Billy Twelvetrees gets Lions call up

Fresh from the twitter vine, 36 called up as "back line cover" for the Lions. 

What can we read into this? Is Sexton's injury worse than we thought?

Nothing specific on Lions App. Gatland taliking about his versatility and backs having to play a lot of Rugby so far while nursing knocks. Still, worrying.

Dont think its Sexton - maybe Tuilagi shoulder - BOD/whole body giving up - or Roberts /butter finger itis

But 12 3's aint a 10 so it can't be cover for sexton (if the rumour is true)

Has 36 played 10? otherwise Hook might have seemed a more sensible option

I think this maybe a worry about sexton - hopefully not though!

Very confused by this. 36 covers inside centre and possibly flyhalf and outside.

Why not bring in someone who covers more positions if you are looking for backline cover like Hook or Madigan.

Very happy for him all the same. Class player.

Must be as cover for Tuilagi.

36 definitely played fly-half for Leicester a few times. Not sure about Gloucester.

Really pleased for him!

They might be going to wrap Sexton in his smothering cotton wool now for opening before the test.

Cyril on 606v2 wrote:36 definitely played fly-half for Leicester a few times. Not sure about Gloucester.

Really pleased for him!

Brian O'Driscoll once played out half once for Ireland back in around 2000 but I dont think he will be able to cover 10.

Tom Youngs used to play centre but equally Id like to think he has been included in the Lions squad for his abilities as a hooker.

Has covered 10 occasionally for Gloucester but never particularly successfully.  Should be kept at 12 really as this is by far his most natural position, and the one at which I believe he will be the outstanding player in the UK over the next few years.

Really pleased for him.  Had Lancaster retained him throughout the 6N rather than keeping boring Brad then I feel he would probably have been on this tour from the outset.  Could be a bolted for some test action before the series concludes, and I think he would flourish given the opportunity.

I wish Gats would stop nicking players from our Argentina tour though...

i'd say it's for manu so

Cyril!!!  Stop that now.  First Gats doesn't pick enough English lads, now he'd nicking them?  Is he a thief or a scoundrel?

Guns, I wasn't saying he was coming in to be a back-up 10 just answering the question of whether he had played the position before.

Good news for Billy but either somebody is struggling or Gats is just playing safe as there are a few knocks around the squad.

Maybe he's over-compensating now after leaving himself a bit thin in some areas.

a bit worrying as far as potential injuries go....

Twelvetrees is looking dangerous at the moment though and is a different option to the centres we have. goodo.

If it's cover at 10 then I think we can conclude that Gatland really doesn't think very much of the specialist stand-off options in Britain and Ireland!!

It must also be for 12 rather than 13 as Hogg can cover 13 and Bowe will be back to cover there too.

Gatland is beginning to realise he might be an idiot making his players play more than the group of players they'll come up against in the tests.

The Aussies weren't tempted out of their cave and now the Lions players are just risking injury and potentially playing themselves out of form rather than into it.

Cyril on 606v2 wrote:Guns, I wasn't saying he was coming in to be a back-up 10 just answering the question of whether he had played the position before.

Good news for Billy but either somebody is struggling or Gats is just playing safe as there are a few knocks around the squad.

Maybe he's over-compensating now after leaving himself a bit thin in some areas.

I like 36 but really hope he hasnt been called up to cover 10 when guys like Madigan and Hook have played 10, centre and 15 and are both really good players. 36 is a better centre than both of them though.

Finally Gatland has seen sense in taking someone else who can cover 10/12 with the test matches now coming. Madigan, Hook, Twelvetrees, it didn't matter.

I think this means that Hogg is now in the test 23.

If Hogg, Farrell and Sexton are all in the test 23 they can't be playing the midweek matches vs. the Brumbies and the Rebels.

Hopefully this means Lancaster will start to believe in him. Real class individual.

I think he has just been called up as a general backup - seems strange this late in the tour - but with BOD unable to play every week and Tuilagi, Sexton and Farrell carrying knocks he obviously wants to take the pressure off the backs.

From this we can assume that the 23 shirt will be going to one of the centre options - Tuilagi most likely as he is a better wing cover than JD2 (assuming Roberts and BOD start), unless Hogg is selected as 10/15 replacement.

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:It must also be for 12 rather than 13 as Hogg can cover 13 and Bowe will be back to cover there too.

Well he is a 12 isnt he?

Wow, didn't see this coming. Huge news for Twelvetrees and England! Best of luck to him. He's been on fire recently.

Like everyone else, I'm struggling to see who he is possibly replacing. My guess is that Manu is the injury worry.

Billy has played at 10 a little for Tigers, but he was the starting fly-half for Bedfor when he was there if I remember correctly. He's got a cannon of a boot.

His been called up to de-rail Englands chances in Argentina.
 
Only kidding or am I?



I think Sexton and Farrell are struggling too not just Manu, these things happen.

I'd say its because Sexton and Tuilagi got knocks.

10 - Farrell, Twelvetrees, Sexton
12 - Roberts, Davies, Twelvetrees
13 - Tuilagi, O'Driscoll, Davies

Thats a comfortable level of comfort to have; much more comfortable than previous.

How many actual guys get pictured in the Lions shirt before the Lions depart?  No sooner does a guy get a mention, and him either in USA (Zebo) or Argentina (Twelvetrees), they're pictured smiling in their Lions kit.

Have you not received your shirt yet Fly?

Apparently I'm now 878,413th in line to be the Lions 10.

Now I wouldn't wish injuries on anyone...

The position clue is in his name:  12trees. Plays predominantly at 12 at my club Glaws.
If Gats wanted 10 cover (e.g. later in tour maybe ) he could call up his new best mate Jonny, or raid England camp further for Burns.

red_stag wrote:I'd say its because Sexton and Tuilagi got knocks.

10 - Farrell, Twelvetrees, Sexton
12 - Roberts, Davies, Twelvetrees
13 - Tuilagi, O'Driscoll, Davies

Thats a comfortable level of comfort to have; much more comfortable than previous.

Well before it was:

10 Farrell, Sexton, Hogg
12 Roberts, Davies, (Farrell has played 12 for the Lions hasnt he?) North also has game time here.
13 Tuilagi, Drico, Bowe (featured at 13 briefly before getting injured)

Not a huge difference in terms of "comfort"

SecretFly wrote:How many actual guys get pictured in the Lions shirt before the Lions depart?  No sooner does a guy get a mention, and him either in USA (Zebo) or Argentina (Twelvetrees), they're pictured smiling in their Lions kit.

I haven't seen a picture of 36 in Lions kit and I don't remember Zebo's being instant

Won't standby players have had photos taken as a precaution?

Billy is in his shirt on walesonline.

wales606 wrote:

SecretFly wrote:How many actual guys get pictured in the Lions shirt before the Lions depart?  No sooner does a guy get a mention, and him either in USA (Zebo) or Argentina (Twelvetrees), they're pictured smiling in their Lions kit.

I haven't seen a picture of 36 in Lions kit and I don't remember Zebo's being instant

In the past they actually just stuck the joiners heads on someone elses body who already had a picture taken. This is actually true and may well be what they still do.

wales606 wrote:

SecretFly wrote:How many actual guys get pictured in the Lions shirt before the Lions depart?  No sooner does a guy get a mention, and him either in USA (Zebo) or Argentina (Twelvetrees), they're pictured smiling in their Lions kit.

I haven't seen a picture of 36 in Lions kit and I don't remember Zebo's being instant

I was thinking the same thing. It's gone straight up on the Lions' twitter account! Unbelievable.

Thing is, each player has all the suit fittings as well, which according to an article before the tour, is really time consuming. It;s a hell of a process getting a guy out there to join.

The picture of Billy in the shirt has come out seriously quickly though....

his selection has far more to do with the fact that he just played well last weekend for England and is therefore considered a decent bet to get up to speed quickly. Some of the other contenders mentioned are all quality but not sure they are match tested/fit to the same extent?

GunsGerms wrote:

wales606 wrote:

SecretFly wrote:How many actual guys get pictured in the Lions shirt before the Lions depart?  No sooner does a guy get a mention, and him either in USA (Zebo) or Argentina (Twelvetrees), they're pictured smiling in their Lions kit.

I haven't seen a picture of 36 in Lions kit and I don't remember Zebo's being instant

In the past they actually just stuck the joiners heads on someone elses body who already had a picture taken. This is actually true and may well be what they still do.

Probably what happened, or the 4 tours all carried a couple of extras.

bluestonevedder wrote:

wales606 wrote:

SecretFly wrote:How many actual guys get pictured in the Lions shirt before the Lions depart?  No sooner does a guy get a mention, and him either in USA (Zebo) or Argentina (Twelvetrees), they're pictured smiling in their Lions kit.

I haven't seen a picture of 36 in Lions kit and I don't remember Zebo's being instant

I was thinking the same thing. It's gone straight up on the Lions' twitter account! Unbelievable.

Thing is, each player has all the suit fittings as well, which according to an article before the tour, is really time consuming. It;s a hell of a process getting a guy out there to join.

The picture of Billy in the shirt has come out seriously quickly though....

Bet if you look closely he has the same body as another player. Alan Quinlan when picked for the Lions for the last tour missed the photo shoot and his head was just stuck on Martin Williams body for example. They did the same for the joiners last tour.

wales606 wrote:

SecretFly wrote:How many actual guys get pictured in the Lions shirt before the Lions depart?  No sooner does a guy get a mention, and him either in USA (Zebo) or Argentina (Twelvetrees), they're pictured smiling in their Lions kit.

I haven't seen a picture of 36 in Lions kit and I don't remember Zebo's being instant

It was.  I was conscious of how instant it was because I was a might annoyed with Mr Zebo at the time.....

GunsGerms wrote:



Bet if you look closely he has the same body as another player. Alan Quinlan when picked for the Lions for the last tour missed the photo shoot and his head was just stuck on Martin Williams body for example. They did the same for the joiners last tour.

Yeah, maybe you're right, Guns.

hugehandoff wrote:his selection has far more to do with the fact that he just played well last weekend for England and is therefore considered a decent bet to get up to speed quickly. Some of the other contenders mentioned are all quality but not sure they are match tested/fit to the same extent?

Hook is much more experienced and Madigan has only two less international test caps.

Unlike every other player Simon Zebo actually never got a phone call from Lions management to confirm that he was in the squad. Anyone know why?

GunsGerms wrote:

bluestonevedder wrote:

wales606 wrote:

SecretFly wrote:How many actual guys get pictured in the Lions shirt before the Lions depart?  No sooner does a guy get a mention, and him either in USA (Zebo) or Argentina (Twelvetrees), they're pictured smiling in their Lions kit.

I haven't seen a picture of 36 in Lions kit and I don't remember Zebo's being instant

I was thinking the same thing. It's gone straight up on the Lions' twitter account! Unbelievable.

Thing is, each player has all the suit fittings as well, which according to an article before the tour, is really time consuming. It;s a hell of a process getting a guy out there to join.

The picture of Billy in the shirt has come out seriously quickly though....

Bet if you look closely he has the same body as another player. Alan Quinlan when picked for the Lions for the last tour missed the photo shoot and his head was just stuck on Martin Williams body for example. They did the same for the joiners last tour.

Ha, that's excellent, I had no idea! Definitely a possibility for Billy's, but god knows whose body it is.

I'd assume that Gats has decided he wants there of the four centres in the starting 23 and as such has called up another in order to fill out the mid week team. The fact he covers 10 as well is just an added bonus meaning that Farrell and Sexton can be saved for the tests.

I think they should have used Matt Stevens' body for all the shots. No airbrushing!

Just goes to show not enough Englishman were picked in the 1st place.
 
England to the rescue once again.

GunsGerms wrote:

hugehandoff wrote:his selection has far more to do with the fact that he just played well last weekend for England and is therefore considered a decent bet to get up to speed quickly. Some of the other contenders mentioned are all quality but not sure they are match tested/fit to the same extent?

Hook is much more experienced and Madigan has only two less international test caps.

Hook is currently on holiday and drunk - maybe Ibiza.

Madigan may feel unlucky, but by all accounts struggled against USA.

Biggar has a thigh strain and is doubtful for the 2nd international against Japan.


And in 36's favour - he is a big lump and shoudl be able to play the Gatland way.

LondonTiger wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:

hugehandoff wrote:his selection has far more to do with the fact that he just played well last weekend for England and is therefore considered a decent bet to get up to speed quickly. Some of the other contenders mentioned are all quality but not sure they are match tested/fit to the same extent?

Hook is much more experienced and Madigan has only two less international test caps.

Hook is currently on holiday and drunk - maybe Ibiza.

Madigan may feel unlucky, but by all accounts struggled against USA.

Biggar has a thigh strain and is doubtful for the 2nd international against Japan.


And in 36's favour - he is a big lump and shoudl be able to play the Gatland way.

I didnt read any account that said he struggled against USA. He only missed one kick and scored all Irelands points. Ireland did struggle against USA though.