Who starts at 3 for the Lions

First topic message reminder :

Now we all now how important a position TH prop can be for teams, but who is in the driving seat for the Lions number 3 slot? I appreciate that there is a long way to go, but assuming all the runners and riders remain fit, who do we see as the British and Irish Lions premier TH.

Adam Jones: Tremendous reputation as a scrummaging prop, pretty much immovable when at the top of his game. 12 months ago he would have been an absolute shoe-in, but after his recent injury, is he showing signs of decline? I thought Healy gave him some serious issues at the weekend and he didn't seem to have much impact in the loose.

Dan Cole: Scrummaging is top draw these days and seems very durable. Brilliant over the ball, especially for a prop. Makes his tackles although could probably do more as a carrier.

Mike Ross: Another who know his way round a scrum and gave Jenkins no end of trouble last weekend. But, was that a case of Jenkins being short of game time or has Ross developed into a destructive force rather than a solid TH? Does he do enough around the park? With Healy and Best likely to be starting at 1 & 2, does this give Ross an advantage in having a front three from one nation?

For me, and on balance, I would start with Cole. With all three at their absolute best, then Jones is probably the premier scrummaging TH, but Cole has closed that gap considerably over the last couple of years. I think Cole, although always a solid scrummager, has really upped this part of his game since Thomas Domingo gave him a beasting a few years back in Paris. Out of the three SH teams to take on, Australia have the least powerful scrum so I think Cole's extra work around the park gives him the edge over Adam Jones. There is a good chance that the Lions won't be playing a traditional 7 and with this in mind, the ability to turnover ball that Cole has shown recently could be invaluable.

Thoughts?

Chjw131 wrote:

ChequeredJersey wrote:How many Hookers worldwide are better than Best? And how many of those don't play for South Africa?

Chequred, regardless whether the top hookers seem to play for SA or not the point stands. Kevan Mealamu I would have ahead of Best, excepting his last performance and I would find it a hard choice to take Best over Stephen Moore certainly. Polota-Nau also offers a heavy carrying game and good park work, not that i'd say he was clearly ahead of Best.

By my reckoning i'd be logging Bismark, Strauss, Mealamu and Stephen Moore ahead of Best. Best is an excellent hooker but it's not a position of relative strength for the Lions.

Terrible player that Rory Best, only the fifth best hooker in World Rugby!

I would put him somewhere between 2 and 5, and right now he's in form. How many players for the Lions are the best in their position? Hooker is a better bet for the Lions than scrum-half or lock, or even back three when you consider the ridiculous amount of talent in the SH there.

Relax, Besties got this covered.

Must be a strong contender for captaincy.

Jones has been unlucky not to pick up a few MOM awards for the Ospreys since he's been back, the poor scrum Saturday was entirely down to a weak LH and second row..

I rate Cole hugely, but still feel Adam has the edge in the scrum and targeting the scrum could be pivotal in Australia.

1. Sheridan
2. Best
3. Jones

16. Cole
17. Hibbard
18. Healy

My big bug bear, as I've said elsewhere, is Adam Jones' loose play. He may be a great scrummager, and for me in the top 3 scrummaging TH's in the world, but he doesn't do much else. The stats may say he hits a lot of rucks, but Saturday was a good example of the way in which he sometimes runs to the ruck, stops, and then seems to try to tickle the opponent into falling off the ruck. He's all arms and pushing. He should be driving in, using his excellent driving skills from scrummaging, hitting low and then up to drive their hands and bodies off the ruck area. With his size, weight and low centre of gravity he should be a wrecking ball at ruck time.

My other bug bear is his lack of presence at ball carrying. Surely with his weight, size and low centre of gravity he should also be a wrecking ball with ball in hand. He seems so intent on setting up the next phase that he hits the floor almost before being touched. That's criminal for a beast like him! I'm not asking him to side step or create opportunities with magical feet. A bit of leg pump and I'm positive that he could make a bit of ground. Yet you'll rarely ever see him take it up. Oh, and he loves to offload as soon as he gets it, like he's playing hot potato.

As a Welsh fan I love him, and believe that props should focus mainly on their primary scrummaging job first and foremost, but I think in the modern game a player of that size and power should be able to offer something in addition. Mike Phillips is harder to stop on the crash ball.

Cole for me currently, he offers so much around the park. I think his scrummaging is actually on a par with Jones', but it's his extra work that separates him. I also think that Jones' is currently being let down by the poor selection of Jenkins and Rees in the front row. Jenkins is by no means match fit, and James should be starting. No doubt Jones is a quality operator, but there's only so much he can do .

I would have to go with Cole too, against the OZ the very slight he gives away to Jones will matter less, and the work he does around the park will matter more.

Not sure who mentioned Healy giving Jones trouble, he certainly did not. Jones, without a LH, or a lock of scrummagging quality, not to mention a lightweight backrower still contained Healy and Best, for me Jones performance in the scrum was up there with as good as it gets!!!!

But I'd still go with Cole, we are capable of dominating the OZ scrum with Cole and Healy, maybe if Best is in between them though we may need a bigger anchor in Jones, but I suspect Cole is plenty up tto that challenge.

At present I'd go with...

Healy
Best
Cole

Not as destructive as...

James
Ford
Jones

But they offer more all round.