I hope it goes well and it proves to be a master-stroke in the quest for glory !

[Sandydragon]

The leadership thing could be important, but surely that’s the difference between two current international players when weighing up their respective pros and cons. Daly is very experienced, but so too is much of the lions backline. I don’t see a squad there which is struggling in experience of leadership. And to agree with some of the points made below, it’s also insulting to current international experienced players- ‘sorry we need this has been because frankly you’re not up to it’.

So this is very dubious.

Gatland got battered for calling in four Welsh players to cover injuries during the New Zealand tour, and he was accused of disrespecting the shirt. Can the same be said of Farrell Senior for picking his own son despite there being no obvious need and over the heads of many alternatives with stronger cases to be there.

There’s always a suspicion of bias for a home nations coach who might select players from their own nation if there’s a 50/50 call. But this is far worse.

[Banquo]

The leadership thing could be important, but surely that’s the difference between two current international players when weighing up their respective pros and cons. Daly is very experienced, but so too is much of the lions backline. I don’t see a squad there which is struggling in experience of leadership. And to agree with some of the points made below, it’s also insulting to current international experienced players- ‘sorry we need this has been because frankly you’re not up to it’.

So this is very dubious.

Gatland got battered for calling in four Welsh players to cover injuries during the New Zealand tour, and he was accused of disrespecting the shirt. Can the same be said of Farrell Senior for picking his own son despite there being no obvious need and over the heads of many alternatives with stronger cases to be there.

There’s always a suspicion of bias for a home nations coach who might select players from their own nation if there’s a 50/50 call. But this is far worse.

Yes. It's a selection which does a lot more harm than good imo.

[bruce]

As a Welshman I would have liked to see Tom Jordan called up. Thought he was unlucky not to picked originally tbh. Plus Wales need Murray against Japan in what could be very important games in terms of World Cup rankings.

Not sure how Fazlet could play any sort of playing role, so ends up being a nice all expenses paid holiday to Aus.

[Galfon]

Only three players, all from Ire, have been on four British & Irish Lions tours:
- BOD - all in the professional era.
- Willie John McB. and Mike Gibson, in the amateur era.
If he gets there, Fazlet will be an addition to this list of greats.

[Mikey Brown]

No AWJ?

[Banquo]

Only three players, all from Ire, have been on four British & Irish Lions tours:
- BOD - all in the professional era.
- Willie John McB. and Mike Gibson, in the amateur era.
If he gets there, Fazlet will be an addition to this list of greats.

Dear lord..

(As Mikey says, plus AWJ)

[Numbers]

From the article I read Farrell said that he thought we were vulnerable at 12 so this doesn't augur well.

[Danno]

Done with this tour tbh

[Stom]

Done with this tour tbh

Dunno, it’s a step up from the last tour and an out of touch Gatland.

But it’s making me question Farrell as the next England coach…

[Galfon]

No AWJ?

Indeed, my bad - started in -09 tour SA..
That is some group of players.

[Numbers]

Only three players, all from Ire, have been on four British & Irish Lions tours:
- BOD - all in the professional era.
- Willie John McB. and Mike Gibson, in the amateur era.
If he gets there, Fazlet will be an addition to this list of greats.

Here's one for you, can you name the first player to represent the Lions in three seperate decades?

[Mikey Brown]

Done with this tour tbh

Dunno, it’s a step up from the last tour and an out of touch Gatland.

But it’s making me question Farrell as the next England coach…

Ice jnr. inclusion aside, I think it’s impossible to tell anything from this until we get to the tests. Is it an awesome plan? Does it get found out? Is it all a bluff and we play completely differently against Aus? Who knows.

[astralweeks]

What a shame. The rest of the tour which I was enjoying is going to be centred around OF. Which I won't enjoy.
England , last season looked like a team who were happy to be playing together, not always something that was the case in the previous years.
I find it, like almost everyone else, an absolutely shocking decision and my respect for faz snr has slipped probably irreversibly.

[Danno]

What a shame. The rest of the tour which I was enjoying is going to be centred around OF. Which I won't enjoy.
England , last season looked like a team who were happy to be playing together, not always something that was the case in the previous years.
I find it, like almost everyone else, an absolutely shocking decision and my respect for faz snr has slipped probably irreversibly.

My thoughts too. He neither needs or deserves to be there, now we get headlines all tour about his 'intangibles'

[Spiffy]

I've always loved the Lions and have been an enthusiastic supporter of every tour. I know it's an overreaction, but this has totally put me off to the point where I have just about lost interest. I now have no respect whatever for Farrell Senior, or his long-past-it son who can't hold down a starting slot in a French club, cannot be close to real fitness, is short of attacking skills and pace and has no right to pull on a Lions shirt at this stage of his career.
I believe this is a terrible decision for the morale of all other players on tour who have played their balls off to get there. Part of me would be happy enough to see Oz whitewash the tourists, though I think that would be hard on a decent collection of players who seem well up for it. I will not be cheering for a test 23 containing Faz.
This such depressing news.

[Mikey Brown]

What a shame. The rest of the tour which I was enjoying is going to be centred around OF. Which I won't enjoy.
England , last season looked like a team who were happy to be playing together, not always something that was the case in the previous years.
I find it, like almost everyone else, an absolutely shocking decision and my respect for faz snr has slipped probably irreversibly.

I was just thinking about on-field and not considering how awful the media chat is going to be. I rescind my vote of confidence for Faz senior.

Let’s fire up the hate wagon.

[switchskier]

I wonder what happens if Fazlet is parachuted into the test team and they lose? I think most acknowledge that Australia are dangerous but are expecting the Lions to win. Would there be a backlash?

[Mikey Brown]

I've always loved the Lions and have been an enthusiastic supporter of every tour. I know it's an overreaction, but this has totally put me off to the point where I have just about lost interest. I now have no respect whatever for Farrell Senior, or his long-past-it son who can't hold down a starting slot in a French club, cannot be close to real fitness, is short of attacking skills and pace and has no right to pull on a Lions shirt at this stage of his career.
I believe this is a terrible decision for the morale of all other players on tour who have played their balls off to get there. Part of me would be happy enough to see Oz whitewash the tourists, though I think that would be hard on a decent collection of players who seem well up for it. I will not be cheering for a test 23 containing Faz.
This such depressing news.

All of that and it’s very difficult to see how this doesn’t just pile a load of unnecessary pressure on his son.

[Sandydragon]

So, either he plays his son and that pisses off other players who have been more than capable. There are better fly halves and centres on tour now, plus other fulll backs he could call upon.

Or Farrell jnr is just there for wider leadership. Which is equally bollocks.

Really bad call. And as I said below it will be interesting to see if Farrell gets the same media aggro as Gatland did for bringing in players who weren’t obviously next in line n terms of obvious electability.

[Galfon]

Only three players, all from Ire, have been on four British & Irish Lions tours:
- BOD - all in the professional era.
- Willie John McB. and Mike Gibson, in the amateur era.
If he gets there, Fazlet will be an addition to this list of greats.

Here's one for you, can you name the first player to represent the Lions in three seperate decades?

Got to be from this Fab 4.. so AWJ -09,-13,-17,-21 ?
Failing that it will be ancient history or war-affected !.

[Numbers]

Only three players, all from Ire, have been on four British & Irish Lions tours:
- BOD - all in the professional era.
- Willie John McB. and Mike Gibson, in the amateur era.
If he gets there, Fazlet will be an addition to this list of greats.

Here's one for you, can you name the first player to represent the Lions in three seperate decades?

Got to be from this Fab 4.. so AWJ -09,-13,-17,-21 ?
Failing that it will be ancient history or war-affected !.

Nope it was Dai Young

[BaldiePete]

Huw Jones has now been in three successive match day squads. It would be daft to pick him for the next midweek match so the nepo baby might get picked at 12 with one of Tuipolotu or Ringrose at 13 and Smith(M) at 10. After that Farrell will have to pick either the Scots pair or the Irish pair for the next Saturday match and the first test the following week. Basically he could possibly be of use in the midweek team but it would be an outrage if he’s in the test squad. I think most people would agree that Russell is the starter with Fin Smith on the bench. I’d be angry he replaced Smith who has undoubtedly earned that place on the bench. I’d be incandescent with rage if he was selected in front of Russell.