Greatest Lions XV of Pro Era - Second Row

https://www.606v2.com/t68776-greatest-lions-xv-of-pro-era-front-row

Voting for Front Row still live. Currently we have Tom Smith and Keith Woods with a tie at TH between Jones and Furlong. I will be using current longevity as a tie-break rule.

So on to the second row. Again stats taken from ESPN and looking only at games played in the second row, some of these have appeared in the back row which are not included in the stats.


The Contenders

Martin Johnson - 6 starts in 97 & 01. Tour captain on the first two Lions tours. Also gained 2 caps in the last amateur tour.
Jeremy Davidson - 3 starts in 97. Voted the players player of the tour this was very much the high point of his career.
Danny Grewcock - 5 tests (4 starts) in 01 & 05. Vicious sod on the pitch, loved by teammates and no-one else.
Paul O'Connell - 7 starts in 05, 09 & 13. Three tours, one as captain. Unlucky to see his final tour cut short by injury.
Donncha O'Callaghan - 4 tests (3 starts) in 05 & 09. Vicious sod on the pitch, loved by teammates and no-one else.
Alun Wyn Jones - 8 tests (7 starts) in 09, 13 & 17. Heartbeat of any team he plays for.

AWJ perhaps unlucky to only make my bench but I feel that he has not quite been as good for the Lions as for Wales. Great player, but for me Johnson and POC.

AWJ needs another tour and has to be at his best for me it’s the legendary Johnson and POC

maestegmafia wrote:AWJ needs another tour and has to be at his best for me it’s the legendary Johnson and POC

Unfortunately for AWJ the next tour may come a little too late as he would be almost 36. Thought I had read that he was contemplating retiring from international duty after RWC.

"I will be using current longevity as a tie-break rule" - what does this mean? Favours whoever has been on more tours?

Johnson is an obvious one for leading the 1997 Lions to victory.

Maybe it's a bit bias as he never really dominated games for the Lions like he did Munster and Ireland but O'Connell is my second peak. No one really enhanced their reputation in 2005, he led the 2009 Lions fairly well and played a role in the test win in 2013.

Simon Shaw should probably be there as well.

Went for Paul O'Connell and Martin Johnson. What a fierce boiler room that would be, no backwards steps there!

BamBam wrote:"I will be using current longevity as a tie-break rule" - what does this mean? Favours whoever has been on more tours?

 Yeah. So if votes tied guy with more tests wins. Completely arbitrary I know.

rodders wrote:

Simon Shaw should probably be there as well.  

Sadly he only won two caps. Shame he does not meet the criteria as I feel he was our best player on 2009 tour despite being almost 36.

He's unfortunate in having to compete with Johnson for most of his career, but what a player Shaw was, a mountain of a second row

Cumbrian wrote:Went for Paul O'Connell and Martin Johnson.  What a fierce boiler room that would be, no backwards steps there!

Yep, I have to agree, and they were my votes as well. How Grewcock the cheep shot bully is in there though is just beggars belief.

Grewcock has started 4 tests and played in another for the Lions. As per LT's clearly defined criteria, he is eligible for the poll

Grewcock was a standout performer in 2001. He completely deserves his place in the list. Ok, he was a bit ‘edgy’.

AWJ and AWJ, what a lock pairing.

mikey_dragon wrote:AWJ and AWJ, what a lock pairing.

Damn I knew that I should have had an extra voting option. If it makes you feel any better someone voted AWJ/Davidson

That was the only vote that didn't include Johnson, pretty much unanimous

LondonTiger wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:AWJ and AWJ, what a lock pairing.

Damn I knew that I should have had an extra voting option. If it makes you feel any better someone voted AWJ/Davidson

Davidson was great for the tour but languished either side