2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia
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@MiketheSnow said in 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia:
Kinghorn is locked in at 15
And probably Darcey Graham.
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Blindside Flanker is an area of strength for the Lions. I think Farrell will go with Conan, but those are good options too.
Marcus Smith has really disappointed me in this 6 Nations and I have been a big fan in the past. He was comfortably England's worst back yesterday. That said, he could recapture form before July.
Huw Jones at 13 - fair enough. Quality player. But Tommy Freeman has done enough to tour and will feature at some point in the Tests I suspect. I'd have them both ahead of Ringrose based on what we've seen in 2025.
Not so sure about Kingshorn, but his goalkicking might get him the nod. I think they could go with Murray or Keenan. Fullback another position of strength for the Lions.
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@sparky said in 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia:
- B. Murray (Wales)
Shout out to the former Cantab and all that, but there’s no way he’s starting ahead of Kinghorn. Murray probably won’t make the test 23, but should feature in the mid weekers.
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@ACT-Crusader I thought Blair Murray was Wales' best player yesterday by a country mile.
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@sparky said in 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia:
@ACT-Crusader I thought Blair Murray was Wales' best player yesterday by a country mile.
Not hard to be fair...
Suspect he's behind Kinghorn, Furbank and probably Keenan while I'd expect Marcus Smith to tour as 10/15 cover too, so can't see Murray making it on the plane unless a couple of the other guys are injured.
Morgan and Tomos Williams are Wales' best bets. Morgan could be a good mid-week captain.
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@MiketheSnow said in 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia:
Kinghorn is locked in at 15
Yeah, the Irish commentator in the France-Scotland game was talking up him as the fullback.
The other player he said should be a test starter, that hasn't been mentioned yet, is Zander Fagerson as the TH prop.
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@Dodge said in 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia:
I’d start Finn Smith at 10 with Marcus on the bench. I’d pick the England back row, probably the England second row, and Will Stewart at tight head. Freeman will be at 13 or on one wing.
Could probably add the England loosehead, halfback, inside centre and back 3 to that. Maybe even the hooker too.
In all seriousness though, England has some quality players, with good coaching I think they'd easily account for Oz, so sprinkle in some Celts and it's all over down under.
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Murray will be arsehole lucky to be on stand by, let alone make the plane. Kinghorn and Keenan in the box seats, Furbank as a back up. Might have been different if Furbank had the chance to kick on, but thems the licks.
Freeman will go but will be lucky to be a starter. Back row is a lottery with so many putting their hands up. Earl, Curries, Willis from England. Morgan for Wales. Doris, Conan and VDF from Ireland and I’d say Ritchie as a bolter from the Sweaties. 9 is not a position of strength with only J G-P being a standout. 10, I’d be happy with either of the Smiths or Russell. Centres to me would be the Jocks if their Kiwi was fit. On the wings I’d be happy with VDM and Feyi-Waboso if fit.
Second row is Itoje and any one of a few Paddies and Chessum.
Front row doesn’t really matter, it’s only the Aussies.
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Expecting a top backline along the lines of...
Gibson-Park, Russell, Lowe, Aki, Ringrose, Graham, Kinghorn. Res: Mitchell, M Smith, Freeman/Tuipulotu.
Extra back squaddies: T Williams, B White, F Smith/Prendergast, H Jones, Hansen, Freeman/Tuipulotu, Daly, Furbank
Ben Thomas or Tom Jordan could be a bolter. Van der Merwe will probably sneak in and do some damage against the Super Rugby sides. Ollie Lawrence might've travelled if he weren't injured (Feyi-Wabosi possibly in a similar situation). George Ford is another who might 'rise from the dead' in place of Smith or Prendergast.
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@Catogrande said in 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia:
Centres to me would be the Jocks if their Kiwi was fit.
Thought he was Aussie? (Wiki confirms. Victorian even ... )
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@Mr-Fish said in 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia:
Expecting a top backline along the lines of...
Gibson-Park, Russell, Lowe, Aki, Ringrose, Graham, Kinghorn. Res: Mitchell, M Smith, Freeman/Tuipulotu.
Extra back squaddies: T Williams, B White, F Smith/Prendergast, H Jones, Hansen, Freeman/Tuipulotu, Daly, Furbank
Ben Thomas or Tom Jordan could be a bolter. Van der Merwe will probably sneak in and do some damage against the Super Rugby sides. Ollie Lawrence might've travelled if he weren't injured (Feyi-Wabosi possibly in a similar situation). George Ford is another who might 'rise from the dead' in place of Smith or Prendergast.
I know I’m slightly biased towards the Scots but surely he bolts into the test team ?
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@MajorRage said in 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia:
But the Lions forwards should eat the Aussies for breakfast. If they get the selections right
tighties yes probably, but the Wallabies will send out a cracking loose forward trio.
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@MN5 said in 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia:
@Mr-Fish said in 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia:
Expecting a top backline along the lines of...
Gibson-Park, Russell, Lowe, Aki, Ringrose, Graham, Kinghorn. Res: Mitchell, M Smith, Freeman/Tuipulotu.
Extra back squaddies: T Williams, B White, F Smith/Prendergast, H Jones, Hansen, Freeman/Tuipulotu, Daly, Furbank
Ben Thomas or Tom Jordan could be a bolter. Van der Merwe will probably sneak in and do some damage against the Super Rugby sides. Ollie Lawrence might've travelled if he weren't injured (Feyi-Wabosi possibly in a similar situation). George Ford is another who might 'rise from the dead' in place of Smith or Prendergast.
I know I’m slightly biased towards the Scots but surely he bolts into the test team ?
Would have him behind Lowe, Hansen, Freeman, IFW, Graham... He's got one big string to his bow but all those other players are much more complete wingers.
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@booboo said in 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia:
@Catogrande said in 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia:
Centres to me would be the Jocks if their Kiwi was fit.
Thought he was Aussie? (Wiki confirms. Victorian even ... )
You’ve seen one colonial…
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@Catogrande said in 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia:
Front row doesn’t really matter, it’s only the Aussies.
I think this is an old stereotype (well earned, it must be said).
Bell/Porecki/Tupou or AAA are a pretty solid starting front row, and there's some depth too. Our scrum held up well in the most recent spring tour, so it won't be exploited by the Lions the same way they did in 2013.
The other stereotype that has faded is we've got intelligent, fast running backs, especially 9/10. That hasn't been true for a long time and it's certainly not true now.
