British Lions N.Z Tour

[Deuce Bigolo]

As a neutral observer they seem to be in the form that could match the all-blacks which hasn't been the case in past efforts



cheers
B....OZ

[diplodocus]

from what i've seen they appear disjointed and pretty far from a team, I don't believe Clive has played his full side yet and to go up against the all blacks in their own back yard without much practice could spell disaster. I hope for the best but fear a 3-0 series drubbing

[mart]

I'm hoping for the best but it isn't the same as yours Diplodocus.

Mart

[Bob Singleton]

The problem is that too few of the top players are currently at their best.... Steve Thompson, Danny Grewcock, Richard Hill, Jason Robinson, Gavin Henson, Gordon D'Arcy, Jonny Wilkinson, Ronan O'Gara... even O'Driscoll himself has been below par.

There also seems to be little leadership on the field whoever the captain has been on the day. The Lions will do well not to lose 3-0.

[Deuce Bigolo]

Seems all the fans agree and haven't much time for Sir Clive

The way I see it,everything leading up to the Tests has been about gamesmenship and not putting the best team on the park
Might well be a ploy?

Their winning ugly for sure and giving starts to players on past status and not form it would seem.Playing Johny Wilkinson at 12 has got to be a joke

I'll wait till the teams run out for the first test to see wether its all been smoke & mirrors or a case of SCW putting too much faith in his English World Cup Winners

cheers
B....OZ

[diplodocus]

i've got lots of time for Clive, he did put together a world cup winning side so we have to put faith in him. I just feel we don't have the firepower to win out there after a lot of retirements and injuries. I'd love to be proved wrong though

[Deuce Bigolo]

Its a difficult task to select a team that is going to hold up under pressure

I see all fans are screaming blue murder over selection
I'd imagine the jump up from 6 nations to an All Blacks v Lions Test is considerable,which would explain going for those that have the runs on the board,even if their under done,out of form or playing out of postion compared to other names that are in form

I think a few patriotic fans are forgetting theres 3 tests in the series not one.All this talk of "if we lose the first we lose the series" is utter nonsense

Against Australia the Lions captained by Martin Johnson won the first,then preceded to lose the next 2 which proves its never over win or lose in the first test

cheers
B....OZ

[waffster]

I fear a 3-0 drubbing.
The Lions touring party was selected from players involved in an exciting Six Nations tournament. However, people seem very quick to forget that the quality of rugby this year was the poorest in years.
Wales deserved their win because the played better than anyone else.
It should also be recognized that however poorly England played ( and I think everyone agrees that they were poor), it would only have taken a couple of missed penalties to have been converted, and then they would have won all their games and therefore the Grand Slam.
I remember thinking at the time that any of the southern hemisphere sides watching the Six Nations would have been rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of playing against these people.

[Bob Singleton]

waffster wrote:

> I fear a 3-0 drubbing.
> The Lions touring party was selected from players involved in
> an exciting Six Nations tournament. However, people seem very
> quick to forget that the quality of rugby this year was the
> poorest in years.
> Wales deserved their win because the played better than anyone
> else.
> It should also be recognized that however poorly England played
> ( and I think everyone agrees that they were poor), it would
> only have taken a couple of missed penalties to have been
> converted, and then they would have won all their games and
> therefore the Grand Slam.
> I remember thinking at the time that any of the southern
> hemisphere sides watching the Six Nations would have been
> rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of playing
> against these people.


Agree 100%.... as you said a few points here and there and England would have had a Grand Slam in a very below-par Six Nations.

Overall the players chosen for the tour were the best possible choices in their positions, so it annoys me to hear the Welsh carping on about too few Welshmen and too many Englishmen (given Wales won the Championship).

[mart]

Enuff said.

Mart