B&I Lions 2017
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@Billy-Tell ALB was all class last year, surely he gets first crack...unless SBW sets the world on-fire when he fronts for the Blues?
BB combo with RC super important because they just looked to "get" each other and tbh, SBW has only ever looked amazeballs outside Aaron Cruden -
Dagg on the right wing and ALB at centre. Conservative option to start with. Without much lead in the combinations could be rusty and need to minimise errors against the Lions pressure brand of rugby.
Can change it up for the 2nd test. It's a template which worked in 2005, would work again.
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We would want to present the Lions things they have not experienced before to throw them off their stride. This is where a player like NMS comes in. Evasion skills they have not had to defend against in the 6N. Dagg is great experience to have in the last half hour.
Aren't we getting a bit cocky to play them with only our backline though?
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I find it premature to even consider SBW in the starting line-up. He hasn't played XVs for more than a year; in 2016, he has had two serious injuries (knee and ankle) that kept him from playing, and he is over 30 years old. He has never been the incumbent 12 either. Crotty to start at least the first Lions game.
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@Stargazer while I dont think he is an automatic, the coaches have always given him a shot when hes been fit, so if fit, he will be in the mix, although likely a bench option, but who knows.
Crotty-ALB would be the first option IMO
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@Crucial said in B&I Lions 2017:
We would want to present the Lions things they have not experienced before to throw them off their stride. This is where a player like NMS comes in. Evasion skills they have not had to defend against in the 6N. Dagg is great experience to have in the last half hour.
Aren't we getting a bit cocky to play them with only our backline though?
Can't resist this. Here's a few skills/list of things they have not experienced before:
Entertainment skills - Not facing the haka - a nice pop song perhaps.... (see participation skills)
Diplomatic skills - presenting the Lions captain with a clump of seaweed with instructions to throw it at the opposing team as a sign of friendship
Strength & Conditioning Skills - Getting four players to lift a Lions player's legs off the ground - cannot be a centre - before the match starts
Evasion skills - Being able to admit knowing the names of more than four players in the Lions squad
Participation Skills - The crowd actually singing the national anthem as opposed to some pop singer in the middle of the pitch. -
The pack selects itself I guess but there are still a few ways the selectors can go.
Who will fill the reserve lock role on the bench. Tuipulotu? Romano? Barrett? Bird?
Or will they pick an extra loosie and get Kaino or Squire to cover?
Only room for (at most) 2 of Cane, Savea and Todd. Who will miss out?
Is there room for an experienced campaigner like Messam, who has been there and done that before?British scribes are saying the Lions will have an advantage in the front row, especially props. Guess we will find out, can't say I'm too distraught about our four front line guys, they have over 200 tests between them and plenty of big game experience. Franks might start the season slowly but he'll be hissing once the Poms hit the shores. Playing the Lions is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and without a tour to South Africa (and the decline of the Boks) this is as big as it gets for a prop.
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@Frye said in B&I Lions 2017:
The pack selects itself I guess but there are still a few ways the selectors can go.
Who will fill the reserve lock role on the bench. Tuipulotu? Romano? Barrett? Bird?
Or will they pick an extra loosie and get Kaino or Squire to cover?
Only room for (at most) 2 of Cane, Savea and Todd. Who will miss out?
Is there room for an experienced campaigner like Messam, who has been there and done that before?British scribes are saying the Lions will have an advantage in the front row, especially props. Guess we will find out, can't say I'm too distraught about our four front line guys, they have over 200 tests between them and plenty of big game experience. Franks might start the season slowly but he'll be hissing once the Poms hit the shores. Playing the Lions is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and without a tour to South Africa (and the decline of the Boks) this is as big as it gets for a prop.
This goes without saying. With all our lolly pop Super Rugby we need the NH to show us how to do the setpiece. At least that's how it usually goes...
I think they will have a good scrummaging pack, but our props will offer more around the field.
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@Frye said in B&I Lions 2017:
Is there room for an experienced campaigner like Messam, who has been there and done that before?
Funny you should say that, as I was thinking the same thing while at the game on Friday night. A long way to go yet but I'd trust Messam more than either Dixon or Squire.
Also, I don't think the reserve hooker is decided yet as Harris comes back into the frame.
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@Frye said in B&I Lions 2017:
The pack selects itself I guess but there are still a few ways the selectors can go.
Who will fill the reserve lock role on the bench. Tuipulotu? Romano? Barrett? Bird?
Or will they pick an extra loosie and get Kaino or Squire to cover?
Only room for (at most) 2 of Cane, Savea and Todd. Who will miss out?
Is there room for an experienced campaigner like Messam, who has been there and done that before?British scribes are saying the Lions will have an advantage in the front row, especially props. Guess we will find out, can't say I'm too distraught about our four front line guys, they have over 200 tests between them and plenty of big game experience. Franks might start the season slowly but he'll be hissing once the Poms hit the shores. Playing the Lions is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and without a tour to South Africa (and the decline of the Boks) this is as big as it gets for a prop.
I think they'll definitely go for an actual lock ... playing loosies at lock took a reputation dent last year.
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@Bovidae said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Frye said in B&I Lions 2017:
Is there room for an experienced campaigner like Messam, who has been there and done that before?
Funny you should say that, as I was thinking the same thing while at the game on Friday night. A long way to go yet but I'd trust Messam more than either Dixon or Squire.
Also, I don't think the reserve hooker is decided yet as Harris comes back into the frame.
I'd trust Messam to cause a QC to have to get out of his rent boys bed to attend a 2am press conference
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@Frye said in B&I Lions 2017:
The pack selects itself I guess but there are still a few ways the selectors can go.
Who will fill the reserve lock role on the bench. Tuipulotu? Romano? Barrett? Bird?
Or will they pick an extra loosie and get Kaino or Squire to cover?
Only room for (at most) 2 of Cane, Savea and Todd. Who will miss out?
Is there room for an experienced campaigner like Messam, who has been there and done that before?British scribes are saying the Lions will have an advantage in the front row, especially props. Guess we will find out, can't say I'm too distraught about our four front line guys, they have over 200 tests between them and plenty of big game experience. Franks might start the season slowly but he'll be hissing once the Poms hit the shores. Playing the Lions is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and without a tour to South Africa (and the decline of the Boks) this is as big as it gets for a prop.
Poms??
It is the British & Irish Lions don't forget or is every NH rugby player viewed by default as having a red rose tattooed on their arse from birth?
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@Pot-Hale we know being labeled English for the Irish, Welsh and Scots is worse than us being called Aussies, so yeah pretty much!
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@taniwharugby said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Pot-Hale we know being labeled English for the Irish, Welsh and Scots is worse than us being called Aussies, so yeah pretty much!
👍
Maybe each of the Lions players should be handed a red rose on their arrival in June. That would be a nice gesture.....
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@Pot-Hale said in B&I Lions 2017:
Poms??
It is the British & Irish Lions don't forget or is every NH rugby player viewed by default as having a red rose tattooed on their arse from birth?
When you all wear the same jersey you all get the same pejorative.
If you've gotta a better one I'll use it.
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@Nepia said in B&I Lions 2017:
I think they'll definitely go for an actual lock ... playing loosies at lock took a reputation dent last year.
I think the only reason they went with 2 loosies on the bench last year was the lack of an impact lock. Pat T fit & firing he gets it, if not then they'll go 2 loosies. Tho' I'd prefer neither of the loosies to be Squire or Dixon. In the WC we played 2 lossies but one was Vito who actually added something off the bench. And we got lucky with locking injuries.
@Frye said in B&I Lions 2017:
Only room for (at most) 2 of Cane, Savea and Todd. Who will miss out?
Only room for Cane starting & then a bun fight for the pine rider, with Ardie probably winning it because of impact, but Todd starting if Cane gets crocked. Lets not start the year the same way we did last year with the farcical idea Cane is not one of the first 4 or 5 names written on the teamsheet. He's head & shoulders above every other 7 in NZ
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One thing will be certain and that is that barring an injury crisis this Lions visit will not be one for blooding anyone new to the setup. We have enough quality depth in every position not to have to look at bolters from Super Rugby.
The hard part will be 'who to leave out' although I expect there will also be an extended training camp somewhere along the way for everyone that misses the cut to get the gameplan just in case they are needed.
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@Crucial Henry made quite a few changes across the 3 tests in 2005, some of that was rotation in certain positions (TH prop, halfback and fullback) and then the mass changes in the 3rd test. I don't expect Hansen to do that but attrition will mean injuries occur in both squads.
I am hoping that Hansen will release some players back to the Maori, Chiefs and Canes if they aren't in the likely AB 23 for tests 1 and 2. Speaking of which, a number of players will be elligible for both the Chiefs and Maori but probably won't be able to play in both games as they are only 3 days apart. One or both of those teams could be severely weakened. We should be trying to put the strongest teams on the field in each game.
