With the excitement building ahead of 2013's visit to Australia, we decided to pump up the volume by bringing you our second British & Irish Lions watch!
Every three weeks or so Planet Rugby will update its leaderboard for who should pack their bags, who should keep the diary open and who should stock the fridge with a few beers, pizzas and ice creams for soaking up the tour on the couch, as the most coveted of selections fast approaches.
We must stress that long-term injuries have been taken into account for our calls. However, those nearing a return to action are accommodated.
Here we go - make sure to give your feedback.
FULL-BACKS
Kiss the wife and kids goodbye: Alex Goode appears to have won the 15 shirt for England ahead of Mike Brown, putting him in the frame for the trip to Australia this summer. Starting all four games this November could prove to be the making of him. Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny has continued to dazzle with both hands and feet, making him a certainty.
On standby: Rob Kearney, Mike Brown, Lee Byrne
Best make other plans next June: Ben Foden, Stuart Hogg, Rob Miller, Delon Armitage
WINGS
Kiss the wife and kids goodbye: Alex Cuthbert and Tim Visser continue to cross the whitewash with enough consistency to warrant starting spots. Wales wing George North has work to do but should travel, along with Tommy Bowe. Class is permanent as they say.
On standby: Chris Ashton, Andrew Trimble, Ugo Monye
Best make other plans next June: Simon Zebo, Keith Earls, Charlie Sharples, Christian Wade, David Strettle
CENTRES
Kiss the wife and kids goodbye: The area of both greatest depth and intense debate. Brian O'Driscoll's absence from the November Internationals is a setback. Manu Tuilagi is a must, whilst Brad Barritt gets a chance due to Jonathan Joseph's injury. Welsh double act Jonathan Davies and Jamie Roberts will travel with Scott Williams a possible centre/wing.
On standby: Scott Williams, James Hook, Anthony Allen, Ashley Beck, Jonathan Joseph, Matt Scott, Owen Farrell
Best make other plans next June: James Downey, Dom Waldouck, Paddy Wallace, Gordon D'Arcy, Jordan Turner-Hall, Fergus McFadden, Billy Twelvetrees
FLY-HALVES
Kiss the wife and kids goodbye: The number one contender? Still Jonathan Sexton, but there is competition. Toby Flood has responded to the form of Freddie Burns with some excellent play of his own. The Welsh battle continues but for the moment, Rhys Priestland holds the slightest of edges. Despite returning to Gloucester, Burns joins our third tier.
On standby: Dan Biggar, Jonny Wilkinson
Best make other plans next June: Ruaridh Jackson, Ronan O'Gara, Danny Cipriani, Charlie Hodgson, Freddie Burns
SCRUM-HALVES
Kiss the wife and kids goodbye: Mike Phillips is battling for his Wales shirt with Tavis Knoyle but should travel. Danny Care has been excellent for Harlequins with Ben Youngs doing enough to also make the plane. That leaves Greig Laidlaw as the final traveller.
On standby: Conor Murray , Lee Dickson, Tavis Knoyle
Best make other plans next June: Eoin Reddan, Richard Wigglesworth, Lloyd Williams
NUMBER EIGHTS
Kiss the wife and kids goodbye: We have a new contender who slipped through our radar last time out. Kelly Brown has been consistently good for Saracens and a big November could make him a shoo-in due to his ability to play six and eight. Nick Easter drops out due to his non call-up while Jamie Heaslip remains. Toby Faletau's start means he moves up.
On standby: Thomas Waldrom, David Denton, Ben Morgan, Toby Faletau
Best make other plans next June: Peter O'Mahony, Jordan Crane, Nick Easter, Andy Powell, Richard Baxter
FLANKERS
Kiss the wife and kids goodbye: The Lions' strongest area over the past 12 months but suddenly there are injury concerns at flank. Three key players, Stephen Ferris, Dan Lydiate and Sean O'Brien are currently on the sideline so at the moment we have Chris Robshaw and Sam Warburton, with Ferris and O'Brien still making the list due to their obvious class.
On standby: Justin Tipuric, Ross Rennie, Tom Croft, Dan Lydiate
Best make other plans next June: Phil Dowson, John Barclay, Alasdair Strokosch, Chris Henry, Rob McCusker, Tom Wood, Ryan Jones, Iain Henderson
SECOND-ROWS
Kiss the wife and kids goodbye: We stick with the experienced Paul O'Connell and Alun-Wyn Jones while we expect Courtney Lawes to recover and be peaking in the New Year. Geoff Parling remains in the mix while Jim Hamilton busts his way onto our standby list.
On standby: Donnacha Ryan, Richie Gray, Nathan Hines, Mouritz Botha, Jim Hamilton
Best make other plans next June: Bradley Davies, Al Kellock, Donncha O'Callaghan, Joe Launchbury
HOOKERS
Kiss the wife and kids goodbye: Luck is most definitely on young Tom Youngs' side after Dylan Hartley's injury sees the Leicester Tiger become England's first choice. If he can make a statement this month then maybe he will be a bolter. Rory Best is also currently on the treatment table so Leinster's Richardt Strauss has a chance to shine in green/black.
On standby: Tom Youngs, Richard Hibbard, Ross Ford
Best make other plans next June: Sean Cronin, Matthew Rees
PROPS
Kiss the wife and kids goodbye: Much like the Ferris situation, we look past the month-long injury of Adam Jones and keep him in the squad due to his quality. Dan Cole is his rival for the three jersey while Cian Healy and Gethin Jenkins are our looseheads. Keep an eye on England's new loosehead Mako Vunipola this month as we feel five props will be taken.
On standby: Tom Court, Alex Corbisiero, Mike Ross
Best make other plans next June: Euan Murray, Andrew Sheridan, Allan Jacobsen, Geoff Cross
By Ben Coles and Adam Kyriacou
Comments
Norm says...
Alex Goode and Brad barritt, thanks PR, this sitre has been entirely too serious of late, a bit of levity and joking around is long overdue!
APV1
With you on Phillips.
Posted 13:34 07th November 2012
jenksbaj says...
@ APV1 you had a crack.....and got it so wrong it's laughable!!!
Goode & Brown are your FB's.....do me a favour! I doubt either of these will be on the plane! A fit Foden is better than both, 1/2p and Kearney will be on the plane as well!
Ashton for Bowe....ummmm, NO!
No.8 Ben Morgan can't get into an England team let alone a Lions squad!
Kelly Brown...lets see how he gets on at no.8 in an international shirt first shall we?
The list could go on and on....
Mind you, you are entitled to your own opinion no matter how daft it is!
@ SINCERO the question is have you been watching him this season because according to your also 'daft' opinion, George North has been rubbish!
Good joke, i almost reacted to your obvious sarcasm!!!! Jog on lad!
Posted 13:34 07th November 2012
makemehappy says...
@jmckenna92 - I would have agreed last year. This year, there's only one 15 - Halfpenny by a mile! Can cover wing and is as good a kicker as there is out there. Safe as houses under the high ball, so just brings much more the field than others.
Posted 13:32 07th November 2012
stevetynant says...
Interesting some picking O'Brien at openside - given Pocock is probaly a class apart from all the NH Opensides (perhaps only Tipuric in terms of mobility might be there or thereabouts) I wonder if we should give up on the race for the loose ball to some extent and just opt for the power game and constantly have the Ozzies on the back foot negating Pocock - interesting times ahead indeed.
Posted 13:05 07th November 2012
lardon says...
Alex Goode?. Mike Brown in the mind of many England fans is Englands best 15 at the moment. But its obvious that Lancaster's and Farrell (Senior) affection with Saracens has massively effected his selection. Alex Goode hasn't shown a single hint that he can even play an attacking or running game at all. In my view he shouldn't even be in the England team when better talent like Nick Abendanon (Bath) and Luke Arscott (Exeter) are both in great form and are showing more well rounded performances than Goode has ever delivered.
Posted 12:39 07th November 2012
jmckenna92 says...
this is such a horrible team you have named, rob kearney is the best full back in europe
Posted 12:26 07th November 2012
leinster_goy says...
i suspect your predictions for the squad will be largely accurate come next may. however, it's very harsh to be saying that certain players should already be "making other plans next june". there's still a lot of rugby to be played between now and then. november tests, six nations, heineken knock-out rounds...
for example, i don't think its beyond the realms of possibility that Redders will be in the Lions 9 shirt next june - not only because of the dearth of quality options at scrum-half, but also because of his constant ability to ensure quick ruck ball and his understanding with Sexto. so don't be writing people off so easily
if you look at recent B&I Lions squads, you would find that there were quite a few players who were selected because they had a strong six nations in the same year, but had been previously off the radar. at the end of the day, it should be a question of current form, and not reputation
Posted 12:26 07th November 2012
pembs says...
North has scored at a rate of a try a game this season
Posted 12:25 07th November 2012
slowflanker says...
Surprised to see Greg Laidlaw at scrum-half, he's played more at fly-half in the last year or so.
The editor says.... Could be used as either. Big plus for his chances.
Posted 12:18 07th November 2012
nhb99 says...
No Joe Marler?
Posted 12:08 07th November 2012
Sincero says...
@ieuanhuw (Welsh much) George North has been utterly rubbish this season- have you been watching any of the matches? The concept of the piece is to choose probables or possibles allowing for injury and based on form. North is therefore cut. Cuthbert and Visser have been scoring for fun, and Bowe (who is world-class as opposed to a flash in the pan) has been excellent in the few games he's played. Trimble should also be well ahead of north at the moment, another winger who has been consistently excellent- hopefully see more from these lads in the A.Is.
One minor criticism could perhaps be the category 'flankers', and not distinguishing whom you'd play where. Where to play a fit Seán O'Brien is a debate that's been trundling on in Irish circles for a good while, and seems to be set to continue.
Posted 12:08 07th November 2012
APV1 says...
Okey-dokey, let's have a crack at this then.
15 - not sure that Goode is ahead of Brown yet. Even if he starts against Fiji, it could just indicate SL is trying new combinations and players. He's damned goode though (did you see what I did..?!). I'd take Goode, Brown and 1/2p.
11 & 14 - agreed. I might swap Ashton for Bowe, form-depending...
12 & 13 - OK. But Barritt must step up this Autumn and in the 6N. Good defence, but needs more attack.
10 - The only argument will be who starts - Sexton or Flood.
9 - Phillips annoys me. He's too gobby and not as good as he thinks he is. Perhaps that's just me...
8 - Brown, Heaslip & Morgan. Autumn and 6N form-depending, of course.
6 & 7 - Ferris and Robshaw to start.
4 & 5 - POC & Parling to start, Lawes on the bench.
2 - Hartley. His discipline has improved, he is reliable in the set piece, he can throw straight and gets around the park.
1 & 3 - Spot on. Although Marler might be considered for some extra attitude...
Posted 11:38 07th November 2012
seapointer says...
makes interesting reading fair play PR but its so far away to name a team now would be laughable . From the article the starting 15 would be (see below) ---far to many irish and welsh in the pack i'd say and 2 scot players in it already - bar Gray and possible Visser, 6 nations dependent, that maybe very optimistic
15 Goode (Eng) 14 Cuthbert (Wal) 13 BOD (ire) 12 Tulagi (Eng) 11 Visser (Scot)
10 Sexton (Ire) 9 Phillips (Wal)
6 Ferris (Ire) 8 Brown (Scot) 7 O'Brien (Ire)
5 OConnell (ire) 4. Wyn Jones (Wal)
3 Jones (Wal) 2. Hartley/youngs (Eng) 1. Jenkins ( Wal)
Posted 11:37 07th November 2012
ieuanhuw says...
What on earth do you have against George North? He is the ONLY certainty not just for wing but probably the entire squad.
Posted 11:18 07th November 2012