is this lions team going to be missing experience lions players compared to past teams

I was just trying to think about what past lions could be touring this time that have the experience of touring, and might the lack of experience affect the squad because I know on past tours you had a bunch of players that had toured before. I don't see many of the current players that have toured a curtain to tour this time aroound where as before they might have

2013 players that have toured and could again, could miss a few out through not knowing if they have toured before;
gethin Jenkins,Mike Phillips,Adam Jones,Leigh halfpenny
Paul O'Connell, Keith earls,BOD,ROG, Ferris, hesslip
Jonny Wilkinson, Jamie Roberts, bowe

Where on past tours you always had players from past tours;
Martin Johnson, Jason Robinson, Stephan Jones, Shane Williams, Dai young, Townsend,
Dawson, Neil Jenkins, mike catt, Scot Gibbs, Keith wood

Yea I understand I have missed loads and some might be annoyed that there's more welsh and English than it is
Scots and Irish I don't mean to offend just looking for other peoples opinions

not too much of a concern. If you pick experienced players and you lose the series it's because there's too many old players. If you pick young players and lose the series it's because there's not enough experience. It's just making excuses in the end. Most players on the tour would have come down for the mini tours last year and played in a world cup so there's no excuse for failure. The team will be superior to the Aussies and underperforming would be the reason if they don't win; it won't be due to having a bunch of Lions greenhorns

I agree with dailym that experience is largely irrelevant and the best players should be chosen, but if you want experience the following players have also been on Lions tours:

England:
Croft, Stevens, Payne, Sheridan, Vickery, Shaw, Monye

Scotland:
Ford, Murray, Hines

Ireland:
DOC, D'Arcy, Fitzgerald, Kearney


Wales:
Rees, AWJ, Ryan Jones, Powell, Hook, Shane, Byrne

Or maybe the Wallabies will be superior and perform better - if the Lions don't win, dallym and LT?

That's the other scenario which seems to have been overlooked. Same as last time in other words.

Linebreaker wrote:Or maybe the Wallabies will be superior and perform better - if the Lions don't win, dallym and LT?

I should have read to the end of the post before agreeing . amended to reflect views.


BUT


How can you say Australia might win because they are better. It will either be because the wrong squad is selected, or the coach decides to undermine the players confidence to facilitate his long term plan to win an RWC for his home country a decade later.

Or because Australia, as always, cheat.

Or because some aliens steal our players to replace them with sub-standard copies.

Definitely the last one.

ha ha.
I began to worry that you guys are already beginning to worry when I saw this thread.

Or because you have a much harder task of getting the right mix of players and combos together with minimal warm-up matches.

It also amazes me that there aren't more 'mini-riots' on these boards. So far, the Home Nations fans have been so well behaved and respectful of one another. Surely, there must be age-old tensions simmering underneath and it will all start to boil over very soon?

I predict this may still happen after the 16th.

Linebreaker wrote:Or maybe the Wallabies will be superior and perform better

The Wallabies should perform better - they have a settled team with talent and experience. If the Lions come even close it will show how much superior their players are as they will be relying solely on individual talent with no corporate team experience.

The original point has some validity as any experience of the team units together would be a straw to clutch. However that experience is only useful if the same units play together this time, and the chances of them being 1. selected, 2. on form, 3. remembering anything from four years ago and 4. being as effective against different opposition are remote.

The Lions are a rookie team irrespective of how much experience their individuals have.

I just have that feeling it will be sort of similar to the last tour here. Major thumpings of the Sandgropers (WA) and Combined NSW/Qld teams. 50/50 with the Reds/Brumbies; probably 60/40 v NSW; then a 2-1 or possibly even a 3-0 result this time.

Remember, the 2001 B&I Lions had the foundations of the England 2003 team core in the forwards as well as Jonny, BOD, Robbo in the backs and it was a come from behind series win for the Wallabies (who had some proven/upcoming stars as well). I still think your current crop (the main contenders based on recent form) show a lot of potential too but are not quite yet at the same level as your 2001 players. (subject to last 2 rounds of 6N)

I may be wrong of course - but I also feel our blokes will be slightly stronger across all positions (compared to our 2001 side) and will have also improved in the major areas of the contests... except for maybe our line outs... but they should still be fairly competitive in that area too.

Never forget that the pivotal moment of 2001 was the brutal taking out of Richard Hill in the second test. Up to that point the Lions had the better of all three halves of rugby.

Also Henry tried to get the 2001 Lions to play to his preferrred (NZ) style rather than mould a style according to the players he had.

All in all, comparisons with 2001 are inevitable but of no real relevance.

No relevance in 2013 of course but just thought I'd mention it.

Only because you won.

Yeah, I just missed the '89 debacle, Lucky. (Glas keeps reminding me though)

Linebreaker wrote:Or maybe the Wallabies will be superior and perform better - if the Lions don't win, dallym and LT?

That's the other scenario which seems to have been overlooked. Same as last time in other words.

Don't be so ridiculous

Don't give a stuff about experience. The best players based on fitness and form should go. Invariably that will mean some former tourists will be included.

Not that it matters much, but the Wallabies aren't a particularly experienced side either.