British Lions

[VCDHunter]

Here's the squad as announced by Clive at lunchtime -


Backs: I Balshaw (England and Leeds), G Murphy (Ireland and Leinster), J Robinson (England and Sale Sharks), G Thomas (Wales and Toulouse), S Williams (Wales and Neath-Swansea Ospreys), J Lewsey (England and Wasps), S Horgan (Ireland and Leinster), D Hickie (Ireland and Leinster), T Shanklin (Wales and Cardiff Blues), B O'Driscoll (Ireland and Leinster, capt), G Henson (Wales and Neath-Swansea Ospreys), O Smith (England and Leicester), G D'Arcy (Ireland and Leinster), W Greenwood (England and Harlequins), S Jones (Wales and Clermont Auvergne), R O'Gara (Ireland and Munster), C Hodgson (England and Sale Sharks), M Dawson (England and Wasps), D Peel (Wales and Llanelli Scarlets), G Cooper (Wales and Newport Gwent Dragons), C Cusiter (Scotland and Borders).

Forwards: G Rowntree (England and Leicester), A Sheridan (England and Sale Sharks), M Stevens (England and Bath), G Jenkins (Wales and Cardiff Blues), J White (England and Leicester), J Hayes (Ireland and Munster), G Bulloch (Scotland and Glasgow), S Thompson (England and Northampton), A Titterrell (England and Sale Sharks), S Byrne (Ireland and Leinster), D Grewcock (England and Bath), B Kay (England and Leicester), M O'Kelly (Ireland and Leinster), D O'Callaghan (Ireland and Munster), P O'Connell (Ireland and Munster), M Owen (Wales and Newport Gwent Dragons), R Hill (England and Saracens), N Back (England and Leicester), M Williams (Wales and Cardiff Blues), L Moody (England and Leicester), S Taylor (Scotland and Edinburgh), M Corry (England and Leicester), L Dallaglio (England and Wasps).

Nothing unexpected. Just 3 Scots in the squad ? Ouch !

[rhegedus]

20 Englishmen selected, 11 Irish players, 10 members of the Welsh Grand Slam-winning squad and just three Scots.

******* TRAVESTY!!!

Backs: I Balshaw (England), G Murphy (Ireland), J Robinson (England), G Thomas (Wales), S Williams (Wales), J Lewsey (England), S Horgan (Ireland), D Hickie (Ireland), T Shanklin (Wales), B O'Driscoll (Ireland, capt), G Henson (Wales), O Smith (England), G D'Arcy (Ireland), W Greenwood (England), S Jones (Wales), R O'Gara (Ireland), C Hodgson (England), M Dawson (England), D Peel (Wales), G Cooper (Wales), C Cusiter (Scotland).
Forwards: G Rowntree (England), A Sheridan (England), M Stevens (England), G Jenkins (Wales), J White (England), J Hayes (Ireland), G Bulloch (Scotland), S Thompson (England), A Titterrell (England), S Byrne (Ireland), D Grewcock (England), B Kay (England), M O'Kelly (Ireland), D O'Callaghan (Ireland), P O'Connell (Ireland), M Owen (Wales), R Hill (England), N Back (England), M Williams (Wales), L Moody (England), S Taylor (Scotland), M Corry (England), L Dallaglio (England).

How about Brent Cockbain, Kevin Morgan, Rhys Willaims? That old dog Byrne ahead of Mefin Davies?

I haven't even heard of half the English players selected.

Woodward made it clear that the door remains open for Jonny Wilkinson to join the party should he prove his fitness and regain peak form. He has also told the England duo of Mike Tindall land Phil Vickery that they, too, could make the tour if they recover in time.

I see.......... the Lions will be an English side with a few token Celts thrown in. Go **** youself, Woodward!

p.s.

Got your Grand Slam DVD on order?

[VCDHunter]

******* TRAVESTY!!!

Probably, time will tell.

How about Brent Cockbain, Kevin Morgan, Rhys Willaims? That old dog Byrne ahead of Mefin Davies?

I wouldn't have taken Rhys Williams mind you.

I haven't even heard of half the English players selected.

Hill, Dalaglio - both retired from test rugby but available for the Lions ?! How the heck does that work.

I see.......... the Lions will be an English side with a few token Celts thrown in. Go **** youself, Woodward!

Yup and how the feck is Dawson anywhere near this squad ?

Got your Grand Slam DVD on order?

Oh yes, but not from the WRU at £19.99 but from Play.com at £14.99

[rhegedus]

Hill, Dalaglio - both retired from test rugby but available for the Lions ?! How the heck does that work.

Yup and how the feck is Dawson anywhere near this squad ?

Thing is, with BOD as captain, he automatically gets a game which will mean that things will get tight in the backs in terms of who else gets picked: Jones, Shanklin, Williams, Henson and Thomas can't all play, especially considering that Jamie Robinson is practically guaranteed a place too.

Not only that but Peel and Cooper are both scrum halfs, so I guess Peel will get the test spot and Cooper will have to fight it out with the other scum halfs for the mid-week spot.

Mark my words, we'll be lucky if more than 4 Welshmen play in any one test match.

[VCDHunter]

Thing is, with BOD as captain, he automatically gets a game which will mean that things will get tight in the backs in terms of who else gets picked: Jones, Shanklin, Williams, Henson and Thomas can't all play, especially considering that Jamie Robinson is practically guaranteed a place too.

Jason Robinson ? Is he a shoe in ? BOD will play but who will partner him ? Shanklin ? Henson ? I'm assuming Thomas is picked as a full back ? Fly Half will be Stephen Jones I'm guessing - Wilko out again - unless O'Gara gets in.

Not only that but Peel and Cooper are both scrum halfs, so I guess Peel will get the test spot and Cooper will have to fight it out with the other scum halfs for the mid-week spot.

Yes but we've always produced good scrum halfs so its no suprise to take 2 welshmen there.

Mark my words, we'll be lucky if more than 4 Welshmen play in any one test match.

So few forwards taken though, I though Cockbain might have had a shot ?

Still, when it goes Pete Tong we can always blame the English

[rhegedus]

Jason Robinson ? Is he a shoe in ? BOD will play but who will partner him ? Shanklin ? Henson ? I'm assuming Thomas is picked as a full back ? Fly Half will be Stephen Jones I'm guessing - Wilko out again - unless O'Gara gets in.

Sorry, Jason Robinson - as I said, as England captain, he will get a game (at either FB or centre) probably at the expense of Thomas or Shanklin.

Henson will get the nod because of his boot and hopefully Jones will be next to him.

Have you been over to the Scrum V board - it's a meltdown over there!!!

[VCDHunter]

I was on the bbc board earlier - spitting blood some of em !

[yoda313]

Hello,

the Lions will be an English side with a few token Celts thrown in. Go **** youself, Woodward

I thought this was a british thread - what are two DETROIT references doing in there??????

Just hope your LIONS don't suck as much as OUR lions have the last several years. Though once GARCIA ends up starting by the third or fourth game of the season we may have a shot at .500!

Kevin

[VCDHunter]

Just hope your LIONS don't suck as much as OUR lions have the last several years. Wibble wobble GARCIA wobbly wibbly a wibble wobbly wibble. Two wibbly eggs.

You've gone to piddle.

[rhegedus]

Just hope your LIONS don't suck as much as OUR lions have the last several years. Though once GARCIA ends up starting by the third or fourth game of the season we may have a shot at .500!

Stick to Star Bores