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I am given to understand that the squad is made up of something like
English 20
Irish 12
Welsh 10
Scottish 3
Now I can understand the Scottish thing, not really that many players who could get in.
However the Irish and particulalry the Welsh must be pretty pissed off.
Correct me if I'm wrong but the league ended up
Wales 10
France 8
Ireland 6
England 4
Scotland 2
Italy 0
Wales won the Grand Slam FFS, England were 4th, how can the English have twice as many players in the Lions Squad.
As you can imagine, the Welsh media are not happy, I've read a number of articles since the squad was announced and while most commentators are angry at the selection - not many are surprised. Woodward was always going to stick with what he knows - and that isn't open rugby with flair players.
Jon Wilkinson not getting picked - at least for now - took a lot of heat off Woodward, this event took the focus off the other 20 Englishmen that got picked. I follow rugby a fair bit and I have never heard of some of the English forwards that are going. Who the feck is Andy Titterall :blink:
I can understand that a lot of English forwards would go - their scrum was particularly good, mainly due to Phil Larder but the England backs are mediocre, save for Jason Robinson, if on form (which he isn't), and Josh Lewsey. Ian Balshaw, Ollie Smith and Charlie Hodgson are not fit to lace the boots of some of the guys who missed out.
I think Woodward is trying to win the world cup again. I'm not sure he realises how lucky England were to win it in the first place, sure it was a magnificent acheivment but they were outplayed several times in the tournament. His tactics will be exactly the same for this Lions tour as it was in 2003 -- A huge, muscular pack dominating the forward exchages and a back line who cannot run but are excellent tacklers. Points will come from the boot or not at all.
:(
On current form the back line should be 15. G. Thomas, 14. Shane Williams. 13. B. O'Driscoll, 12 G. Henson (or T. Shanklin) 11. D. Hickie 10 S. Jones 9. D. Peel.
By the first test I imagine only the half back pairing and the captain will get the nod.
Btw, JP. I thought that Scottish full back, Paterson, should definitely have gone instead of the awful Balshaw. He had a good Six Nations.
johhny wilkonson is all they had most over rated player ever rugby league players shit all over him union well league wil alwasy be better hehehe
When fit Wilkinson is the finest outside half in the world.Quote:
Originally Posted by Adster
It would be difficult for him to fit into a RL team but then it was difficult for RL glory boy Iestyn Harris to fit into a union team. Doesn't mean that Harris got shit all over, just that their respective skills are more suited to a particular code.
In general tho' RL players are a bit tougher than union players :ermm:
well my point being Andrew Johns who is the greatest league player in the world if they put him in Union he would be 100 times better then jonny johnny just doesn't have the skill factor in setting up trys
Look at the australian Union team 4 former league players!! Sailor, Taquiri Matt Rogers and Walker
Who knows if he would be a more effective outside half than Wilkinson, or even Stephen Jones, since he's never tried but it is highly unlikely. I already mentioned Iestyn Harris, who was the most skilful RL player in Britain - he joined Cardiff yet he struggled to get into a very poor Welsh side and made little impact despite being here for almost three years.Quote:
Originally Posted by Adster
Johns is a brilliant RL player but that doesn't automatically mean he'll be a great union outside half. Sailor and Taquiri are wingers and Rogers is a full back - and isn't Andrew Walker the cokehead that doesn't even play that much. He's the only Walker I've heard of, anyway.
Those positions mainly require a player to run fast. Wales had a former hurdler playing on the wing a few years back and he did okay(ish), full back is slightly different but tactically and regarding the influence on the game, there is no comparison to playing outside half.
There is no direct RL equivalent to outside half so Johns would have to learn a whole new position in a different sport. Wilkinson would get in any union team before he would, despite Johns obviously having more talent.
Like J'Paul I didn't expect too many Scots in the squad. I kind of thought 6 or 7 when I heard he was taking 44. I must say I didn't expect him to take some of England's B and C team. Plus he has left the door open for the three injured English players to join the squad later. :blink:
I think Patterson, who had a pretty good 6 Nations, and Tom Smith and Jason White have a right to feel a bit peeved. Scott Murray was borderline as he didn't have a great 6 Nations but he is still a good player.
It spoils the whole balance of what a Lions team is about doing what he has done.
Given his selection, the A team for the full tests should be 90% Welsh and Irish (but I bet they won't be :) )
Quote:
Originally Posted by manker
Finally found someone else on thsi Boad besides celery that has soem knowledge of Rugby League!!! and isn't form Australia!!
ohh yeah Andrew Walker yes he was a cokehead went back too league last year to play for Manly and ummmm yeah got busted for Coke and retired :lol:
he was a pretty good player though in both codes
Maybe but I still don't wanna talk about the GB/Aussie test series :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Adster
Btw, the GB captain, Andy Farrell is joining union side Saracens. It will be interesting seeing how he gets on but the England coach is on about him playing in the centre :blink:
Typical bloody English thinking.
At last, Woodward has called up a Welsh replacement for an injured player. Ryan Jones will be an excellent addition to the squad and should have been there anyway ahead of Neil Back.
Getting Simon Shaw, who hasn't played test rugby for over a year, to join the touring party ahead of Welsh locks Cockbain and Sidoli was an appalling call by that biased English twat.
Well, he is :dry:
Ryan Jones was man of the match on his Lions debut this morning.
I don't think I've ever seen him play better, Shane Williams was also outstanding - both should definitely be in the 22 that travel to Christchurch (I think) for the first test on Saturday but Woodward may have other ideas (:dry:). The second half display was brilliant, against a top NZ club side packed with All-Blacks, hopefully this momentum can be carried into the next game and on to the weekend.
Can't wait for next week :w00t:
I heard Woodward discuss the Welsh contingent after the game.
He said they were awesome both on and off the park and that it was no surprise they had won the Grand Slam.
Lip service.Quote:
Originally Posted by JPaul
I honestly believe he's going to play Wilkinson at inside centre on Saturday, which is stupid. He was never that creative before his injury and now that he can't tackle properly he'll be a burden to the side. We did a similar thing with Neil Jenkins a few years back - accomodating him in the side because of his kicking. Didn't do a bit of good. I think he'll pick Neil Back too :pinch:
Anyhow, I'll still be cheering them on.
Feck's sake. He DID pick Wilkinson at inside centre and Neil Back.
There is NOBODY on the bench with any flair to replace him should we need to chase the game. Henson was man-of-the-match for the 'reserves' so that rules him out and Shane Williams (the most elusive winger in the world) doesn't even make the bench. The only player who didn't play on Tuesday in the whole squad to miss out.
Fecking Woodward :dry: :dry: :dry:
I thought Henson played really well in the midweek game.
If he needed to make a point I consider it made.
Indeed, him and O'Driscoll in the centre looks, on paper, like a match made in heaven. I hope we get to see it on this tour in a test.Quote:
Originally Posted by JPaul
Maybe I'm being a bit harsh on Woodward, he has kept the Welsh half-back pairing despite Stephen Jones not giving a particularly good display on this tour. I'm just pissed off about the accomadation of Wilkinson and the old boys' school composition of the pack.