Lions Backline on Form

09. D.Care (England/Quins)
10. G.Henson (Wales/L.Welsh)
11. T.Visser (Scotland/Edinburgh)
12. J.Davies (Wales/Scarlets)
13. B.O'Driscoll (Ireland/Leinster)
14. G.North (Wales/Scarlets)
15. M.Brown (England/Quins)

I can only assume you think that including some of these names will induce debate, but it actually just makes you look like a complete numpty.

Hopefully I will be the last to comment on this post and it will just die its natural worthless death.

Frayed knot.

gelodge wrote:I can only assume you think that including some of these names will induce debate, but it actually just makes you look like a complete numpty.

Hopefully I will be the last to comment on this post and it will just die its natural worthless death.

You under emphasise the extent of numptiness. there is no way BOD deserves to be there.

Out of that lot.

Danny Care.

J Davies.

G North.

M Brown.

The rest of them a BIG, BIG, Question mark.

9 - Phillips
10 - Sexton
11 - North
12 - Davies
13 - Tuilagi
14 - Cuthbert
15 - Foden

RubyGuby

It is hard to selecty Foden at this moment in time seing that he is injured.

And the title does say Lions Backline on Form.

9 - Phillips
10 - Sexton
11 - North
12 - Davies
13 - Tuilagi
14 - Cuthbert
15 - 1/2p

Phillips over Care? Really?

Yeah really, one an established Lion with 3 grand slams under his belt, the other with 1 good game - Yes really! Hard to believe eh!

RubyGuby wrote:Yeah really, one an established Lion with 3 grand slams under his belt, the other with 1 good game - Yes really! Hard to believe eh!

it's not even a conversation...Philips might be a ne'er do well but he wins games and as a Lion he has no match at 9....that said i like Care, on form he is a sniping and highly dangerous 9 who can get a mobile pack barrelling forward.....against a full strength- and arguably the best backline in the world- I expect him to figure. it is the forward battle that will determine the lions tour and could even be as finely matched as who wins the 7 battle.

I'd def have them both in the Lions side.

Who's Phillips playing for now and can we see them in the HC or Amlin?

On form...

Care
Patchell/Wilkinson
Cuthbert
Davies
Tuilagi
North
Armitage/Byrne

Those are the best players on form from the last few weeks Ive seen, Unlucky to Visser, Turner hall, 1/2p, Liam Williams and Brown!!

Def not my lions pick though..

Phillips had nothing to do with 2005 GS but point taken and Roberts is on form, if fit he will be the inside centre.

Anyone suggesting Phillips for the starting 15 must have amnesia, he has been dire for Wales in their recent match ups against Australia, completely owned by his opposite number and one of the principal causes of Wales' stuttering in those tests. Genia would be licking his lips if he saw Phillips turn up again.

Also, bear in mind the key word in the title of this thread, "Form". Phillips hasn't impressed at Bayonne this season, they even seem to be looking for an excuse to get rid of him. If you're selecting players on how well they played 4 years ago, you should probably select Williams & Shaw as well, or how about Henson, he was good in 2005.

splenetic

Although I agree Phillips isn't the form SH at present to blame him for the Oz shambles is deluded. He was poor but far from Wales problems down under!!!!

Philipps thrives in the siege like Lions environment...I saw every minute of every test in SA and the guy was crucial at the fringes...Pocock will target the lions 9 all day and i would rather have someone like philipps than anyone else on offer

Regards to Full back for the Lions. What about Delon Armatage?

He is playing well for for toulon, just got man of the match.

What do you think guys?

Look above maj, he's in my form backline, as would his brother be near for the 6/7 birth!!!

Phillips may (i feel not but he was very good vs a physical Bok side in 2009) be good at dealing with Poccock but if Genia gets back to even mediocre form after injury, I can't see Phillips being anything other than utterly outclassed dealing with him. But I am decidedly not a fan in general so I am biased

Problem with Phillips is that he splits opinion so much because of his unconventional size/style.

He is definately a weapon, usefull to have, abbrassive and can really wind up the opposing pack, not to mention score the odd match winner, but for all his abilities he has his flaws and I'm not sure if he's the lions best option in Oz.

But then it may be a question of the players around him...

RubyGuby wrote:Yeah really, one an established Lion with 3 grand slams under his belt, the other with 1 good game - Yes really! Hard to believe eh!

Sorry, as the thread suggests I was going on form.

Also if by one good game you mean Care, I think you'll find he's been pretty excellent since February

CJ

But with care he has a greta platform to work off and his backrow are providing the gameplan for his style, would the lions want to play the quins way? and would Care get the same type of service with Higginthbottom, Pocock and Genia around?

I'm not saying he has to start for the Lions, just that it fallacious to say he has only had 1 good game!

I think the Aussie backrow will be dealt with by our HB and flankers. I'm more worried about Genia

Let's be frank - Phillips is not only in poor form for Bayonne, he's been up to hi-jinks again and got himself suspended for breach of rules. Purely on form, Richie Rees is the best Welsh 9 and Hook the best 10.

Even before his latest misdemeanour Phillips was getting booed by Bayonne fans (ok, not exactly unknown in France ) so he's hardly 'on form'.

I agree that he adds some elements that other scrum halvess don't, but I'd say he's a bit down the pecking order at present. Given that the Lions may want to vary their play he'll likely tour to offer to another option to the more traditional no.9.

Care is playing brilliantly and is in pole position at the moment.

samurai

But technically Rees has probably outperformed Phillips for club teams for years now, he's just not recognised at all. IMO Roberts is the Wales 9 in form, but again he has an armchair ride with Saints front row, and if they can make Geraghty and ???? look good I'd fancy a crack at 9 or 10.

IMO Care is top of the lions list based on his form, and speed of thought/reaction, but then IMO Ritchie Rees is playing superb too so what do I know.

9 Care
10 Sexton
11 Visser
12 Davies
13 Tuilagi
14 North
15 Halfpenny

Scot

NO CUTHBERT???!!!

Scott

NO ASHTON???!!!

Ashton

Bravo

He's the only winger who has both scored against AND been in a winning team v the Aussies...so yeah laugh and clap away....

I like the sound of a Davies/Tuilagi centre combo add Cuthbert and North in there and thats some hefty weight on the hoof

Yes but Aus will just tackle that all day long. If your going to play Davies...then get someone a bit more creative in place of Tuilagi...or vice versa.

Also we need more than Cuthbert and North on the wings. Play one...and then the other needs to be a guy with something different.

Bowe or Ashton offer that...

If we are predictable and go purely for power...Australia will walk away with a series whitewash.

Oh Geordie...

If that were the case Dan Parks would have his hand in the air for a call up, you know having scored AND been involved in a winning team V the Ausies!

GF,

I agree but I think Davies is more subtle than people give him credit for, if it was Roberts and Tuilagi then agree 100% but Davies has the so called 'soft hands' we here about and think it could work.

I disagree geordie, infact I'd go one step further...

Phillips
Wilkinson
North
Roberts
Tuilagi
Cuthbert
Armitage

Maybe not the most talented backline but effective going forward and defencively, I'd like to see the team that deals with that pace and power throughout!!!

Personally, I'd love the lineup to be this;

Paul Marshall, Christian Wade and Stuart Hogg are my bolters for the squad and if i'm feeling really giddy - Kyle Eastmond. Apparently league players without international caps play quite well on the wing on Lions tours to Oz? Just saying

9 Care
10 Sexton
11 North
12 Roberts
13 Tuilagi
14 Bowe
15 Halfpenny

Ah Bluesman you know i was referring to the wingers...

Looking at some of those backlines....good grief...the Aussies will be thinking its Christmas already...

I'd be more likely to pick Marshall than Care if form is the absolute predictor. He's been good or better in every game he's played in! Not many scrum halves in the world can claim to be benching Ruan Pienaar!

9. Marshall
10. Hodgson/Wilkinson
11. Cuthbert
12. Roberts
13. Davies
14. Bowe
15. Brown/Armitage

Mate im English...and i would serious resist playing Hodgson.

As i was reminded before...crackin clubs players dont make crackin internationals...and he is a perfect example....

Unless you mean young Joel currently lighting up the championship at 10 for us falcons

I repeat...simply putting out a bunch of monster backs wont scare the Aussies remotely....

There is oh so much rugby to be played before this stuff materialises and there are arguments for and against most, including Liam Williams. Best wait till after the AI's and the 6 Nations before we can see more clearly. Phillips v Care behind two evenly matched packs in Cardiff for example should be quite revealing along with many other match ups. Sexton and North for me are the only guaranteed backs there

thebluesmancometh wrote:Scot

NO CUTHBERT???!!!

On league form no, he's only played 3 times scoring 2 tries.

North - played 5 scored 5
Visser - played 5 scored 8

GeordieFalcon wrote:Looking at some of those backlines....good grief...the Aussies will be thinking its Christmas already...

I know what you mean. What's this deal with trying to steamroller the Aussies? The Welsh had a good go at it in the summer but came up short. Some of these line-ups lack guile and variation.

He scored three tries in his last match in the HC! That makes 4 games and 5 tries.

glamorganalun wrote:He scored three tries in his last match in the HC! That makes 4 games and 5 tries.

I metioned league form, 1 bad game from Visser or North doesn't mean they're out of form.

But Cuthberts form for both a poor club side and Wales is blistering and second to none!!

Avalon
If you think Wales tried to Steamroll Aus in Aus you might need to go and re examine, the tight 5 were dominated and the backline saw very little ball, when we got it out wide however we scored tries way too easily!!!

thebluesmancometh wrote:Avalon
If you think Wales tried to Steamroll Aus in Aus you might need to go and re examine, the tight 5 were dominated and the backline saw very little ball, when we got it out wide however we scored tries way too easily!!!

I did say tried. I just think the Wales gameplan didn't work and (whether the coaches admit it or not) there was a feeling that they would dominate at the scrum and also target the smaller, Aussie backs. Neither happened.

They did dominate the scrum, but were more than nullified at the breakdown. Plying 3 players in the pack who hadnt played for months didn't help either, as did leaving the form lock on the bench for an entire series.

Wales lost that tour for a number of reasons but the size of the backline was certainly not it, infact North, Cuthbert and Davies all ran rampant when they finally saw a bit of ball, Roberts didn't travel.

With a better kicking 10 and Manu Tuilagi the Wales backline would be the most feared on the planet, and lacking rugby nous does not necesarily mean non effective!