With one of the dreaded fallow weeks passed, and one to come, which potential Lions stood out in this weekends little oasis of Six Nations action?
GOING UP
Joe Launchbury
A second successive Man of the Match performance from Joe Launchbury surely throws his name further up the pecking order. Competition at lock is fierce, and Launchbury was originally behind Maro Itoje and George Kruis for Engalnd, but he’s now looking a likely tourist and potential Test player for the Lions.
Tim Visser
The Dutch born Visser (who also qualified after three years of residency) replaced the somewhat underwhelming Sean Maitland this weekend, to immediate effect. The stats: 1 try; 43 metres run; 3 clean breaks; 3 defenders beaten and 2 offloads. However, they don’t tell the whole story. Visser easily outplayed one of the superstars of the 2013 Lions tour in George North – at one point stepping him in a phone box and later unceremoniously dumping him into touch. Whilst there’s plenty of competition for the wing spots, and Visser is a bolt from the blue after playing no part in the first two rounds, he’s a physical winger (listed at 6’5″ and nearly 16 stone) and could be the Lions’ immovable object to counter the unstoppable force that is Julian Savea.
Sam Warburton
The 2013 Lions captain put in a defensive shift against Scotland this weekend. Warburton made all 15 of his tackles in what was to be a losing effort. Whilst not one of the most exciting back-row ball carriers Warburton is effective in different ways around the park. A good work rate and great skills at the breakdown mean he offers something slightly different to blockbusting runners like Sean O’Brien or C.J. Stander. He’s also a favourite of Warren Gatland, which can’t hurt his chances. With a few more performances like this weekend and his name could be talked up as a Lions captain again.
Johnny Sexton
Johnny Sexton returned for 70 minutes on Saturday, and it was a pretty complete 70 minutes. Solid in defence with 9 tackles, good game management, a drop goal and his now trademarked loop move. Whilst Paddy Jackson has done a job for Ireland in his absence, Sexton’s return shows what they’ve been missing without one of the world’s best fly-halves. If fit, and it seems to be quite a big if, Sexton will likely be the test fly-half.
GOING DOWN
Owen Farrell
In a game which was equal parts brilliant and bizarre, the unflappable flapped – Owen Farrell struggled with his kicking out of hand and off the tee. Whilst none of the England team reacted particularly well, Farrell struggled most noticeably. Perhaps it’s because he shoulders so much responsibility or the Italians got into his head, or maybe it was just the fact that he didn’t have the time on the ball he was used to, whatever happened Farrell cooked a few kicks to touch and missed four kicks off the tee. He also conceded a penalty. Whilst it’s perhaps harsh to single out Farrell, much of his value comes from his reliability. If he struggles to deal with new or different stimuli in a game, it could be problematic against an All Blacks teams that plays an innovative brand of rugby.
Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
By Aron Hegarty
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
Europe as a whole is short of dynamic back rowers such as Savea, Tuafua, Hooper and so many others in SH. Recently Warburton has failed to deliver more than a journeyman performance even at club level with Williams and Navidi showing the way. Without Vunipola Lions are at a serious disadvantage against ABs who have developed a different type of animal for back row.
Surely AWJ is the biggest drop? In two games he’s gone from lions skipper to no chance… In leadership he couldn’t get his kickers to kick or half backs to stop back chatting the ref…. Added to which on playing alone he is below the English 4, the grays and henderson…. (and arguably chateris)… 8th choice at best
What about Hartley and Cole Dan Biggar George North Jonathon Davies all likely tourists but showed poor form so far in the 6nations Agree with JIMP regarding AWJ but Moriarty and Ken Owens Have done well. Who do you think are likely starters for the 1st test at the moment. IMO. Mako Furlong Itoje Stander Murray Sexton Hogg.
Furlong, Owens, mako
Joe L, itoje
Faletau, Billy, Watson
Murray (capt)
Sexton
Farrell
Davies
Daly
Hogg
Nowell
On form….
Bench:
Best
Cole
McGrath
J gray
R gray
webb
rokoduguni
obrien
Am I the only one who thinks that Furlong is being over hyped. Sure he is a good ball carrier but his set piece work leaves a lot to be desired.
He was solely responsible for Dunbar scoring a try from a lineout (which cost them the game in the end) and he struggled in the scrum against France.
I think Sinkler offers just as much of a carrying threat with a better set piece
Furlong has tasted victory against the ABs…
So have Freddie Burns and Brad Barritt…
There’s a debate over Brad v Awj at lock
Sinkler is so good that EJ deliberatly doesnt pick him as he is worried that he will frighten the shit out of the opposition.
I’m surprised that Halfpenny, North, Biggar and AWJ aren’t going down and that Russell, Watson and Seymour aren’t going up.
. Mako George Furlong Itoje J.Gray Stander
OBrian Faleteua Murray Sexton Williams Henshaw Daley Watson Hogg
JIMP why would you play Faleteau at 6 he is a no8 and do think Farrell is the best inside centre in the home nations? If we pick certain players out of position just to shoe horn them into the team we have no chance ref. 2005 Steve Jones ,Jonny Wilkonson
The simple reason is a decent number 8 makes a brilliant dynamic blindside… Thats why southern hemisphere teams often play club 8s at 6… Just look at taine Randell, kieran read, Rodney So’oialo, Jerome Kaino, Steven Luatua. Rocky Elsom, Mike teague, mickey skinner they all made excellent blindsides…. Plus faletau and Billy both list 8 and flanker as their positions of choice…. Both are too good not to be on the field, and in different parts of the pitch they can rotate depending on what play or defence is required…. I wont be surprised if we see hughes and Billy on the field at the same time for England, as Eddie often plays an 8 at 6… In this tournament I do consider Farrell to be the best 12, especially as he is so secure with the boot… Releases us from halfpenny
Sevegolf the ’97 Lions played the Scotland Centre at Fly Half and the Wales Fly Half at Full Back!
Some players can switch with success, it doesn’t necessarily lead to “no chance”.
6 and 8 is pretty interchangeable for many (though not all).
Actually 8 to 6 is quite straightforward for most.
6 to 8 can be trickier, but of course the Lions don’t need a flanker playing 8.
sorry about the spellingg
So Warburton has one good game (after a few poor ones) and is back on the up? Farrell has one off game after a lot of good ones and is going down? Bit harsh me thinks!!
AWJ definitely needs to be going down as the captain of a very poor Welsh team performance. Decision makers will be key for the Lions and AWJ is making poor ones at the moment.
I think Sexton with Farrell outside him with someone like Ringrose or Huw Jones at 13 would be interesting.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/39117679
Sums it up for me. AWJ not as good a captain as Gatland and Howley think. Biggar didn’t want to undermine Halfpenny, utter rubbish!! Exactly why Wales are losing matches, not working well as a team.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/39120570
Biggar today now claiming there was no undermining of the captain, when he can be clearly seen querying the decision to go for the posts.
All 3 are plummeting in Lions Stock:
1) AWJ clearly showing what little leadership skills he has along with poor performances when compared to the other lions locks.
2) Halfpenny now uncertain about which kicks he can make or not? If this is the case then he is unsure about the one skill he has that may have taken him on tour.
3) Biggar for his continued whining, perceived lack of respect for his captain and general poor play/decision-making skills
I would second that comment but I don’t think Biggar can be going down every week. Eventually he would hit the bottom
Upcoming Irish and eng rugby make a history on 18 march , wait for ….
Thanks , keep u share
i question the effort of this article, did he even bother to watch the games or just read the papers and copy stuff from their ?.
That is a little disrespectful.
Neil,
What is it that you disagree with? I watched the games and would agree with the assessments.
Farrell had an horrendous game – although I don’t think that it will affect his Lions selection – but thats not the spirit of this article right?
Here goes..
My 38 man squad for the tour would be:
LHP: M.Vunipola, J.McGrath, C.Healy
HKR: J.George, F.Brown, K.Owens
THP: T.Furlong, D.Cole, Z.Fagerson*
LK: M.Itoje, J.Gray, J.Launchberry, A.Wyn Jones, R.Gray
BFL: CJ Stander, C.Robshaw, S.Warburton
OFL: H.Watson, S.O’Brien, J.Tipuric
NO8: B.Vunipola, T.Falatau
SCH: C.Murray, R.Webb, A.Price*
FLY: J.Sexton, F.Russell
CEN: O.Farrell, R.Henshaw, J.Joseph, A.Dunbar, H.Jones, D.Taylor*
WNG: J.Nowell, T.Seymour, A.Watson, E.Daly
FB: S.Hogg, L.Williams
*Bolters
Captain?
To put Farrell in to the ‘going down’ bracket is ridiculous.
The man threw the winning pass to allow Daly to score in the Wales match a week earlier and is now, after a single ‘bad day at the office’, being lumped in the category of the damned. Absurd!
Every player is allowed a ‘bad day’ and this was his. I’ve certainly had many as every contributor to this blog will have personally experienced in his or her chosen field.
The reality remains that Farrell is still a strong contender for captaining the Lions; Awj’s chances having probably passed him by.