I'd really like to see Sam S play. I mean, it would clearly be disappointing not to get the RoF meltdown, but i'd love to know how he'd compete against the saffers.
Backs: Josh Adams, Bundee Aki, Dan Biggar, Elliot Daly, Gareth Davies, Owen Farrell, Chris Harris, Robbie Henshaw, Stuart Hogg, Conor Murray, Ali Price, Lewis Rees-Zammit, Finn Russell, Duhan van der Merwe, Anthony Watson, Liam Williams.
Forwards: Tadhg Beirne, Jack Conan, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Tom Curry, Zander Fagerson, Taulupe Faletau, Tadhg Furlong, Jamie George, Iain Henderson, Jonny Hill, Maro Itoje, Alun Wyn Jones (capt.), Wyn Jones, Courtney Lawes, Ken Owens, Andrew Porter, Sam Simmonds, Rory Sutherland, Justin Tipuric, Mako Vunipola, Hamish Watson.
Astounded by the selection of Daly and Aki but no Ringose or Slade. Daly was dropped by England in the 6N. Happy to see Sam Simmonds picked, that's two fingers to Eddie.
Mental. To use the well worn rugby phrase, what is Chris Harris's "point of difference"? You'd understand including Tuilagi despite lack of game time because when he's fit, there's only a handful of players in world rugby who have his combination of speed and power.
Also glad that Billy V is not in there. He's just not the same threat that he used to be.
A lot of people on this board appear not to have watched Chris Harris bossing the Six Nations this year. Sad for you all.
Eight is no less than we deserve.
I can't really argue with the selection. I might have dropped Aki and taken Farrell explicitly as an inside centre, and called up Sexton. But otherwise I think it's sound.
as a casual rugby watcher, I've never thought owen farrell is very good. and he quite often does tackles which some people think are against the rules. but he always seems to get picked.
Harris was immense against France. Kept Vakatawa quiet and properly sacked him once or twice. Lucky to be picked on that one game though. Very defensive choice.
Watson and Sutherland definitely deserve to be there as well as Hogg. But some of the other Scots are lucky - noone had Ali Price on the plane.
Jonny Hill instead of James Ryan is properly mad. James Ryan had an absolutely brilliant 6N. Apparently he has had a few head knocks though.
Why is noone talking about the omission of Stander? V surprised about no Jonathan Davies too. fooking Farrell.
It is still a relative surprise to see a player who hasn't had an international cap in 4+ years getting picked for the lions in a position which is so competitive, regardless of club form. It is a good though imo
This is an Eddie Jones team plus SS. Lots of Sarries players, a back line who will keep it tight and run straight, Farrell/biggar/Hogg/daly to kick it a lot, quite balanced pack.
Yeah SS does stand out as a contrast to the other picks (not just as a bolter but in the style of the player). Generally with all the surprising selections he's gone for big, hard people over smaller or more injury prone ones.
(Conan over Stander is probably another exception to that rule).
It also seems (based on post-selection interviews) to be down to having a small squad and presumably also covid difficulties with bringing new players in at short notice. Just doesn't want too many getting injured on a gruelling tour.
The rationale for having a small squad seems to have been to "reduce the risk of picking up a random covid positive to the absolute minimum". I'm not sure that really makes sense. What difference is 37 to 41? And if you leave yourself short, the risk with bringing new players in is surely much larger.
Daly is in there because he can play centre, wing or fullback fairly well and has been on a few lions tours already. So a bit of experience, and he's only 28.
Gatz said each extra player costs 100k+ and lions are broke so that explains smaller squad and shows it is unlikely anyone else is getting called up, save for injury cover.
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Would be class if Smith gets in.
If Daly is going (and the rumours are correct) I assume Manu is going and Daly needs to cover a few positions whilst only taking one squad place.
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here we go
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I'd really like to see Sam S play. I mean, it would clearly be disappointing not to get the RoF meltdown, but i'd love to know how he'd compete against the saffers.
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Agreed Peri! A nice trial for England....at the lions!
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I'd like to see Sam S get a gig. A big giant fook you to Eddy.
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squad 1228
caps 1209
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I'd rather see players get in on merit instead of some friction between Gatz and Eddie (aren't they good mates though?!)
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AWJ captain.
Cant wait to see him shouting at Itoje for giving away his 14th penalty of the game
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This is one of the most boring interviews I’ve ever heard.
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yeh muted the aunt
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but heh @ making him stand there in full kit
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god this is tedious
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what channel. sky news keeps jumping to fooking football
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Sky Sports "Mix"
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JUST fookING GET ON WITH IT!!
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at last here we go
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AWJ hasn't played for months has he?!
The only real candidate for tour captain mind.
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Daly makes it
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Chris Harris?!?!
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Chris Harris!!
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No Johnny May?!??!
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he's been fantastic in a struggling gloucester side
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No ringrose or Tuilgagi
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i mean harris
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Johnny Hill? wow
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Simmonds makes it
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no jonny may!
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they've taken that big "Scottish" lump VDM
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No Sexton
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Erm, what just happened?
Gatz picking a load of big lumps. And SS.
Stick it up the jumper, lads!
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Backs: Josh Adams, Bundee Aki, Dan Biggar, Elliot Daly, Gareth Davies, Owen Farrell, Chris Harris, Robbie Henshaw, Stuart Hogg, Conor Murray, Ali Price, Lewis Rees-Zammit, Finn Russell, Duhan van der Merwe, Anthony Watson, Liam Williams.
Forwards: Tadhg Beirne, Jack Conan, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Tom Curry, Zander Fagerson, Taulupe Faletau, Tadhg Furlong, Jamie George, Iain Henderson, Jonny Hill, Maro Itoje, Alun Wyn Jones (capt.), Wyn Jones, Courtney Lawes, Ken Owens, Andrew Porter, Sam Simmonds, Rory Sutherland, Justin Tipuric, Mako Vunipola, Hamish Watson.
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Chris Harris?
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No Kyle Sinckler.
Surely that's the biggest exclusion?!
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or marler
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8 fvcking scots ffs
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who plays 13 then?
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Ha the scots got 1 more point than England in the 6nations.....
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weird squad
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JB - from that lot it's Henshaw or Harris.
Assume Farrell is going to play 12, outside Biggar.
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Well that is until Manu gets called up in a few weeks
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3rd 9?
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surely they can't play farrell
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Russell will start at 10, Farrell will start at 12
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Delighted for Sam
Amazed at Harris - he's not even Glos' best centre...
Daly is a lucky boy
Jonny Hill picked on his Exeter rather than England form
And.....
...thank the Lord there's no Puffing Billy!
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Astounded by the selection of Daly and Aki but no Ringose or Slade. Daly was dropped by England in the 6N. Happy to see Sam Simmonds picked, that's two fingers to Eddie.
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There are some mental selections in there.
No Slade Ryan Fox or Sinckler seems crazy.
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There are some mental selections in there.
No Slade Ryan Fox or Sinckler seems crazy.
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it's win win for Eddie
either ss is shit and he does the fook u dance
or he's awesome and he comes into the team
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Mental. To use the well worn rugby phrase, what is Chris Harris's "point of difference"? You'd understand including Tuilagi despite lack of game time because when he's fit, there's only a handful of players in world rugby who have his combination of speed and power.
Also glad that Billy V is not in there. He's just not the same threat that he used to be.
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won't he be busy with top gear too?
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Harsh on Navidi being left out imo
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A lot of people on this board appear not to have watched Chris Harris bossing the Six Nations this year. Sad for you all.
Eight is no less than we deserve.
I can't really argue with the selection. I might have dropped Aki and taken Farrell explicitly as an inside centre, and called up Sexton. But otherwise I think it's sound.
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heh @ Jamie George "your coverage was shite"
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The only reason a scot should be on a lion tour is to pad out the midweek teams.
Only Hogg will be allowed in the proper team
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as a casual rugby watcher, I've never thought owen farrell is very good. and he quite often does tackles which some people think are against the rules. but he always seems to get picked.
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LOL
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Hogg is only acceptable because he is from the borders, which basically makes him english.
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Can't wait for Manu Billy and Ryan to be called up in a few weeks.
Finn is going to have a properly shit time. He'll be doing finnsanity and then Ake will just get confused and explode.
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Most of our players are from the Borders.
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yeh but the rest of them are fvcking dogshit
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The biggest failure appears to be having 2 Scottish coaches.
Clearly an Irish and English coach (ie what Gatz said he wanted originally before they turned him down) would have led to a better squad.
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Good that Sinckler is out. Shame he's taking Farrell - another liability.
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The 6N table appears to disagree with you.
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heh @ scotland celebrating finishing 4th.
you do understand that the lions team isn't selected based on one minor tournament right?
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Simmonds at 13 imo
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Harris was immense against France. Kept Vakatawa quiet and properly sacked him once or twice. Lucky to be picked on that one game though. Very defensive choice.
Watson and Sutherland definitely deserve to be there as well as Hogg. But some of the other Scots are lucky - noone had Ali Price on the plane.
Jonny Hill instead of James Ryan is properly mad. James Ryan had an absolutely brilliant 6N. Apparently he has had a few head knocks though.
Why is noone talking about the omission of Stander? V surprised about no Jonathan Davies too. fooking Farrell.
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The 2021 Squad | The British & Irish Lions - YouTube
Bring.It.On
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Will those sarries boys join the squad after their Championship playoffs end (one week before the Murrayfield game)?
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tbf the back row options are absolutely ridiculous - stander, underhill and navidi not making it says a lot about the quality available
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This is an absolute disgrage 11 english, how the hell did they manage that despite being gash at the 6N.
No Turner no Gray no Redpath no Cummings, and packed with sub standard english prem players.
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Which of those players are sub standard Smalik?!
What JB said re back rows.
Spurious blaming Farrell for no Fox instead of blaming Ake says a lot.
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Have they announced the legal team yet?
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tbf i don't think many english fans are disagreeing that is surprising to see simmonds, Farrell, Daly, lawes or Hill in that team.
Of the other english - mako, watson, curry, cowan dickie, itoje are probably the right calls
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Davos - I would probably blame Daly as well before Aki.
I can respect what Aki brings to the squad even if I wouldn't have picked him.
But Daly and Farrell are both seriously out of form. Oh but they can cover more than one position. Just fook off.
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It is still a relative surprise to see a player who hasn't had an international cap in 4+ years getting picked for the lions in a position which is so competitive, regardless of club form. It is a good though imo
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Re strong back row options - I agree but I've just noticed Jack Conan is in there which seems a surprise over Stander.
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Hard agree that omission of Sinckler is big news.
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Problem with sinckler is that he is viewed as a bit of a card magnet who can be wound up easily.
not sure it is necessarily true any more but that is the perception at least. the saffas would have definitely targetted him
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Plenty of other card magnets have been selected!
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Having thought about it again this morning.
This is an Eddie Jones team plus SS. Lots of Sarries players, a back line who will keep it tight and run straight, Farrell/biggar/Hogg/daly to kick it a lot, quite balanced pack.
Do we think SS was the 37th man?
Does Gatz want the england job?!
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Yeah SS does stand out as a contrast to the other picks (not just as a bolter but in the style of the player). Generally with all the surprising selections he's gone for big, hard people over smaller or more injury prone ones.
(Conan over Stander is probably another exception to that rule).
But Aki and Harris over Fox and Slade.
Van der Merwe over Jonny May.
Farrell over Sexton.
Jonny Hill over James Ryan.
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Looking forward to seeing Watson and Rees-Zammit on the wings.
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Who is Fox...?
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Jonathan Davies.
His full name is annoying to type.
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Ah, yes he's been great for Lions previously but maybe is now past his best.
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Fox because of his parents' pub and to avoid confusion with his name sake....
Spurius has it. I know Gatz likes to play a certain way ('warrenball') but I was, probably naively, hoping he might loosen the shackles a bit.
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It also seems (based on post-selection interviews) to be down to having a small squad and presumably also covid difficulties with bringing new players in at short notice. Just doesn't want too many getting injured on a gruelling tour.
The rationale for having a small squad seems to have been to "reduce the risk of picking up a random covid positive to the absolute minimum". I'm not sure that really makes sense. What difference is 37 to 41? And if you leave yourself short, the risk with bringing new players in is surely much larger.
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The lions squad is always 36 non? they had to get special permission to have an extra player
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Non. 41 initially last time.
They've been talking about it as a slimmed down squad.
https://www.ruck.co.uk/jason-leonard-confirms-reduced-lions-squad-size-this-summer/
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Daly is in there because he can play centre, wing or fullback fairly well and has been on a few lions tours already. So a bit of experience, and he's only 28.
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Daly can't actually play any of those positions fairly well any more.
He used to be quite good at centre when he was at Wasps but that was some time ago.
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Daly is Special Teams long kicker...
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Sinckler with a timely dismantling of the Bath scrum here
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Biggar just failed a HIA too
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Marcus Smith is by far the in form number 10 in the NH at the moment. Closely followed by Fordy.
Think both would get melted in SA though.
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Gatz said each extra player costs 100k+ and lions are broke so that explains smaller squad and shows it is unlikely anyone else is getting called up, save for injury cover.
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