Wales

pierredelot1 says...

There is no doubt that this article is written in order to stir up opinion. Putting Foden in ahead of Kearney is an outrage and frankly Ashton has still not managed to get his form back so doesn't really deserve a mention. Papachinzo is obviously on some form of medication, the Szarzeski fan club has probably one member. Servat is still the best two in the northern hemisphere by a country mile, but not getting first up, as everyone knows this is probably his last season. Croft only holds his place if the coach plays the game in a system to suit him, which England did on Sunday. Having said that you can't argue with Grey and Ryan, both are top class and Ryan has to be a shoe in from now on. Best No 8 week in week out is Parisi, but not his best last week. The guys probably getting fed up of being on the losing side.

Posted 14:36 14th March 2012

Houston_11 says...

I have to say that it seems a lot of the time on these weekly teams, people get picked for scoring tries or setting them up. In this I refer to Croft (scoring) and Morgan (setting up).

Croft had a solid game but nowhere near the performance Ferris put in.

Morgan had a decent game but I thought Harinordoquy completely outshown him.

I would also have Tommy Bowe in the team ahead of Ashton, who for me, doesn't even deserve his place in the England squad. I would have Sharples starting ahead of him with Strettle. And with one being injured I'd put Foden on the wing and put Mike Brown at full-back.

Posted 13:43 14th March 2012

Artherfish says...

Just one comment to make. Although part of a poor scotish display i have to say Richie Gray diservs his place, thought he was fantastic on saturday. I'd im no scott. On this form would be in my mix for the Lions.

Posted 10:53 14th March 2012

APV1 says...

@ gareth1984 - two issues. 1. Croft was fantastic this week and getting back to his Lion's form. He's been underachieving in the tournament up until the French match, but to call him over-rated shows a lack of memory on your part. 2. POC - what is everyone's obsession with him? He is awesome and a great player, but he's not the be all and end all.

@ norm - I'll accept opinions about the skills and abilities of any player, as we are all subjective. But to critisise TC's work-rate is just wrong. One of the reasons he was included in the PR team was his work-rate, all over the park, in the loose and set piece this weekend. To suggest that he didn't graft is just nonsense. Unless you've mis-used the word "graft", which most use to describe hard work, rather than ability or skill...

And, I do think we all need to get away from telling each other who WILL be picked, as we're often going to be proved wrong. Perhaps we should all suggest who WE WOULD pick. There'll be less egg on our faces...

Posted 10:01 14th March 2012

lostprofit says...

I would choose Foden over Kearney. Kearney is excellent under the high ball, no one better. But he was utterly at fault for Gray's try and he has no imagination in attach, he just runs into people.

Ashton... Errr, guys anyone else would have been better >.<

O'Mahony? Good full debut but its a mistake to think he was better than Ferris who was utterly immense and is probably the in form 6 in the NH. Hands down. A huge candidate for the lions, I think.

Imagine a back three of Ferris Warburton and Morgan (on this form, and far better than Faletau)

Tha gives me goosebumps of excitement :)

Posted 00:22 14th March 2012

RobinMasters says...

What is Ashton doing in this "dream" team? Let him dive for fantastic tries against Georgia or Romania, this is the 6N.

Harinordoquy was huge, but I understand the French don't get much credit here when they win, so let's not expect them to be on when they lose (and Morgan was outstanding, too).

Cole? What was so special about him?

Farrell or Sexton? Both huge.

Phillips : miles above anybody.

As for Tuilagi, somebody take those pills from him, or he's gonna burst...

Posted 22:35 13th March 2012

gareth1984 says...

I think Dan Lydiate constantly gets over looked every week his tackle count is in the top 3 of the game is always involved in either a supporting role or carrying or defensively. Lions next year for the backrow will be hotly contested between ferris-Lydiate, Heaslip-Faletau and Warburton and Rennie. Sorry but Croft is massively overrated!!!!!!

My Lions xv

15. Rob Kearney

14. Tommy Bowe

13. Scott Williams

12. Manu Tualagi

11. Leigh Halfpenny

10. Owen Farrell

9. Mike Phillips

8. Jamie Heaslip

7. Sam Warburton

6. Dan Lydiate

5. POC

4. Ritchie Grey

3. Adam Jones

2. Rory Rest

1. Gethin Jenkins

Posted 20:40 13th March 2012

pembs says...

Halfpenny adds more to a team than any other full back

Posted 18:43 13th March 2012

Danatthecorner says...

@APV1

I agree with your post by and large except the penalty bit. He didn't give a penalty away for being gobby. The verbal incident was when Ashton was having verbals with one of the French players and the touch judge heard him and told the ref who then threatened to penalise him. A complete non-event, only made significant by the fact that everyone still is in a rush to bury Ashton for anything he does/doesn't do. The penalty was for shoving Rougerie.

How can people seriously say Croft wasn't better than Ferris this week when he clearly was? He was all over the French line out with 3 steals, great in defence stopping Fofana twice in full flow and did his shift in the tight (which is rare for him) as well as scoring the winning try, which was quality. All this, head to head against the world player of the year, away in France where they haven't lost since 2008. What more does he have to do in a one off game for some people to admit he has played well?

If you can't bring themselves round to say a player has played well regardless of his nationality then frankly you are watching the wrong sport. It's not a matter of who is better overall its about being adult enough to admit truthfully who played better this week.

Posted 18:21 13th March 2012

papachinzo says...

hmm, mine would have been:

15.Kearney 14.Cuthbert 13.Rougerie 12.Canale 11.Trimble 10.Sexton 9.Botes 8.Harinordoquy 7.Tipuric 6.Ferris 5.Ryan 4.Gray 3.Ross 2.Szarzewski 1.Healy

Posted 17:41 13th March 2012