Fantasy Lions squad

[KingsPE]

Who would be in your best Lions squad EVER?

Choose any player from any era.

We have this as a club competition and are using returns from this ad other forums to see judge the competition (ie. every time somebody names a player, this person gets counted - the player with the highest number is the player who is judged to have made the team, Whoever includes the most number of named players wins!)

For the record, mine would be:

1 - Jason Leonard
2 - Keith Wood
3 - David Sole
4 -Martin Johnson
5 -Wade Dooley
6 -Richard Hill
7 - Peter Winterbottom
8 - Dean Richards
9 - Gareth Edwards
10 - Jonny Wilkinson
11 - Rory Underwood
12 - Brian O'Driscoll
13 - Jerry Guscott
14 - Shane Williams
15 - JPR Williams

(I know there's lots of England players! - a number of the above only just get the nod over others!!!)

 

[SimonSmith]

Clearly it's only Lions post 1971

 

[upnunder]

1. Jason Leonard
2. Keith Wood
3. Tom Smith
4. Martin Johnson (c)
5. Willie John McBride
6. Richard Hill
7. Neil Back
8. Scott Quinnell
9. Gareth Edwards
10. Barry John
11. Rory Underwood
12. Scott Gibbs
13. Brian O'Driscoll
14. Jason Robinson
15. JPR Williams

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

This is going to be coloured by age (mine). First point on teams above why is Leonard in?

From what I remember he didn't start/or wasn't first choice (LHP orTHP) when the tours started - Popplewell, Wallace, Smith etc etc were all ahead of him 1993-2001.I think he's only started 2 tests. That's not to say he wasn't a great prop. Maybe we're not judging based on the fact he couldn't make the starting XV???? :biggrin:

1. McLaughlan
2. Wood
3. Wallace
4. Johnson
5. McBride
6. Hill
7. Slattery
8. Davies M
9. Edwards G
10. John
11. Bevan J
12. Gibson
13. Guscott
14. Evans I
15. John Peter Rhys Williams

 

[ex-lucy]

Tom Smith is/was a lucy .... #1.
So was David Sole.

crazy idea ... too many good players.
i cant even pick a front row ...

 

[KingsPE]

Clearly it's only Lions post 1971

Not necessarily - just not that old!!!!

 

[KingsPE]

Lots and lots of my 2nd choices in herew

 

[KingsPE]

This is going to be coloured by age (mine). First point on teams above why is Leonard in?

From what I remember he didn't start/or wasn't first choice (LHP orTHP) when the tours started - Popplewell, Wallace, Smith etc etc were all ahead of him

Must admit, I forgot popplewell - would get the nod ahead of David Sole now for me - still think leonard was one of the best props ever though.

Met him a couple of times too - an absolute gentleman!

 

[scrumpox2]

1. Ian Stephens
2. Keith Wood
3. Graham Price
4. Willie John McBride
5. Bob Norster
6. Richard Hill
7. Fergus Slattery
8. Mervyn Davies
9. Gareth Edwards
10. Jonathan Davies (I know, but he was the best ...)
11. John Bentley
12. Scott Gibbs
13. Jerry Guscott
14. Tony O'Reilly
15. Lee Byrne

a kicker is the main problem here but I doubt they'd need one, maybe Merv will pop over a few toe punts

 

[SimonSmith]

Wow. Your fantasy Lions teams has one player who has never made it to the Lions 15 (yet). Bit premature, no?

There's been plenty of outstanding players who never made to a Lions 15...

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

Wow. Your fantasy Lions teams has one player who has never made it to the Lions 15

2 - Lee Byrne, not yet. Jonathan Davies had gone to Widnes by the time 1989 Lions took off

 

[triage]

10. Jonathan Davies (I know, but he was the best ...)

I liked him...but do you think he was better than john or bennet?

 

[Simon Thomas]

15. JPR Williams
14. TGR Davies
13. Mike Gibson
12. Brian O'Driscoll
11. Rory Underwood
10. Phil Bennett
9. Gareth Edward

8. Mervyn Davies
7. Martym Williams
6. Richard Hill
5. WJ Mcbride
4. Martin Johnston
3. Jason Leonard
2. Keith Wood
1. Tom Smith

Replacements :

Gavin Hastings
Barry John
John Robbie
Finlay Calder
Gordon Brown
Graham Price
Peter Wheeler

 

[Simon Thomas]

I liked him...but do you think he was better than john or bennet?

Bennett (just edges it)
John (only cos he retired at 29 years old)
Davies

 

[scrumpox2]

JD was a huge loss to Wales and the Lions; when you take a look at his RL record it does more than hint at what he would've achieved in Union if he hadn't been hounded out of Wales after the Romania game. The guy was awesome.

I'd also go for Dai Watkins as the second best 10 ever produced by Wales, ahead of Bennett and John, Watkins was another who went North ... and then Cliff Morgan, so that's 5 from the Welsh outside half factory before I'd think about the B&I contenders.

Reckon Geech will take Byrne, Kearney and Armitage on tour, injuries aside Byrne is pretty much nailed on, probably the best 15 in the world right now. He missed Wales' tour to SA last Summer and I can't wait to see him kick at altitude. As a 15 he has everything you'd want in a perfect full back; JPR was the standard bearer but many people forget what a dreadful kicking game he had.

 

[Simon Thomas]

I only went back as far a 70s for Welsh 10s. You may be right scrumpox but even I am not old enoug to have seen Watkins or Morgan play live or on TV.

My father (a decent 10 at Llanelli and Guys Hospital himself in 1950s) always maintains Watkins and Morgan were marginally better than John and Bennett.

JD leads the next pack imho

 

[TheBFG]

My effort as a puppy (compared to most on here!:wink: )

15. G Hastings
14. J Robinson
13. S Gibbs
12. J Guscott
11. R Underwood
10. P Bennett
9. R Howley

8. S Quinell
7. P Winterbottom
6. R Hill
5. P O'Connell
4. M Johnston
3. J Leonard
2. K Wood
1. D Young

 

[KingsPE]

Lots of discussion here about all sorts except one player is in ALL teams - Richard Hill!

Mind you - not at all surprised - he was awesome!