Blues were outstanding today. Obviously Gloucester were poor, slow to the tackle, with no real aggression, but Blues showed how poor they were on the day with great physicality, smooth running lines and great hands.

Tigers have it all to do when we go to Cardiff. It'll be my first time at the Millennium Stadium - I'll look forward to it!

Paul O' Connell is to be named as captain of the Lions.

While I'm obviously very happy there's an Irishman leading the Lions, I can't help but feel somewhat aggrieved and disappointed that O' Driscoll didn't get it, I feel he deserves it after what happened in 2005

But oh well, O' Connell is more than capable to lead a successful Lions campaign in South Africa.

I have no complaints with that decision,as I think he will step up on the field. But I hope the logic behind the decision was not " We want our captain bigger than yours" Which is apparently so. He has been seen to lose his tempremant and thought process at crucial times, that scrum he went for when they lost at home to Leicester springs to mind ! And four years ago he just seemed to struggle with the tour, and of course he is not experienced in dealing with off the field media to the intenstity it is on a Lions tour like say O'Driscoll. But hopefully now he has matured and Geechan and co will help out a considerbale ammout I'm sure.

As for the team, there are some big rumours, rumours that are so big they are not usually wrong. Here are the big uns

Nicky Robinson to tour as third fly half
Lewsey to tour as the utility back
Haskell to tour in placew of a mis-firing Ryan Jones
Sheridan not to be selected
And Danny Care to be selected.
Borthwick not to tour (he is rubbish anyway, but a captain of one of the countries not being selected has only happened once I think )

We will see tomorrow, but they are the ones that have gained momentum.

Looking forward to the "He is rubbish what are they doing selecting him", "how the hell is he not touring, they don't know what they are doing !" comments we will all be giving tomorrow

Couldn't agree more with most of them. My only worry is Haskell - gives away far too many penalities!

Care, as much as I hate to admit it is in fine form for club. Nicky Robinson has been outstanding in most of the matches he's played that I've watched, although when he drops a clanger it tends to be a big one, I'm pro Robinson.

Lewsy is a great utility back, however I would of gone for Vesty as he is more dynamic with places he can play and has a decent boot on him. However I understand taking Lewsy, he retires this season, sad day for English rugby!


(As for having a bully for a Captain in South Africa, it worked in 1997, the last time we won there. Shall I mention who the captain was??)

The full squad is as follows:
Fullback
Lee Byrne (Wales)
Rob Kearney (Ireland)

Wing
Shane Williams (Wales)
Leigh Halfpenny (Wales)
Ugo Moyne (England)
Luke Fitzgerald (Ireland)
Tommy Bowe (Ireland)

Centre
Tom Shanklin (Wales)
Jamie Roberts (Wales)
Brian O?Driscoll (Ireland)
Keith Earls (Ireland)
Riki Flutey (England)

Fly Half
Ronan O?Gara (Ireland)
Stephen Jones (Wales)

Scrum Half
Mike Phillips (Wales)
Harry Ellis (England)
Tomas O?Leary (Ireland)

No 8
Jamie Heaslip (Ireland)
Andy Powell (Wales)

Flanker
David Wallace (Ireland)
Stephen Ferris (Ireland)
Alan Quainlan (Ireland)
Joe Worsley (England)
Martyn Williams (Wales)

Lock
Alun-Wyn Jones (Wales)
Paul O?Connell (Ireland) Captain
Donncha O?Callaghan (Ireland)
Simon Shaw (England)
Nathan Hines (Scotland)

Prop
Gethin Jenkins (Wales)
Adam Jones (Wales)
Andrew Sheridan (England)
Phil Vickery (England)
Euan Murray (Scotland)

Hooker
Jerry Flannery (Ireland)
Lee Mears (England)
Matthew Rees (Wales)

There are a couple mistifying choices in there.

Shaw over Gough?
Quinlan over Croft?
Ellis over Blair?

I really don't agree with Flutey touring either.

Rather suprising to also see Armitage miss out. Also I would like to have seen a third fly half, but oh-well.

Three of the four captains not travelling, crazy !

Agree about the third fly-half.

Ellis should be going though, he is the best when fully fit. Don't really see how Phillips got on the tour - hope he proves me wrong and has a blinder, doubt it though. Blair is the best scrum-half this side of the world (other than Ellis :-P) how can he not go?

Where is Armitage? lol! Where is Vesty!!!?? Why the hell is Fitzgerald and Earls going?

Shaw over Gough is a big call. Shaw is playing well and very much the quiet worker in English rugby IMO.... look at his line-out ratio, not that I have, but I'm guessing it's one of the best.

Why shouldn't Flutey be touring? He's in fine form for both club and country, deserves it IMO.

Croft missing out just mystifies me. The chap may be young - but he's a great player, and would bring something that not a lot of forwards can bring to the tour.

Andy Powell shouldn't be there. He's not even starting for Blues half the time......
(I know all you Welsh love him, but I just don't think he's been in form for the later half of the season, although I understand his selection; more of a physical presence).

Told you Ugo Monye would be going. Solid and fast, exactly what you need to beat the likes of South Africa....


The best call is Tom Shanklin. That man is the best form of his career.

It's a physically strong team, hopefully it'll do the trick in scaring SA.......


Edited at 14:24 Tue 21/04/09 (BST)

Flutey is not British, he has played against the Lions and and has shown his lack of passion for English rugby by leaving Wasps as soon as a big money move comes in from France. On form, he deserves to go though, I'm just not so sure deep down he has the right passion needed to earn the right to be a Lion.

I agree with most of your post, but to take Monye who is something like fourth choice for England over Armitage is insane.

Earls is in due to the media attention, they built him up as the left field selection all month, I hope he catches them off guard cause that's all eh can do to have a successful tour.

The back row is messed up. Quinlan is a penalty machine, picking him over Ryan Jones/Leamy is a bit dull, imo. Worsley going over Croft is one that I strongly dis-agree with. One good game for Worsley against Wales is all he has done, Croft is suited the S.Africa, he is a proper athlete.

You're wrong about Powell, most people realise he is a bit of a one trick pony, but he can cause havoc as an impact sub, and if he hits top form out there, with his speed, strength and skill could actually demolish most provinces, and like I said be a real impact in the tests. So I can see the logic in his selection. And as for him not starting for the Blues, he just got back from injury a fortnight ago, and there is not one number 8 in Europe who would oust Xavier Rush from that 8 spot in the Blues, not even Harinordaquay.

Overall, a weird, but exciting team. I strongly dis-agree with your views on Ellis, I think he is only there cause he is a gobby so and so, and it seems you need one of them these days. Blair and Peel offer so much more, Phillips is different and O'Leary just won a Grand Slam, so Ellis is the one who moved Blair probably onto the stand by list. Who would have thought him not touring !!??

Interesting squad, to say the least! On a personal, patriotic note, I'm somewhat disappointed not to see Gordon D'arcy there, and Keith Earls basically in his place, seems a strange one to me! No Mike Blair either, along with Ryan Jones, possibly the most controversial omission, I'd have Blair over O' Leary any day!

Don't understand the Alan Quinlan selection either. Granted Ryan Jones is off-form, but Quinlan is very average, and has no chance whatsoever of featuring in any of the tests, bit of a waste in my opinion!

As for Fitzgerald, John, he is there on merit, for playing superbly for Province and country, it's ridiculous to question his inclusion in the squad. Marcus Horan must be pretty disappointed, though looking at the props it's acceptable why he hasn't been chosen. We'll all have our own opinions and debates on the best possible starting line-up now, can't wait for May 30th!

I wouldn't say questioning Fitzgeralds inclusion is ridiculous - I've only seen him play in the 6 Nations. I don't see how he played better than Armitige or Evans. However I appreciate you've watched him more so know how good he truely is, just as I do Vesty, although I doubt you really know him!

I suppose we've just got to trust the management. I'm a little dubious as to why Ryan Jones hasn't gone. I know he's had a bad half to the season, but he can still bring something to a game.

Totally understand what your saying about Powell. Didn't know he was injured tbh. I know Rush is a class 8, most times I've watched him he's been outstanding. I'm not over-fussed about Powell going, just saying I think he's rather lucky. Although as you say, he's well suited to the opposition and will be a great impact player.

Scrum-halfs are meant to be gobby, they're meant to annoy people. Hence why Ellis is going. I don't understand what everyone's problem is with having a gobby scrum-half who knows the rules - it won England a world cup........ either way I wouldn't say Peel or Blair offer much more than Ellis, he has a great eye for gaps, controls games well and knows how to use the forwards.


Flutey played with every ounce of pride when playing for England. I'm sure he'll follow that through into the Lions team. His move to France is very disappointing, as it is the same for a lot of the other English players moving over there.

Ugo Monye isn't behind Armitige as Armitige is a full-back when playing for England. Monye was our third string winger until Sackey was injured. He took his chance on the international stage and impressed. He's been outstanding for his club.

Personally though, with Lee Byrne suffering a few injuries, I'm surprised not to see Armitige go just in case Byrne's kneee injury (which no doubt the Boks will try and smash) occurs again. I suppose the only logical explanation is that both Bowe and Halfpenny can turn to full-back if needed?

Maybe the reason for taking Quinlin is to try and keep the Irish pack together? Just a thought.....

My biggest shock is Ian Gough. I'd love to know the reason he hasn't gone.

Yeah well I'll agree that I haven't seen as much as Vesty as you have Fitzgerald, but Fitzgerald is a class act on his day!

As for Quinlan being included to keep the Irish pack together - Quinlan hasn't played for Ireland in quite some time, unless McGeechan and co. are trying to keep most of the Munster pack together, but I still don't see the point in his inclusion, waste of a place! Just relieved Ferris is there and Quinlan wasn't included in his place!

Yes Halfpenny, fitzgerald and Bowe can play fullback, so it's good cover at fullback. Maybe that is why Monye has been chosen ahead of Kearney/Arimitage on the wing which I thought would happen to include them both, obiviously not !
I agree that Monye has been outstanding since he got his chance for club and country a few weeks back, but no more so than the Evans brothers, who are more naturally gifted than Monye and can feel a bit annoyed to lose out to him, just like Armitage, yes he is on form, but he is not proven, he really isn't, his form could completely leave him come May the 30th and In my opinon he has been an average player for years. He is what I see as an average player in a purple patch, once that purple patch ends, will he be able to hack it? Has he even played in a HC final? He is just a massive gamble, when you consider who has been left behind, imo.

Quinlan is there to get under the skin of teams, he will do that very well. But like Niall said, I can't see how he will get even close to a test spot, he will just be water boy.

Got my ticket for the Blues game now. BT stand, 5 rows from the pitch!!!


Watch out for a c0ck-eyed man dressed in a black Beyonce styled leatard with half a tiger painted to his face.



Be my first time at the MIllenium Stadium. Wasn't the first of the international stadiums I wanted to see, always fancied Croake Park, but I'm still looking forward to it non-the-less.

Gutted for Tomas O'Leary. horrific injury at the worst possible time. With the games that are coming up the next month the current squad may well look completely different when they fly out !

Between Peel and Blair for the call up I think, someone with a bit of nouse and silky running talents. Care maybe, but does not have the nouse or the calm head to survive in S.Africa, Stringer maybe but he only seems to make one break every HC final

I think the choice is very good but they could do with Delon Armatige

Brian O' Driscoll...once again showing why I believe he is the greatest player I've ever seen, there is nobody that comes close to him as the complete rugby player, not in the Northern Hemisphere anyway. Absolute joy to watch, Leinster hammering Munster for once

Possibly not the greatest I have seen, but the only one I would rate higher is NEVER fit

Wilkinson? Pfftt

If you saw todays game, you would have seen a complete masterclass from the man himself.

Well, even without Wilkinson, maybe not the best I have ever seen, but we are going Southern Hemisphere now and the man has since retired

Jonah Lomu? One trick pony

Ermm, was on about the star player known as Elton "John-Michael" Flatley