Throughout the season John O’Sullivan kept us up to date with Connacht’s progress, now he turns his attention to the Lions…
In sporting terms, the only parallel close to the Lions is the Ryder Cup.
The mix and match of players from a variety of countries is absolutely fascinating and a privilege to watch. Players from four of the world’s premier rugby nations selected to fulfil one common goal epitomises what is beautiful about rugby: fraternity and camaraderie. Players can go from looking to decapitate each other in their international clashes, to being willing to die for another when they don the famous red jersey, as the Lions’ fly on the wall documentaries suggested. The Lions role in relations between the respective nations should not be underestimated.
One of the phenomena of the contemporary world is online fantasy management games, be it NFL and MLB in America or English Premier League soccer/football in Britain and Ireland. English readers, see how accommodating I am by describing it as both soccer and football because I know calling it soccer irks a lot of you greatly. Digression over. Back to my main point: for all intents and purposes, the Lions are a real life fantasy team, managed not by you, but by Warren Gatland and co., who, despite our infinite pool of rugby knowledge with a few pints on us, is a better rugby mind than the vast majority of us.
It is so exciting and spellbinding to see, every four years, the most talented players, bar a few exceptions due to injury etc (Stephen Ferris methinks) from Britain and Ireland combine to take on the mega powers of any one of the three of the Southern Hemisphere triumvirate of South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. That is, essentially, the attraction of the Lions, seeing how a group of players, in an extremely uncompromising time frame, fare against the powers of world rugby. It really is a race against time.
Even before the squad announcement, fans from each of the four nations had added their two cents in term of the Lions starting XV, and I am no different.
Back Row:
Here lies the greatest selection headache for the Lions staff. It wouldn’t be considered crazy to describe the Lions backrow options as an embarrassment of riches, such is the atlantic-esque deepness of the Lions options here. After much musing, my Lions back row is as follows:
8: Jamie Heaslip. Considering how poor his Six Nations was, this may surprise many, but Heaslip proved in Leinster’s recent domestic and European finals and semi-finals how capable he is in big games. In order to shoe horn the brilliant duo of Sean O’Brien and Stephen Ferris into the Irish back row, neither a natural openside, Heaslip had to assume more of the defensive groundhog work that a natural openside would invariably do, thus diminishing his prevalence in attack. Number eights are often pigeon holed as nothing more than ball carrier, but that assumption is fallacy. A top class number eight should have ball carrying, linking and defensive capabilities by the bucket load and Heaslip certainly does. With Sam Warburton, a natural openside who will assume much of the responsibility at the breakdown, Heaslip has an insurance policy which will liberate him from much of the defensive work he’s been burdened with for Ireland for the last few seasons and will allow him to show his 2009/2010 best.
7: Sam Warburton. The Cardiff Blues openside is regarded, along with Richie McCaw and David Pocock, as one of the world’s foremost openside flankers or fetchers, as they’re also known. Warburton’s breakdown acumen will liberate Jamie Heaslip and Tom Croft, my other backrow selection, from much of the dirty work at the breakdown, thus making the Lions backrow a far more potent attacking threat. Underrated in terms of ball carrying and a player who offers a solid line out jumping option, the greatest compliment I can pay Warburton is I wish he was Irish.
6: Tom Croft. The most athletic and inform back row in the Lions squad. The Leicester Tigers man just edges out Leinster and Ireland’s Sean O’Brien for the number six jersey. Pacey, strong, with a good positional awareness, Croft is the consummate number six. Let’s not forget his prevalence at line out time, where he uses his massive height extremely effectively. Croft showed his class with several barnstorming displays in the last Lions tour, and I expect a similar impact this time around.
Second Row:
4: Richie Gray. The perfect blend of ball carrying and line out nous for a lock, Gray should prove the perfect foil to Paul O’Connell in the Lions engine room. Standing ridiculously tall at 6’10, Gray is clearly a key go to man in the Lions line out. Also, as evidenced by his famous swashbuckling try in the Aviva stadium, Gray is a prodigious ball carrier.
5: Paul O’Connell. The leadership that the Munster stalwart brings to a side can’t be quantified. He may not be the captain, but due to his constant vocal support and follow by example leadership style, O’Connell is crucial to any potential Lions series victory. I would stick my neck out and say he would grace any team in world rugby. Totemically tall, O’Connell is a wonderful line out target and the Limerick man wreaks havoc to the opposition line out, where he more than seldom pilfers their throws. Unanimous selection amongst all fans and pundits.
Front Row:
3: Adam Jones. If the Lions are going to secure ball and solid attacking platforms for their talented outside backs and back rows, then Adam Jones’ anchoring of the scrum is the foundation on which any Lions victory will be built. Simply put, he is that important. On paper, at least, he and Cian Healy should gain the scrummagging ascendancy over their Australian counterparts.
2: Rory Best. Will surprise many, but I feel Best, despite his late selection for the squad, is the most rounded hooker in the touring party. A supreme scrummager and a solid ball carrier, Best, despite a few darts going awry during the Six Nations, is also a fine line out thrower.
1: Cian Healy. His Twitter Bio reads something along the lines of “prop dreaming of being a centre” and that should paint an accurate picture of Healy’s main attribute: his herculean ball carrying ability. Alongside Tony Woodcock, Healy is the world’s foremost ball carrying prop and, under the tutelage of scrum guru Greg Feek, his once erratic scrummaging has come on leaps and bounds. A certain starter.
Back Three: Leigh Halfpenny: There’s not much the Welshman can’t do. Despite his relatively small height, the Cardiff Blues full back fields the ball excellently and is strong defensively. The feathers in Halfpenny’s cap, though, are his counter running and goal kicking prowess. Whether it be he or Jonathan Sexton taking place kicks is irrelevant, both are excellent kickers and the Lions are in rude health in that regard. After his extremely impressive Six Nations campaign, he has the full back jersey locked down. Importantly, Halfpenny can also play as an auxiliary winger.
14: Tommy Bowe. Despite only returning from injury, the former Osprey and current Ulster winger has to, in my estimation, start. He is far more capable defensively than his main rival for the spot, Alex Cuthbert. A former Gaelic Footballer, Bowe’s kicking and fielding are superior to Cuthbert’s. Bowe is rapidly quick and also uses his ball fielding ability very well as a target for Garryowen’s.
11: George North. The soon to be Northampton Saint is perhaps the closest Northern Hemisphere parallel to Jonah Lomu, which is, obviously, high praise indeed. Devastatingly quick and strong, North invariably breaks the gainline and uses his massive frame brilliantly as a first receiver off set pieces. Imperative he starts.
Centres:
12/13: Roberts and O’Driscoll. Toyed with the idea of playing Manu Tuilagi at twelve, but, due to his almost telepathic understanding with O’Driscoll, which was honed on the last Lions tour, I opted for Wales’ Jamie Roberts. The duo dovetailed beautifully in South Africa in 2009, and are the ultimate match of brain and brawn. Is baited for not scoring enough tries, but Roberts is an excellent defender and uses his huge frame like a proverbial battering ram. Cerebrally, O’Driscoll is the best centre in the world. Offensively and defensively, the four time Lions tourist, invariably makes the right decision and the prospect of him picking line off Jamie Roberts’ big carries is a mouth-watering prospect.
Half Backs:
9: Mike Phillips. Phillips is the chance offspring of a tank and a ballerina, such is his variety of skills. His strength at the fringes of rucks means he’s almost another back row and his distribution is up there with any of the world’s finest scrum halves. Phillips ball carrying competence is often underrated, but, as an Irishman, I can vouch that he is indeed a very good ball carrier.
10: Jonathan Sexton. Second only to Dan Carter in the pantheon of world fly halves. Name a style of game and Sexton can play it. He is more than capable of playing a more conservative kicking for territory game and, as defences the length and breadth of Europe will testify for, a more expansive running game. Sexton is a tremendous ball carrier, with a particular penchant for his almost trademarked wrap around move. They say variety is the spice of life and the multitude of option that Sexton offers could add the spiciest of flavours to Warren Gatland’s Lions recipe.
I’m John O’Sullivan, 20. Part time student, full time sports nut. Love rugby and am currently the PRO of Connemara RFC as well as admin for the Rugby Banter Facebook page. I also do some radio work for my local station. One day, I would love to be a Sports Journalist/Broadcaster.
