No Lions spot for Wilko

Mex He can wear the ten jersey but he can't play there hahaha Totally agree. hes a hell of a on inside center. Feel a bit sorry for him to be honest. he was shoe horned in to the ten shirt. by hook or by crook. then when he failed they made him a fullback. Failed again. Then he vanished for awhile and came back as a ten. still only average and during all that time he was a bloody fantastic center, its ridiculous.

SARS.
Im gona tell you the same thing i told a munster fan last week. The only people who think POC has a chance of being lions captain are bloody clowns from ireland. Im pretty sure that POC's name in england is not being mentioned in any seriousness. Its the same for O'Driscoll. But different also, as O'Driscoll has had a very god season and deserves a lions spot. He also arguably deserves the captaincy, but he won't get it. Gatland in all his years as a rugby manager has never chosen a back as captain. He's an ex-fatty himself and firmly believes in a fatty captain. hahaha. no offenc to the fatties. I tend to agree if im honest. But where BOD is concerned, he's a class apart. But anyway, lets see how it all pans out. POC could be in with a shout for sure, but as a tourist. not a captain.

DB - Would you not think Halfpenny goes in his own right? I would have suggest Laidlaw to cover both 9 and 10. I don't think we have an absolute stand-out scrummy, but do feel that Laidlaw could certainly do the job mid-week and fits as a good squad player to have.

bmcl
For certain Halfpenny is going. with no doubt. but he will and should be going as a fullback who can cover wing and flyhalf. Mike phillips like him or not will probably go as as the number one SH choice. I wouldn't poopoo the idea of laidlaw going he a good all round player.

Seems like Wilko has really put in a claim for why he should get that spot!

The Toulon website has an article entitled "Jonny le magnifique" which seems a pretty good summary, that drop goal was really something else

Yep SARS that was a peach!
But should he go? If he goes, BOD should go, If BOD goes, hell lets just call Martin Johnson. hahahaha. Still don't think Wilco will go. Despite his minister for propaganda , Will Greenwood, giving a very good performance yesterday.

The Toulon pack deserve the credit as much as JW. they made his life really easy. And lets not forget, that stellar backline still don't score any trys! And i don't care what people say, even a bad Fly Half should be able to release that backline.

I guess there's two ways of looking at it.

Is Wilkinson one of the current top 2 or 3 fly halves available to the Lions - yes, quite possibly the best at the moment.

Will Gatland take him? Probably not, I just get the impression that Gatland largely has his squad thought out and probably did at the end of the Six Nations, and because Wilkisnon wasn't there he doesn't get Gatland's squad.

Now for something controversial

I wouldn't take Warburton

Why - I just think the poor chap needs a break, he's a fine player, but has lost form a bit and I think needs a rest to refind his form - much the same as Chris Ashton

Perhaps another one would be, would you take Andrew Sheridan? Again, I don't think Gatland will, but given that the person who sees them the most has Sheridan ahead of Gethin Jenkins week in, week out, you have to wonder if there's a point there

No SARS, i think the reason wilco won't go is very straight forward. He is not gatlan's type. My point still stands that that backline should be scoring trys for fun. But before they score a try the ball has to go to the first receiver and in this case their first receiver isn't nor never has been a very good distributor at least not in an attacking sense. Maybe im being too harsh.

Anyway, gatland likes the passing game and the offloads game and he likes trys not drop goals. thats why wilco won't go. And i do have to disagree on him being the best FH in europe at the moment. Hes the most assured kicker in europe, but by no means is he a complete package. Sexton, i know is seems bias, but Sexton is far better in my honest opinion. A try scoring fly half. A thing of beauty.

You know me well enough SARS, i always give credit where its due, regardless of nationality, and i really do think wilco is extremely one dimensional.

He is one dimensional now, maybe. But wasnt so in the past

I actually don't think that is how the lions win this tour though. It needs to be won in the back row. I would be worried with the likes of Beale, Ginea and Cooper (when on form) if we did play an expansive game, as i think that the Aussies have better players for doing that. Get control of the breakdown and the penalties will come. In that case, having a solid goal kicker is a must. Johnny fits the bill, and is still excellent defensively. Are there any other better kickers than he?