How Many Scots Will Make The Lions Tour Next Year?

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I've always felt Scotland has been very hard done by in recent Lions tours - last year we got 2, which was arguably a bit of a joke. Will the same thing happen this time around? Is it fair to pick very few candidates from a losing team?

Genuine candidates? Bearing in mind we only have the rest of this 6N, summer tours, autumn internationals and another 6N to go:

FR Ross Ford
SR Richie Gray, Grant Gilchrist
BR Ross Rennie, Kelly Brown, David Denton, John Beattie?
HB Greig Laidlaw [partly for his versatility]
CR N/A
OB Tim Visser, Stuart Hogg, Max Evans, Chris Paterson

I think we'll get about 4 and they'll be Ford, Gray, a back row (probably Denton or Brown) and Visser. Unfortunately, although it's not the way it *should* necessarily be done, coaches traditionally do not pick Lions from losing teams.

Alyn young Hogg looked extremely good off the bench for Scotland against Wales and put in a very good hot knife through butter impression. I'd find room in the team for him given that the Aussies play on hard ground and like and open game plan (should mean broken field running available which would be wasted on Kearney).

For English representation I'd have Cole over Murrary (as good in the scrum, marginally better in the loose), Davies at 12 where he belongs with Manu competing with BOD for the 13 shirt. Foden might get a look in as well if England do decide on counter attacking capabilities as he is better under the high ball then Halfpenny and just as quick.

There should be plenty time between now and selection time to determine whether Hogg is good enough. He's made a great start, both against Wales off the bench but also against the Saxons. He's in contention. I wouldn't have him inked in just yet but he'll certainly be starting the last 3 games in this 6 Nations which should enable us to take a closer look. One area that worries me about him is his kicking from hand, not always solid.

I agree on Cole over Murray, and also that Davies covers both 12 and 13. I don't think BOD will make it, his injury record is mounting up against him and come next year I think both Tuilagi and Joseph (my outside tip) will be better bets - both more physical and quicker.

AlynDavies wrote:Denton and Gray, Lee Jones and Murray would be my inclusions.

Hogg is a kid and has done nothing for Scotland other than 1 near try against Wales and frankly this isn't really good enough to be a Lion.

Um, how can you say that about Hogg and then put Lee Jones in your lions tour ?