British Lions

[grumpy01]

Hopefully Lions can win in spite of Warren Gatland not because of him.Biased little so and so.

[Mass_Hysteria]

I'm not so positive now as I was, think Aussies may edge it now.

[WyeDyed]

There is not an "obvious" team in the squad.
Although I think it's wrong not to include Brian O'Driscoll on the bench, at least.

[Mass_Hysteria]

I think Brian O'Driscoll is a key member of the team/squad and to leave him out completely is asking for trouble.

[ChillDoubt]

Biased, why? Because he has chosen 10 of the squad that won the 6 nations Championship? 10 players who trounced England by a record margin some 5 months ago?
In stark contrast to those who have likened him to Clive Woodward, when he chose the Lions squad? Woodward took the England 'old and bold' squad and his personal favourites whilst choosing to largely ignore the Welsh Grand Slam winning team. What happened? The Lions lost 3-0, so Gats is already up on that score.
As for dropping BOD, it was the right decision IMHO. Brilliant player though he has been, at times mercurial and mesmerising in equal measure, his form of late is that of a pro at the very end of his international career.
Look at BOD's Lions record:

Tours: 4 (2001, 2005, 2009, 2013)

Matches: 18 (8 Tests)

Tries: 9 (1 in Tests)

Captain: 7 times (1 Test)

Test record: 2 wins, 6 defeats

He has done very little in both Tests thus far, so Gatland grasped the nettle. When all is said and done yes, it's not a nice way to end a Lions dynasty but he may very well be part of a winning Lions touring side at last, so it's not all sackcloth and ashes.

[grumpy01]

I take it your from the principality Chill.Would you not agree though that gatland is also biased with some of the Welsh selections.How come he went for Dan Lydiate when Justin Tipuric,who looked one of the liveliest players in some early games, has hardly had a look in since.Also,Alex Cuthbert,whose family home is not far from me,was unlucky to be dropped to accomodate a hardly match fit Tommy Bowe.

[ChillDoubt]

Erm, not sure I get your point grumpy, as Lydiate, Tipuric and Cuthbert all play for Wales.

The current Wales Rugby manager is.......Warren Gatland.

[sidkid]

[grumpy01]

I was just making the point that some of gatland's selection's, even of Welsh players, seems sometimes subjective and not always objective.

[WyeDyed]

With you, ChillDoubt, with nearly all of your post.
Woodward, if he was a true gentleman, would have offered his knighthood back to the Queen after his Lions Tour. Basing a team around an 'out of form' England squad and being blind to a Grand Slam winning Welsh squad was unforgivable (and, somewhat embarrassing, as an Englishman living in Wales).
However, Brian O'Driscoll deserves to be on the bench for his last Lions game (as a player). In my humble opinion.

[ChillDoubt]

sidkid
This is my favourite one of those that are scattered all over youTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy9ahXV6OO0

[grumpy01]

Anyway,I hope they don't invite Japan to make it a seven nation tournament in years to come.

[ChillDoubt]

I feel for him WyeDyed, I really do. He has been probably Ireland's greatest player of all time and a truly world class centre but it's been fairly obvious on this tour he has been more a talisman than a threat and Gats is going sh*t or bust on the last Test.
As I say, fingers crossed we win it and BOD can take his place among the Lions all-time greats as part of a winning tour.
Won't it be great to put all this behind them and be all smiles at the final whistle on Saturday?

[ChillDoubt]

But to be fair gumpy, Lydiate is a blind side flanker, Tips an open. They only shuffle around when they really have to, Gats had other options with specialist 6/7 flankers.
As for Cuthbert he can feel a little miffed, has done nothing wrong and scored a try, I just think Bowe gives more attacking options and probably just edges matters defensively.