2013: Who will make the plane?
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With the excitement building ahead of 2013's visit to Australia, we decided to pump up the volume by compiling our current British & Irish Lions squad.
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: For now, the number 15 jersey belongs to Leigh Halfpenny who was the stand-out player for Wales during the end-of-year internationals. His accuracy from the tee will no doubt be utilised Down Under, whilst his heroic defence has already been noted by the Wallabies. But we won't write off Alex Goode just yet. The England full-back also proved to be hugely effective for his country throughout the November Tests, and whilst he doesn't possess Halfpenny's boot, Goode's breaks certainly provided plenty of go-forward.
On standby: Rob Kearney, Lee Byrne, Simon Zebo
Best make other plans next June: Ben Foden, Stuart Hogg, Rob Miller, Delon Armitage
WINGS
Kiss the wife and kids goodbye: Warren Gatland is spoilt for choice in this department, with usual suspects Tommy Bowe and Alex Cuthbert once again proving to be a huge threat on their respective wings. Andrew Trimble is promoted from last week's standby list thanks to some excellent touches for club and country, whilst full-back cum wing Mike Brown proved he can cause plenty of damage out wide. Craig Gilroy is the new face who leaps ahead of Tim Visser, who revealed some defensive lapses playing for Scotland, and George North.
On standby: Chris Ashton, Tim Visser, George North
Best make other plans next June: Liam Williams, Ugo Monye, Christian Wade, David Strettle, Sean Lamont
CENTRES
Kiss the wife and kids goodbye: If Gatland was still debating on whether to play Manu Tuilagi in the B&I Lions' Test or midweek side, his mind was surely made up after the England centre's barnstorming performance against New Zealand. Tuilagi's partner in crime Brad Barritt also proved his worth, though we believe Jamie Roberts still has the inside track for the number 12 jersey with veteran Brian O'Driscoll also a certainty despite playing no part in the November internationals - his wealth of experience is just too much to leave behind. Jonathan Davies squeezes onto the plane Down Under as our fifth centre.
On standby: Scott Williams, Jonathan Joseph, Keith Earls
Best make other plans next June: James Downey, Anthony Allen, Darren Cave, Gordon D'Arcy, Ashley Beck
FLY-HALVES
Kiss the wife and kids goodbye: Now here's where it gets a whole lot tougher. The battle for the number ten shirt is beginning to really heat up between Ireland pivot Jonathan Sexton and England's Owen Farrell, who was on our standby list as a centre last time out. But it's Sexton's consistency that will in all likelihood win him the nod, as Farrell followed up his dominant display over All Blacks star Dan Carter at Twickenham by missing four out of seven penalties for Saracens a week later. Toby Flood drops to our standby list, and Rhys Priestland falls out completely after suffering an injury setback so go for Jonny Wilkinson.
On standby: Dan Biggar, Greig Laidlaw, Toby Flood, James Hook
Best make other plans next June: Rhys Priestland, Ruaridh Jackson, Ronan O'Gara, Danny Cipriani, Charlie Hodgson, Freddie Burns
SCRUM-HALVES
Kiss the wife and kids goodbye: With Mike Phillips battling for form, we could see an Englishman pulling on the famous red jersey if Danny Care and Ben Youngs continue doing what they did for their country for their respective clubs. Greig Laidlaw continues to be a dark horse though, as he can fill in at nine or ten.
On standby: Conor Murray, Danny Care, Tavis Knoyle
Best make other plans next June: Eoin Reddan, Richard Wigglesworth, Lloyd Williams, Lee Dickson
NUMBER EIGHTS
Kiss the wife and kids goodbye: Leinster number eight Jamie Heaslip remains the top contender here, after leading Ireland to that thumping victory over Argentina. Thomas Waldrom topped England's stats against Australia but was dropped for Ben Morgan, whose efforts against South Africa and New Zealand put him on the plane. Despite his national and club sides struggling, Scotland's David Denton clings on to his seat, but James Coughlan and Nick Easter are on the radar after impressive performances in the Heineken Cup.
On standby: James Coughlan, Toby Faletau, Kelly Brown
Best make other plans next June: Peter O'Mahony, Jordan Crane, Nick Easter, Andy Powell
FLANKERS
Kiss the wife and kids goodbye: Tom Wood moves into contention after impressive outings in the November Internationals, with England captain Chris Robshaw alongside him. The two remaining spots are a battle between three players - Stephen Ferris and Sean O'Brien are currently battling back to full fitness and Sam Warburton is hinting at a return to form. For the moment, O'Brien is just edged out.
On standby: Justin Tipuric, Ross Rennie, Sean O'Brien, Dan Lydiate
Best make other plans next June: Tom Johnson, John Barclay, Alasdair Strokosch, Chris Henry, Tom Croft, Ryan Jones, Iain Henderson
SECOND-ROWS
Kiss the wife and kids goodbye: Geoff Parling dropped out of the squad in Edition 3 but comes back in following November. Lions experience however is essential, so Clermont's Nathan Hines travels, along with Alun-Wyn Jones. Much like his Irish team-mates, the longer Paul O'Connell stays sidelined the more his chances diminish. Richie Gray like Denton is stuck in a losing rut with club and country. The final spot is a shootout between Donnacha Ryan and possible bolter Joe Launchbury, with the Irishman edging it.
On standby: Paul O'Connell, Richie Gray, Joe Launchbury, Jim Hamilton, Courtney Lawes
Best make other plans next June: Luke Charteris, Bradley Davies, Al Kellock, Donncha O'Callaghan, Ian Evans, Mike McCarthy
HOOKERS
Kiss the wife and kids goodbye: With all of the focus on Leinster's duo at hooker, Rory Best returned from injury with a bang against Northampton and secured his spot. That being said, Richardt Strauss will still travel. As for Dylan Hartley, a ban could be on the horizon after yet another citing against an Irish player which could deny him of more valuable game time. Tom Youngs and Sean Cronin are both over his shoulder.
On standby: Tom Youngs, Sean Cronin, Matthew Rees
Best make other plans next June: Ross Ford, Richard Hibbard, David Paice
PROPS
Kiss the wife and kids goodbye: Cian Healy currently has the jump on Gethin Jenkins after some strong performances for club and country in recent weeks, whilst Dan Cole's performance against Tony Woodcock hands him the edge over Adam Jones. All four are definities, all four are world-class. Mike Ross should also travel.
On standby: Ryan Grant, Alex Corbisiero, Mako Vunipola
Best make other plans next June: Paul James, Euan Murray, Andrew Sheridan, Tom Court, Joe Marler
By Ben Coles and Dave Morris
@bencoles_
Comments
dodgyrog says...
iain henderson is a good shout as he can cover second/back row
Posted 14:43 12th December 2012
stevetynant says...
Tom Wood moves into contention for his performance against the All Blacks but his totally anonymous display against Ulster the following week where he was completely outplayed by Chris Henry is not taken into consideration ?
Posted 14:00 12th December 2012
makemehappy says...
@Bones7 - I agree - and lets be honest, that wasn't an AB's team playing at their normal level (i.e. they all looked very off colour).
Posted 13:45 12th December 2012
kenttaff says...
jamie heaslip?? what is the obsession
Posted 13:14 12th December 2012
TVaddict says...
Fair selections really.
-I'd consider Mike Brown as a fullback more than a wing, but Fullback is so strong for us, so until he claims the England 15 shirt (which he deserves) he's unlikely to go really.
- I don't rate Trimble, Gilroy over him every time.
- I'm still hoping for Burns to become a bolter as for those that haven't seen him play he's got a great distribution game, probably the fastest 10 out of our choices, very creative, and he is up there (above Farrell) for his kicking percentages.
- Youngs and Care are the best performing 9s, and they're not performing that well. Phillips is so overrated and slow.
- Heaslip is the most overrated player. The 8s for the tour should be between Denton, Morgan, Faletau and O'Brien (with O'Brien and Denton covering flanker too).
- After seeing these stats (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/20678729) about our 7 options Robshaw and Rennie look like our best 7s (with O'Brien already mentioned above). Wood and Ferris are the best 6 options with the players named above also covering 6.
- Second row is actually quite hard. If Launchbury continues to play as well as he did against South Africa and New Zealand then he has to go on the plane. He could be a great bench option as he also covers 6. Ryan, Gray and Parling are on the plane as well for me. So then it's between Hines or Lawes for the last shirt with maybe Hines experience winning at the moment.
- Dan Cole is the best 3 in the world at the moment (that's an opinion not a fact in case people get lairy) so he's got the starting spot for me. Healy also has the starting 1 spot at the moment. I wouldn't bring three 3s and only two 1s. I'd bring Corbisiero instead of Ross (maybe even Ross instead of Jones considering all the injuries, but probably not) with Jenkins covering both sides if necessary. That way we've got two 1s, two 3s, and one covering both.
Posted 13:13 12th December 2012
5Lock4ward says...
So previous Lions experience gets Nathan Hines on the plane but means nothing for Euan Murray whose absence Victor Matfield said was the difference maker in South Africa last time. Also Alun Wyn-Jones was useless in South Africa yet you have him starting. It will be Gray and Lawes in the second row assuming their health.
Posted 12:48 12th December 2012
dodgyrog says...
what happened to EDITION 3
Posted 12:23 12th December 2012
Derrynane says...
Generally ok apart from flankers.
While Tom Wood played very well against the ABs he was invisible last Friday night against Ulster, who fielded a 100% irish qualified back-row. I think that Iain Henderson might be the dark horse in this area. Every time I have seen him play I have been hugely impressed. The guy reminds me on Jeremy Davidson who went on his first tour as an unknown and ended up as a starting test lock.
Also, still to be convinced by Sam Warburton's return to form. Justin Tupuric is miles ahead of SW at this point in the season. SW will struggle to impose himself playing for a really poor Cardiff team.
Posted 12:22 12th December 2012
APV1 says...
15 - Halfpenny, if he recovers. If not Brown.
Wings - Bowe & Cuthbert
Centres - Tuilagi & Roberts
10 - Sexton
9 - Care
8 - Morgan
Flankers - Wood (c) & Armitage
2R - Lawes & Launchbury
2 - Strauss
Props - Cole & Sheridan
Obviously this is my thoughts on a potential starting test 15. The squad will include many who are missed off.
Yep, there's a lot of English players. Yep, I'm an England supporter. Yep, England are the highest ranked country amongst them. Yep, I do remember England beating NZ not very long ago.
Posted 11:49 12th December 2012
jnt32 says...
CANNOT believe you didn't mention Steffon Armitage under flankers anywhere!!
Posted 11:36 12th December 2012
lawynd says...
@Bones7 - Marler and Youngs were the weak links against Australia, Cole could do little to redeem the efforts on his own. He's still easily the best Lions-qualified tighthead; at least as good a scrummager as Jones (better, IMO as he doesn't resort to binding on the arm as often) and far more effective around the park. Someone, and I forget who, described him as 'England's best 7 of the autumn series'; he creates a lot of turnover ball, which the Lions will need.
I think my only issue with this one is that Paul Marshall isn't even mentioned at 9 - there are always a couple of bolters in the Lions and I think he will definitely be one of them, given his performances for Ulster over the last year-ish.
Posted 11:24 12th December 2012
Ben7 says...
Healy, best, cole, launchbury, Gray, ferris, wood, Morgan, youngs, sexton, brown, Roberts, tuilagi, bowe, halfpenny
Posted 10:54 12th December 2012
Bones7 says...
I feel that Cole's performance against Woodcock isn't all that important in the context of the Lions tour, as his he didn't do a massive amount against Australia, although some of that could be down to Marler's performance.
Posted 09:15 12th December 2012