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
curates_egg says...
Lot of players picked on reputation rather than form: see all the Welsh players. Priestland, Warburton, Cuthbert? There are better and in-form Welsh players (Biggar, Tipuric for certain) who would/should take their place right now. You are clearly having a laugh with Dylan Hartley. How you can not even mention Top14 player of the year last year and still in breathtaking form Steffon Armitage is a mystery. Kearney is a certain starter if fit.
Posted 22:21 07th November 2012
papachinzo says...
hmm... 1 Healy 2 Hibbard 3 A.Jones 4 Lawes 5 Ryan 6 O'Brien 7 Warburton 8 Morgan 9 Care 10 Sexton 11 Visser 12 Roberts 13 BOD(c) 14 Bowe 15 Kearney
16 Best 17 Cole 18 Ross 19 Wyn-Jones 20 R.Jones 21 Reddan 22 Biggar 23 Davies
Posted 21:57 07th November 2012
Norm says...
Goy
Re the Saracens adulation, it baffles me. They play a conservative and uninventive brand of Rugby, it is not as if this approach has ever been celebrated before in English rugby, has it?
Posted 21:54 07th November 2012
olearyc5 says...
I'm going to say it now. Ferris will not make the Lions squad.
Don't get me wrong. He's unreal. Should start.
But he'll be injured/retired by then.
Posted 19:23 07th November 2012
Stag says...
Thanks for the clarification ed. all the same Goode's elevation to lions starter, regardless of current injuries to his peers, is a Pieter de Villiers-esque decision.
Posted 19:16 07th November 2012
heart_of_oak says...
Does anyone know if Gatland will be able to pick France based players for the B&I Lions ? If so, it'd be nice to see Steffon Armitage in there. If JW can be considered, why not Armitage ? He's one of the best in France at the moment. I would love to see Armitage show Lancaster just what he's missing because of this silly self-inflicted rule.
Posted 18:57 07th November 2012
jmckenna92 says...
i think @norm is the only man to pick a decent team here, enough of english players like goode and twelvetrees being mentioned they arent even starters for england! George north is easily one of the best wingers in the NH what do people have against him?
Posted 18:49 07th November 2012
dezz says...
What a load of optimism. Someone picked Ferris and O brien? They don't gel for Ireland so why pick them as a combo for the Lions. Genuine 7s, Warbs, Tips and Rennie. Robshaw is a good blindside doing a good job for England until they get an out and out 7.
Posted 17:17 07th November 2012
stag says...
Propmelsey: you're spot on - Twelvetrees & Waldouk instead of O'Driscoll... what planet do u live on? Alex Goode or anybody over Rob Kearney would also suggest the writer was not in the correct frame of mind when working on the article.
The editor says.... As stated, this is based on form with short-term injuries overlooked. Kearney has hardly played this season and requires surgery on a troublesome back injury.
Posted 17:11 07th November 2012
sneggy1983 says...
george north 7 tries in 8 games
alex cuthbert 6 tries in 6 games
tommy bowe not even top try scorer for ulster that goes to payne with 5
vissier 9 tries in 10 games
ashton 4 tries in 9 games.
so people say north is not on form the stats clearly suggest otherwise. Not only he scores tries but it draws 2, 3 sometimes 4 players in to stop him which allows for more space for the others. Gatland loves the big wingers and north vissier and cuthbert are dead certs thats for sure
Posted 17:04 07th November 2012
jcahill1 says...
@ Propmelsey
Seems almost like you're biased in some way there...
Posted 16:54 07th November 2012
APV1 says...
@ jenksbaj et al - Foden and Kearney are crocked, so not in contention this week. Each time that PR makes this list, they only use available players, or those very close to return. Have a quick read of the article, not just the team list, and it's explained. Same goes for JW - he may not play for England anymore, but he is available for consideration for the Lions.
jenksbaj - so, rather than just telling us we're all wrong, why not give us your thoughts. Bear in mind the selection criteria and have a go. It's easy to slate others' selections, but have the balls to give a counter proposition.
And you're right. it is only opionion. But that's the fun of these threads.
Posted 15:48 07th November 2012
Norm says...
Cipriani & Burns! Oh god man please have mercy, my sides are busting!
Posted 15:40 07th November 2012
Norm says...
Propmelsey
Brilliant nice to see you carry on PRs satirical take on the lions options. Twelvetrees and Waldouck over O'Driscoll, stop please, I am going to wet myself if you keep it up!
Posted 15:36 07th November 2012
leinster_goy says...
@APV1
on phillips, i concur. but your "ashton for bowe" suggestion made me get a bit sick in my mouth. cheers
@Norm
i've long been mystified by PR's obsession with saracens. every year they are dumped out of europe by a superior irish or french side, yet the hacks on this site are under the persistent delusion that they are a top team
Posted 15:16 07th November 2012
NHsaints says...
I'd have North over Cuthberts any day of the week and Ashton over Cuthberts too, Goode? God no! Abendanon and Brown are far better and when he recovers BEN FODEN. Nice to see someone mentioning Luke Arscott in the comments, yes actually he's been in blazing form of late. Tuilagi definitely, Welsh centres definitely, Barritt? Hmmm...I'd be more inclined to try someone a litte more attacking like James Downey or Ashley Beck. Gray is a top player, he's just injured and playing for Sale, I'd have him over Wynn-Jones anyday of the week, Hartley is a 100% given unless injured in which case yeh Best or Youngs, 10 are good picks, I'd not look further than Sexton and Flood for now, Backrow is still completely open however unless Warburton recovers completely and regains form I'd take Tipuric or Robshaw as 7 depending on how Tipuric plays in the autumn, Cole is better than Jones for mobility around the pitch so I'd pick him as both will decimate the Oz scrum, Loosehead yeh Jenkins or Healey and Ross as the last prop. 9 is still very open with so much depth at 9 I reckon Care will probably take it.
Posted 14:33 07th November 2012
Propmelsey says...
M. Brown in the squad for me along with J.Simpson-Daniel .. also i'd drop O'Driscoll and take Twelvetrees & Waldouk ... Cipriani & Burns over Priestland, Bigger & Wilko .... Nick Easter is guaranteed to be in the squad i reckon .... Sheridan might make it in ... just about ....
Posted 14:02 07th November 2012
daibok says...
Havent seen much NH rugby this year but Goode ahead of Kearney and Halfpenny? Surely shome mistake.
Norm and APV - you are spot on with Phillips.
Shouldnt they be called the British, Irish and SH Lions by the way. Just kidding before APV gives me a 1000 word lecture.
Posted 14:02 07th November 2012
Norm says...
15 Kearney, 2nd choice Brown
14 & 11 Cuthbert, North
12 & 13 BOD Roberts
10 Sexton
9 Care ( really pains me to say it)
8 Brown based on current form ok but would be surprised if he is the stand out 8 come the business end of the 6N. Hoping Heaslip pulls his finger out and reckon Faletau wont be far away
7 Warburton ( we need a true openside and O'Brien is great but not an out and out 7)
6 ferris
5 O'Connell 4 Lawes (Gray should challenge for this though)
3 Jones
2 Hartley ( god that hurt more than Care) but hope Best rocks the 6N
1 Healy
Posted 13:59 07th November 2012
BWJC says...
Why is Nick Easter out of contention just cos idiot Lancaster refuses to see he's the best 8 in Premierhsip at the moment?
Wilko is not playing international rugby but he's in contention.
As Lions are not saddled by the "building for the future" rubbish, feels like Easter has a great shot of being on the plane, he deserves it.
Posted 13:45 07th November 2012