Now the World Cup is over, we’re all frantically scratching around for the next big rugby event to get excited about. And while we’ve got a smorgasbord of domestic rugby to keep us ticking over, as well as Six Nations and international tours to look forward, the only thing that comes close to piquing the interest of fans as much as a World Cup, is a Lions tour.
So, the next one might not be until 2017… but say it wasn’t? Imagine the Lions left for New Zealand next week for their month-and-a-half (roughly) tour, and the squad was to be picked on World Cup form and fitness… what might that group of 37 players look like?
We’ve had a bash at putting that squad together below (loosely following the make-up used in 2013). World Cup form was given a lot of weighting in selection, so guys like Jonathan Davies and Dylan Hartley (those that missed the World Cup for whatever reason, but might be fit now) are not really in the mix. Similarly, guys like Peter O’Mahony, Jonathan Joseph and the Williams (those that suffered serious injuries that would keep them out of any tour right now) were not considered.
And when you consider the list of those that are forced to miss out – along with the calibre of competition in the squad below – you might even find yourself feeling a little better about the prospect of the actual tour of New Zealand in two years’ time.
A British & Irish Lions squad for the (hypothetical) 2015 tour of New Zealand
Hookers: Scott Baldwin, Rory Best, Tom Youngs
Props: WP Nel, Dan Cole, Samson Lee, Cian Healy, Alasdair Dickinson, Jack McGrath
Locks: Jonny Gray, AWJ, Iain Henderson, Joe Launchbury, Luke Charteris
Loose forwards: Sam Warburton, Taulupe Faletau, Sean O’Brien, John Hardie, Jamie Heaslip, Dan Lydiate, Justin Tipuric
Scrum-halves: Greig Laidlaw, Conor Murray, Gareth Davies
Fly-halves: Dan Biggar, Finn Russell, Johnny Sexton
Centres: Jamie Roberts, Robbie Henshaw, Mark Bennett, Henry Slade
Outside backs: Anthony Watson, Mike Brown, Jonny May, George North, Stuart Hogg, Tommy Seymour
Final tally: Wales – 12, Ireland – 9, Scotland – 9, England – 7
Hypothetical Test XV: 15. Mike Brown, 14. Anthony Watson, 13. Mark Bennett, 12. Robbie Henshaw, 11. Tommy Seymour, 10. Johnny Sexton, 9. Gareth Davies; 1. Cian Healy, 2. Rory Best, 3. Willem Nel, 4. Jonny Gray, 5. Alun-Wyn Jones, 6. Sean O’Brien, 7. Sam Warburton, 8. Taulupe Faletau
Replacements: 16. Scott Baldwin, 17. Alasdair Dickinson, 18. Samson Lee, 19. Iain Henderson, 20. John Hardie, 21. Conor Murray, 22. Dan Biggar, 23. Stuart Hogg
Going on World Cup form, that is the XV and squad I would go for. Let the debate begin! Leave your thoughts and pick your own team/squad below.
By Jamie Hosie
Follow Jamie on Twitter: @jhosie43
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
Would’ve thought Denton would be in with a shout by now. Has consistently been one of the best 8s in the northern hemisphere over the last year or so. Heaslip has looked innefectual and could well be more so by 2017.
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Tough one when you consider who is not available.
15. Stuart Hogg, 14. Anthony Watson, 13. Henry Slade, 12. Jamie Roberts, 11. George North, 10. Johnny Sexton, 9. Conor Murray; 1. Cian Healy, 2. Scott Baldwin, 3. Willem Nel, 4. Joe Launchbury, 5. Alun-Wyn Jones, 6. Sean O’Brien, 7. Sam Warburton, 8. Taulupe Faletau
Replacements: 16. Rory Best, 17. Mako Vunipola, 18. Samson Lee, 19. Jonny Gray, 20. Billy Vunipola, 21. Ben Youngs, 22. Finn Russell, 23. Mark Bennett
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This is the team I’d go for. Can’t believe I’m backing a team where Biggar is third choice 10 but it looks fair.
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Agree with having both the Vunipolas in there.
Not so sure on having Stuart Hogg – he makes a lot of horrendous errors that the Kiwis would definitely capitalise on
Brown for me personally – he’s safe defensively, excellent in the air and a danger when attacking
Love the idea of a Roberts / Slade mid-field
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Can’t believe you completely agree man for man Brighty!? Takes all the fun out of the debate if you think I’ve got it right first time!
Brown/Hogg is a tough one. Brown is certainly more reliable but I like the mix Hogg brings. I often think that Browns distribution is far too poor. He often makes an extra 5 yards for himself before putting another man in space that could go further.
Hogg is a great broken field runner, good kicking game, great distribution and can play as a second receiver. Perfect blend of skills for a FB in my mind. He’s young, the errors will iron out! But even now with them I’d have him over the rest.
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I’d be tempted to switch Watson to 15 and have Seymour and North?
Some of Hoggs distribution in the WC was woeful. Passes that go yards forwards or straight into touch are just as bad (if not worse) than not passing at all.
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I can get on board with every selection but Dan Cole, I am perplexed as to how he could get near anyone’s Lion’s squad he hasn’t been anywhere near he’s best for a couple of years now.
Average at best in the scrum during the world cup and he is consistently giving away penalties at the breakdown instead of the turnovers he used to win.
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Agreed!
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That is NONSENSE. Where is Chris Robshaw and Danny Care/Ben Youngs?! They’d walk into the “Lions” you idiotic nonces! Let me add also, the “Lions” are not “British”, they’re ENGLISH!
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LOL
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Shall I bite ? that is the question. Nah, can’t be arsed.
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15. Mike Brown, 14. Anthony Watson, 13. Henry Slade, 12. Luther Burrell, 11. Jonny May, 10. Owen Farrell, 9. Danny Care; 1. Dan Cole, 2. Dylan Hartley, 3. Joe Marler, 4. Joe Launchbury, 5. Courtney Lawes, 6. Sam Warbuton, 7. Chris Robshaw, 8. Ben Morgan.
Replacements: 16. Jamie George, 17. Mako Vunipola, 18. David Wilson, 19. Geoff Parling, 20. Billy Vunipola, 21. Ben Youngs, 22. Jonathan Joseph(if fit, then starts ahead of Slade), 23. Brad Baritt
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Burgess ahead of Burrell for me
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15 Hogg 14 Watson 13 Slade 12 Bennett 11 North 10 Russell 9 Laidlaw 8 Denton 7 Tuperic 6 Hardie 5 Robshaw 4 Gray 3 Nel 2 Ford 1 Healy
16 AWJ 17 Warburton 18 Lee 19 T Youngs 20 Dickinson 21 Ford 22 Brown 23 B Youngs
You can argue the toss But I’ve gone for a ball playing pack with a tight front 5 that can scrum, CR out of position but he can jump tackle etc etc backs are flying attackers 11 through 15 can interchange positions if needed eg by injuries and the bench would all seamlessly slot into the side without loss of momentum.
Playing NZ scrumming will be down to a minimum so you need defense speed mobility and ball carriers and players with an X factor now not on past rep’s
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Robshaw at 5???? Did you mean that!
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15 hogg. 14watson.13 scott.williams.12 henshaw 11 north.10 biggar.9 davies 8 falatau 7 warburton.6 tipuric. 5 AWJ 4 j grey 3 willem nel 2 k Owens.1cian healy
rep denton, charteris,liam williams,sean o’brian, finn russell, rory best,j roberts. h slade , j heaslip j sexton ,+ sombody from england
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Halfpenny over Brown, Dunbar over Henshaw, Armitage over Hardie. Hartley or Ford over Youngs.
Wouldn’t have Healy and Laidlaw. Lawes, R Gray or Toner over Charteris
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Corbisiero, Vunipola, Healy, Nel, Cole, Lee
Hartley, Baldwin, Cronin
AWJ, Lawes, Launchbury, J Gray, Henderson
O’Brien, Robshaw, O’Mahony, Warburton, Hardie, Hughes, Faletau
Murray, Youngs, Webb
Sexton, Ford,
Davies, Henshaw, Tuilagi, Joseph, Roberts, Slade
North, L Williams, Watson, Maitland
Halfpenny, Brown,
Test XV
Corbisiero, Hartley, Lee; AWJ, J Gray; O’Brian, Warburton, Hughes; Murray, Ford; North, Henshaw, Tuilagi, Watson, Halfpenny
Cronin, Vunipola, Nel, J Gray, O’Mahony, Youngs, Sexton, Joseph
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Are you having a laugh with corbisiero? Couldn’t get into the England squad while Al Dickinson chewed up his opposite numbers
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As a Scotland fan, it’s quite uplifting to see so many Scotland players make the potential team, and perhaps more tellingly, there doesn’t seem to be too much debate about their inclusion. It’s good to know that it’s not just my biased eyes judging their performances.
Also, looking at this team and thinking about the players who are yet to return from injury filled me with optimism regarding the 2017 tour. Unfortunately, I then remembered we are playing the All Blacks and my optimism quickly turned to nightmarish memories of the debacle that was the 2005 tour – can’t be any worse though, right?
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