After their dismal performance, would you have any English players in the Irish and British Lions team for South Africa? Not according to the Daily Telegraph, the bastion newspaper of the Home Counties.
As they see it, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland can fill all the first-team berths easily. It set me thinking as to the possibilities or alternatives. Some of the choices from the Daily Telegraph I agreed with, others not.
Shoo-in, Lee Byrne, has already got his dibs on the fifteen shirt, with possibly Keith Earls or Girban Dempsey playing back-up.
IRB player of the year, Shane Williams remains on song and will no doubt occupy his familiar spot on the wing. The other is a toss-up between Rob Kearney and Shane Horgan, with Scotland’s Rory Lamont an outside possibility.
The peerless Brian O’Driscoll, whilst missing his earlier pace, still has sufficient swerve and world-class defensive capabilities to keep him firmly in place – and a possible captain too.
Good things come in pairs, and Ireland’s Luke Fitzgerald would likely join up with him, though the Tanned One from the Valleys may sulk his way into the team.
Fitzgerald has better pace and their tackling is about evens.
However, Henson has an impressive long-range kicking boot, which can sometimes come in very handy to keep teams honest in their own half.
None of the fly-halves or five-eights had a great Autumn in internationals.
O’Gara had a blow-out against New Zealand, but recovered to effortlessly steer Ireland to victory over Argentina. Wales’ Stephen Jones was quietly consistent, though, and may have a better temperament for the Boks cauldron.
Scrum half?
Well most account seems to have been taken on Scotland’s Mike Blair, a nominee for the IRB awards. As back-up, Tomas O’Leary hasn’t done enough for his country yet, although if Peter Stringer could reproduce the form from the Munster/All Blacks match, he’d push Blair for the first spot.
Gareth Cooper might be the better choice.
Up front Gethin Jenkins has been excellent in the front row and the Telegraph has him packing down alongside Ross Ford of Scotland and the “immense presence that is Euan Murray who really is looking like a scrummager who could hurt even the Boks.”
I think Jerry Flannery could well fit the No Two jersey and make it his own before the Six Nations is over.
Second rows?
Alun-Wyn Jones in the view of some has been the stand-out performer. Paul O’Connell – injured and out of form against New Zealand – recovered brilliantly against Argentina as the other likely certainty, and another possible captain of the team.
Donncha O’Callaghan might relish a return to his birth nation but could face a major challenge from Scotland’s Nathan Hines. Together, this pairing must cope with the Botha/Matfield duo. Some contest!
Backrow could have an inevitable Welsh flavour.
Andy Powell came out of nowhere to outshine the other No 8s, though Ryan Jones or Denis Leamy could help out in back-up.
Jones is the most likely name on the team sheet, as he has become front-runner for the captaincy, and will slot in at blindside. Martyn Williams and David Wallace will fight to be the one to outshine Schalk Burger. Wallace has the creds in his last outing for Ireland in their win against the Boks in 2006.
Williams may be the one with the form though, particularly if Wales manage another Six Nations title.
England? Hah! Who needs them?
Derm
Roar Guru
Thought I'd give this a bump to see if views had changed on likely tour goers, and who from the England team might yet force their way onto the tour bus and leave some others at home. Delon Armitage might be a tip. Cipriani momentum is building. And possibly Toby Flood, depending on how he does over the 6N matches. Murray has been out injured, and it'll be interesting to see if he can shine for Scotland against Italy - might be his only opportunity or possibly against Ireland. O'Gara has fallen off my potential list. S Jones remains on it. Phillips rather than blair seems to be the performer at the moment for 9, in my view. Ferris, and particularly, Heaslip, have shone in recent weeks. O'Driscoll is scoring tries and it may be between him and Jones for the captaincy. Sackey improved his chances last weekend, as did Bowe and Fitzgerald. Jamie Roberts is playing a stormer and is the right kind of guy needed to face the Boks. Kearney will hardly displace Byrne but will likely get a spot on the wing. Horgan and Lamont are out of the picture. Anyone else from England? Vickery, Worseley? Lewsey? Wilko?
Derm
Roar Guru
Mebbe they could draft in that young fella they've just brought in at Perpignan. He looks like he could be useful. Have to admit, Flood didn't play half-bad either.
jools-usa
Guest
Agree with pothale re Cip. He'll make squad because powers-that-be are desperate for him to be great and need a matinee idol for the media. I wish him well but can see Burger et al licklng their lips as they line up opposite he or Jonno. Jool-USA
Derm
Roar Guru
Yep - agreed Colin. there's no-one playing well in Fly-half position and it is so pivotal. O'Gara's tendency for positional kicks which worked well over last few years, is becoming redundant with introduction of the ELVs and he hasn't developed the movement side of his game sufficiently (and at this stage of his career - unlikely to.) He'll be the eldest of the fly-halves at the WC by mile - if he plays, but Ireland don't have anyone else near him. Leaving aside the headline of the post, Cipriani will no doubt get cheerled into the position, or even worse, Jonny Wilkinson. He was great - emphasis on was.
Colin N
Guest
That's the problem with the Lions atm, we have lots of great players in a few positions, but haven't got great players in every position. Fly-half is difficult to chose - I have never been a great fan of O'Gara, but he has developed his game in recent (at least I'll give him a bit of credit), but he still has a tendency to go too lateral across the field and thus, like against New Zealand, Ireland go nowhere. Jones had a decent AI's, but arguably the most talented fly-halves in Britain and Ireland were shocking, in Hook and Cipriani. In fact, the Lions will have quite a few slection problems, not because loads of players are playing well, but because the majority of the players who were seen as certainties, like Ryan Jones and Sheridan/Jenkins had poor AI's. It may change in the 6n's, but really the test, I believe, is against the Southern Hemisphere.
Derm
Roar Guru
Colin N Agree that Flannery does not get a starting place consistently for Munster, but is that not mainly due to injury? Ireland does fairly well in the hooking stakes - they've got Jackman in Leinster, and Best in Ulster - who now that I think about it, may be the form guy at the moment, or else can back-up Ford. Danny Care may have talent, but like you rightly say about Powell, hasn't got sufficient experience at international level. Peel to support Blair is a better call by you than what I had. True Tah - I figure there's enough talent around at full-back between Byrne, Kearney, Dempsey without needing to have rookie Armitage involved.
Colin N
Guest
For scrum-half, Stringer will never be selected and neither will Cooper. He may have trouble getting back into the Gloucester squad in the short-term future with the emergence of Dave Lewis. Peel will be a contender and if Danny Care can bring his undoubted talent and club form to the international arena then he will be in there. Powell may be there, but he's still played very few internationals and has a tendency to take too much on himself, as showed by the HC game against Biarritz last week. There are also question marks over the recent form of Ryan Jones. Rory Lamont's been unfortunate with his recent injury as I would have put him second in command to the recently superb Lee Byrne. Also I really don't see what people see in Jerry Flanery - again another person who isn't a shoe in for his provincial side. I would certainly have Ross Ford with Mears and maybe Dylan Hartley making a late surge. Certainly Hooker is a problem. Apart from that I agree with most of your selections.
True Tah
Guest
Bedrock of the team to be Welsh - Powell, Wyn Jones, Shane Williams, Lee Byrne I rate Rob Carney the Irish fullback, battle with Byrne for No. 15 jersey would be great for the Lions. Delon Armitage may be the English representative - but their performances make me really hesitate to name any more.