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GPR - Rochester View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GPR - Rochester Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Lions 2021
    Posted: 05 April 2020 at 7:51am
Some much needed clarity has been given by the wonderful Ian McGeechan over possible selection for next year's tour. Now we will not agree with all his selections but I have to say his 15 is a lot closer to the one I would select than some others I have seen - Will Greenwood to name one.

Geech's team :- 

15. Hogg 14. Watson 13. Foxy 12. Tuilagi 11. Liam 10. Farrell 9. Cawdor
1. Sutherland 2. George 3. Furlong 4. Itoje 5. Ryan 6. Ritchie 7. Curry 8. Vunipola. 

Some very interesting points arise which tells me a lot about the current Welsh team firstly no Welsh forwards highlights our biggest weakness with many of those mentioned as contenders being the wrong side of 30 - Ken, AWJ, Tips & Faletau. Secondly Geech's is totally clear that Cawdor starts which I agree with - perhaps someone should tell Pivac!!!

My team would be a little different with Adams replacing Liam & Liam replacing Hogg. I also think that Lawes would be close to playing at 6 to combat the Boks lineout although I thought Ritchie was outstanding in the 6 nations. What is without doubt is that Scotland will have a far bigger representation than in previous recent tours. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GPR - Rochester Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 April 2020 at 7:53am
Another interesting point that when debating the scrum half contenders no mention was made of Tomos Williams which I again agree with. Those mentioned were Murray, Webb, Price & Cawdor. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ladram Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 April 2020 at 8:10am
Originally posted by GPR - Rochester GPR - Rochester wrote:

Another interesting point that when debating the scrum half contenders no mention was made of Tomos Williams which I again agree with. Those mentioned were Murray, Webb, Price & Cawdor. 
mike phillips will be gutted
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GPR - Rochester Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 April 2020 at 11:22am
Originally posted by ladram ladram wrote:

Originally posted by GPR - Rochester GPR - Rochester wrote:

Another interesting point that when debating the scrum half contenders no mention was made of Tomos Williams which I again agree with. Those mentioned were Murray, Webb, Price & Cawdor. 
mike phillips will be gutted

Yes is Mike his agent?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GPR - Rochester Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 April 2020 at 11:29am
Following on from Geech's 15 above it will be interesting how Gats looks to take them on. Fight fire with fire and go 6/2 bench split in which case our bench could look something like :-

16. Ken/Ryan 17. Mako/Genge/Carre 18. Sinckler/Fagerson 19. Henderson 20. Lawes 21. Watson 22. Murray 23. Biggar. 

Alternatively with two games at altitude Daly ( not my favourite player) could come on to the bench instead of Henderson with his ability to kick goals from 60-70 metres in that thin air. 

Again very worryingly if your a Welsh fan not too many forwards are threatening the 23. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mogwen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 April 2020 at 11:40am
You have to ask the question will the Saracen players be up to speed with playing the best team i the world, with them playing their weekly games at a much lower level for a season in the championship. Im not doubting their quality, but will the likes of Farrell, George, itoje, vunipolas be able to up their game enough to challenge the boks??
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote scarletnut Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 April 2020 at 12:06pm
Originally posted by GPR - Rochester GPR - Rochester wrote:

Another interesting point that when debating the scrum half contenders no mention was made of Tomos Williams which I again agree with. Those mentioned were Murray, Webb, Price & Cawdor. 
I’d have Williams ahead of Price who isn’t great
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote reesytheexile Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 April 2020 at 1:07pm
It seems that the more the rules take rugby away from huge physical hits and crunches by massive forwards  to fast tempo and offloading, the better for Wales . 

Edited by reesytheexile - 05 April 2020 at 1:08pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dyniol53 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 February 2021 at 10:09pm

There is growing support for staging the British and Irish Lions series against South Africa in Australia following the latest projections that the matches could potentially be played Down Under in front of capacity crowds.

The blueprint for hosting the tour in Australia is expected to be considered by the Lions board in detail for the first time at a meeting on Thursday.

And after an initially lukewarm response to Rugby Australia's offer last month to host the eight-game tour, there now appears to be momentum behind the option from both administrators and players.

It is understood that the United Arab Emirates, which is second only to Israel in the world’s fastest Covid vaccination roll-outs, is also interested in hosting the tour, according to several sources, although the Lions have yet to receive a formal offer.

However, it is the offer by Australia, which has nearly zero community transition cases and has government support to host major sporting events with crowds that is now coming under serious consideration, given the complications of proceeding with the tour as scheduled to South Africa or hosting it in the UK and Ireland.

Hamish McLennan, the chairman of Rugby Australia, told Telegraph Sport they were in a position to deliver the closest thing to a Lions tour given the unique circumstances posed by the pandemic.

The plan would be to operate the tour from a “hub” with the Lions and South Africa based in Sydney or Perth. Potential Test venues would be Perth (the 65,000-capacity Optus Stadium), Brisbane (the 52,500-capacity Suncorp Stadium) and Sydney (the 83,500-capacity Stadium Australia and 48,000-capacity Sydney Cricket Ground).

Rugby Australia is confident that the Test matches would sell out given the number of expats in Australia from both the UK and Ireland and South Africa.

“If we sold out Sydney or Perth, which is achievable if we are allowed to have full crowds, it would just be mind-blowing for the players,” McLennan said. “I know lockdown in the UK has been tough but in Sydney life is relatively normal. We can successfully host this.”

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dyniol53 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 February 2021 at 10:13pm

Analysis - How a Lions tour to Australia would work

Amid the grimness and uncertainty of the current lockdowns, it seems impossible to imagine a Lions series against South Africa going ahead this summer with matches played at packed stadiums against the backdrop of the vibrancy and colour of a traditional tour.

postponement of the tour, which is South Africa’s preferred option, has effectively been ruled out, the board has been agonising over two options. The first is to proceed with the tour as planned, which has the safety net of financial commitments already in place, but with the knowledge that the matches are likely to be behind closed doors and with the added complication of touring South Africa given the prevalence of the Covid-19 variant there.

Yet, the other contingency plan – to host the “tour” in the UK and Ireland – is also laced with risk. Despite the success of the vaccine roll-out there still is no guarantee that capacity crowds will be permitted at stadiums by July and question marks remain about whether South Africa teams would be permitted to travel here given the variant risk.

Given the cost of hosting the series in the UK, without significant crowds the business plan alone becomes untenable, while Sky Sports, the biggest commercial partner, would be within its rights to demand a reduction in its fee, given it purchased a “tour” of South Africa.

The biggest drawback to the UK and Ireland option, however, is not crowds nor finances but the detrimental impact it would have on the touring heritage of the Lions. Willie John McBride, the most famous Lion of all, is among those who has warned the touring ethos would be “damaged forever” if the games were played at home. Enough said.

That is why the Australia option, after a muted response, appears to be gaining traction within the board, with the clock ticking on a decision.

Hamish McLennan, who was appointed RA’s chairman last year, told Telegraph Sport that the offer was a “genuine and unconditional” one to ensure that an “important rugby tradition” is preserved.

Any suggestion that its offer was merely a PR move to garner support for its bid to host the 2027 World Cup is misplaced. McLennan is serious.


Significantly, there appears to be Australian state government support, too. “The New South Wales government is committed to hosting and running sports of all types and are probably the best at doing it in the world,” McLennan said.

“I think the players would really enjoy it and I am confident we could also deliver a really decent cheque back to South Africa and the Lions. We will get it sorted if we are told by April.”

The plan would be to operate the tour from a “hub” with the Lions and South Africa based in Sydney or Perth. Potential Test venues would be Perth (the 65,000-capacity Optus Stadium), Brisbane (the 52,500-capacity Suncorp Stadium) and Sydney (the 83,500-capacity Stadium Australia and 48,000-capacity Sydney Cricket Ground).

The RA modelling for a tour in Australia is based on a conservative project that stadiums will be allowed to be at 50 per cent capacity but there is optimism the matches could be played in front of full houses.

With significant UK and South African expat communities in the country, there has already been a huge interest in the Australian rugby community to host the tour.

The experiences of playing Tri-Nations matches last year and other major sporting events gives the RA the confidence to predict a tour could go ahead as normally as possible while also meeting the financial demands of the Lions and the South Africa Rugby Union.

McLennan is adamant that the hurdles to staging the tour, including adapting the two-week quarantine to enter the country, can be overcome and, critically, offer the players the closest experience to a traditional Lions tour.

“It is an evolving situation but if you look at what we did with New Zealand and Argentina last year, we created ‘bubbles’ where they were able to train and quarantine and we would do the same for the Lions and South Africa,” McLennan added.

“There was no diminishment in their training capabilities. Take Argentina, they knocked off the All Blacks for the first time ever and everyone had a great time. We just need a commitment and then we can get it organised.”

RA is flexible on the fixture schedule, with Super Rugby sides and potentially even Australia being lined up as opponents for the Lions.

The revenue from ticket sales would more than make up for any potential hit from the loss of any sponsors. And if the Australian government underwrote liabilities in the event of a short-notice lockdown that prevented crowds from attending Test matches, a Lions tour Down Under this summer could become a reality.

With the players having an input into the decision, the prospect of a tour in almost normal conditions once they have gone through the training quarantine is understood to be proving attractive.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dyniol53 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 February 2021 at 10:25pm
Think it would be good for Australia to host IMO as Rugby Union is a 4th tier sport in NSW and Victoria these days - anything that boosts the profile of the sport there is good in my book.

Will be a shame that Japan don’t get a game against the Lions.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote reesytheexile Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 February 2021 at 11:59am
Originally posted by dyniol53 dyniol53 wrote:

Think it would be good for Australia to host IMO as Rugby Union is a 4th tier sport in NSW and Victoria these days - anything that boosts the profile of the sport there is good in my book.

Will be a shame that Japan don’t get a game against the Lions.
There will be significant Ex pats from U.K./ Ireland and S  Africa living in Oz and adding on Oz fans the stadiums should be pretty full . It has to be a serious option and will be great bonus for the ex pats . Coming to U.K. is just not an option for me
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Fscarlet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 February 2021 at 12:05pm
Originally posted by dyniol53 dyniol53 wrote:

Think it would be good for Australia to host IMO as Rugby Union is a 4th tier sport in NSW and Victoria these days - anything that boosts the profile of the sport there is good in my book.

Will be a shame that Japan don’t get a game against the Lions.

I hope they do as I've got bloody tickets!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ladram Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 March 2021 at 6:03am
It looks like the lions will play in britain this year ,to me this is a total sell out of everything the lions is about and is just another money making excercise that cheapens the whole ethos.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote scarletsrules Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 March 2021 at 6:31am
It's a gutter that the tour to South Africa is unlikely to go ahead with games being played here instead but given the circumstances and the fact the unions won't agree to delay a year what more can they do?

It's a one off in a crazy year , I'm just happy to be able to watch it and maybe even get the chance to watch the Lions live which alot of people may never get the chance as going on tour is to expensive
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ladram Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 March 2021 at 6:42am
Originally posted by scarletsrules scarletsrules wrote:

It's a gutter that the tour to South Africa is unlikely to go ahead with games being played here instead but given the circumstances and the fact the unions won't agree to delay a year what more can they do?

It's a one off in a crazy year , I'm just happy to be able to watch it and maybe even get the chance to watch the Lions live which alot of people may never get the chance as going on tour is to expensive
football tournaments have delayed things,there's enough rugby at international level already,this just shows that the lions is just being used as a cash cow with no thought for the fans.
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