2021 Lions

[the spoofer]

A lot of people underestimated Heaslip too.

I think a lot of it is to do with understanding what the role of an 8 is meant to be, rather than direct partisanship.

Interestingly in both of these posts the word ‘people’ is so easily interchangeable with ‘Munster fans’

I definitely heard many Ireland fans of the Munster persuasion stating that they didn’t rate Heaslip, but I can’t think of any that would have said much about Conan?

Conan and Heaslip are far from comparable, Heaslip was picked by a fair few coaches for club and country as first choice, but Conan would not be in the same position.

As an Irish man I am delighted for Conan, he would not have featured in many people’s squads prior to being announced, and I’d be surprised if there were many on here who had him selected?
Which makes his selection all the more satisfying.

You must know some incredibly dim Munster fans if they didn’t rate Heaslip. Ireland’s greatest ever 8 by some distance and should be rated with BOD and POC as the top three players of the pro era.

[Oldschool]

Warmup match for SA v Georgia.
28 mins 5-9
To say that the collisions are uncompromising is putting it mildly.

[Ruckedtobits]

S Africa gloriously illegal with referee Adamson contributing to a rubbish encounter. S African front-row forwards use head to charge low at opponents and next two saffers "seal" the ball off from opponents. SA maul also illegal with lifters stepping into the gap to prevent any wrestle for the ball. Finally SA LHP drives in on ribs of Georgia THP at scrums for Georgia.

Nothing very impressive from SA AND Georgia a Division behind.

[ronk]

I'm sorry for AWJ has he's a magnificent player and a true leader.

Not good news for the Lions chances to lose their captain. I wonder will he come along to help.

I read Drico's article about his 2005 experience this morning. He said he should have gone straight home.

In my opinion, there is absolutely no point in AWJ going out on tour now. It's going to be a very stressful tour with them living in a bubble. I'd make Itoje the captain, he's definitely going to be in the starting team. He captained his English U20s side to Six Nations and JWC titles - not ideal, but better than nothing.

Farrell is the most likely to get the nod, which I wouldn't have any issues with. I reckon I have more time for him than most other people on the board!

Ken Owen is by no means a certainty to start. Neither is Hogg, and fullback isn't the best position to captain the team from ... very far from the action. Hendo has captained Ulster but not Ireland, and has underperformed a lot at test level.

Drico’s injury remains one of the most notorious moments of modern rugby history, it overshadowed the Tour. And it happened at Test stage. AWJ is a different captain.

At this stage it’s probably right that AWJ stayed anyway.

[Flash Gordon]

A lot of people underestimated Heaslip too.

I think a lot of it is to do with understanding what the role of an 8 is meant to be, rather than direct partisanship.

Interestingly in both of these posts the word ‘people’ is so easily interchangeable with ‘Munster fans’

I definitely heard many Ireland fans of the Munster persuasion stating that they didn’t rate Heaslip, but I can’t think of any that would have said much about Conan?

Conan and Heaslip are far from comparable, Heaslip was picked by a fair few coaches for club and country as first choice, but Conan would not be in the same position.

As an Irish man I am delighted for Conan, he would not have featured in many people’s squads prior to being announced, and I’d be surprised if there were many on here who had him selected?
Which makes his selection all the more satisfying.

Heard this occasionally on Heaslip from Munster fans. Everyone has a right to an opinion of course but this guy won the 6 Nations, the Grand Slam, the Heineken Cup, the Challenge Cup, the Pro 12 - pretty much everything there is to win in the game, got 95 caps for Ireland and 5 for the Lions. His record is clear as one of Ireland's greatest ever players never mind number 8's.

[JB1973]

On the heaslip subject and one for the older posters on here ken goodall was a player mervyn davies rated as the best number 8 he ever faced and said if he hadn't moved to rugby league he have been the lions 8 and not mervyn

anyone see him play?

[JB1973]

The lions impressed on the weekend, George threw in really well, synkler had a v busy match, laws brings huge physical presence to the team , Watson was a real handful and is exceptionally difficult to stop with ball in hand, adams is a proflic try scorer and his ability to pop up in dangerous areas is exceptional, harris looked decent at 13 and price the 9 was very neat and tidy

[mfjoc]

On the heaslip subject and one for the older posters on here ken goodall was a player mervyn davies rated as the best number 8 he ever faced and said if he hadn't moved to rugby league he have been the lions 8 and not mervyn

anyone see him play?

An amazing player.
As a schoolkid I watched him score a great try in Lansdown road.
He got injured early and his league career was very short
In those day once you crossed to league there was no going back.

I think he ended up teaching back in Derry but had difficulty even getting involved in coaching schools rugby

[blockhead]

The Springboks management have suspended training and placed the squad in isolation after a positive Covid-19 result within their ranks.

Sale Sharks second row Lood de Jager returned the positive test and on the grounds of his close contact with a number of players, the whole squad are having to quarantine.

Sky Sports

[Logorrhea]

Also cases in the (Edit) Bulls camp. Are the South Africans even trying to maintain a bubble?

[Degz]

It seems the franchise teams are only going into five day bubbles for the matches, which seems ridiculous. Can't see how the Bulls game is going to viable.

They might try to move it to midweek between Tests 1 & 2?

[ronk]

Saturday's game is off https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/57741576

[JB1973]

some cases in the lions camp now as well

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57751748

tour must be hanging in the balance

[neill_m]

Sharks v Lions Take 2 on Saturday at 5pm Irish Time.

[Logorrhea]

smart move that. daft that they have to do it but gets the squad game time and gives the sharks another go.

[CiaranIrl]

There's been a raft of commentary in the last week or so about how terribly hard it will be for the players to go through this tour without being able to jump into shark tanks and the like. See Brian O'Driscoll last night on off the ball for example, spending 20 minutes rattling on about his worries for the mental health of the squad.

I find all of this utterly nonsensical and distasteful. What thefuck is wrong with these fragile snowflakes if they're suffering so much from this tour? Are they so utterly tone deaf that they don't understand that real people in the real f%~king world have seriously suffered this last 18m or so?

I get that DECISIONS made in 2005 pissed players off. This is entirely different. This is just them facing up to a few obstacles that the universe is throwing their way. If anyone expects us to feel sorry for these players just because they have to play Xbox instead of golf, they would want to cop the f%~k on.

[JB1973]

Impressed with the back 3 in mid week, adams is a real poacher , van der merwe a big strong fast guy and lrz is rapid and has a good all round game including a big boot , aki is pushing hard for a centre spot gatland will love his direct running

Up front I thought Henderson and beard stood out as well and naividi always puts a shift in, on the down side mako v got a tough time in the scrum and the Scottish tight head is a clear step below furlong and synkler

[riocard911]

There's been a raft of commentary in the last week or so about how terribly hard it will be for the players to go through this tour without being able to jump into shark tanks and the like. See Brian O'Driscoll last night on off the ball for example, spending 20 minutes rattling on about his worries for the mental health of the squad.

I find all of this utterly nonsensical and distasteful. What thefuck is wrong with these fragile snowflakes if they're suffering so much from this tour? Are they so utterly tone deaf that they don't understand that real people in the real f%~king world have seriously suffered this last 18m or so?

I get that DECISIONS made in 2005 pissed players off. This is entirely different. This is just them facing up to a few obstacles that the universe is throwing their way. If anyone expects us to feel sorry for these players just because they have to play Xbox instead of golf, they would want to cop the f%~k on.

Best comment on the whole BIL tour thus far, IMO. Take a bow!!!

[ronk]

It’s not the players complaining, and if they do they’re being polite about the fan experience and media sideshow.

They’re not suffering, it’s just something to talk about given that part of the tour it the tour.

[wixfjord]

There's been a raft of commentary in the last week or so about how terribly hard it will be for the players to go through this tour without being able to jump into shark tanks and the like. See Brian O'Driscoll last night on off the ball for example, spending 20 minutes rattling on about his worries for the mental health of the squad.

I find all of this utterly nonsensical and distasteful. What thefuck is wrong with these fragile snowflakes if they're suffering so much from this tour? Are they so utterly tone deaf that they don't understand that real people in the real f%~king world have seriously suffered this last 18m or so?

I get that DECISIONS made in 2005 pissed players off. This is entirely different. This is just them facing up to a few obstacles that the universe is throwing their way. If anyone expects us to feel sorry for these players just because they have to play Xbox instead of golf, they would want to cop the f%~k on.

If this is a serious post it's a very strange one.

'Fragile snowflakes'? Tone deaf? Really?!

The fact that millions have suffered in various ways doesn't negate the equal fact that being away from home and family for months on end in a massively pressurised & stressful bubble with people you don't know and with no release valve might have an impact on someone's mental health.

Surely after 18 months of lockdown you can understand why having your personal freedoms and ability to get out of your immediate surroundings might be tough, particular when you're living in a hotel room?

'Suffering' is an individual, personal thing. Just because someone else has suffered more or differently doesn't mean you say 'cop the f%~k on' to these players.

Your angle and attitude on this is totally wrong Ciaran.