Well, it's almost 2 weeks post the closing weekend of the Six Nations and the sound of drunken Welsh cheering is still ringing in our ears and the tears of Englishmen still wet on bar surfaces across the country. Now that that the drama of that final weekend has started to die down, we can take stock and look towards the summer and the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia.
Of course, there's plenty of rugby to be played between now
and then, but time is running out – and so, RuckedOver will be putting forward
their own 37 man squad for the Lions based on club AND Six Nations form.
Starting us off this week – loosehead prop…
Loosehead Prop
Perhaps this was a position of concern prior to the start of
the Six Nations, but not anymore. Cian
Healy showed off his power in the loose as well as the set piece, Gethin
Jenkins hit the kind of form which saw him become a stalwart of the Lions side
in 2005 and 2009, and there were impressive contributions from Ryan Grant and Mako
Vunipola as well – and that's not to mention to rather large (and nightmarish –
if you're an Aussie) figure of Andrew Sheridan, who's still hulking impressively
around the Top 14 with Toulon.
For my starting spot, it comes down to a straight shoot out
between Cian Healey and Gethin Jenkins.
I should say from the outset that I thought Jenkins' final 3 performances
of the Six Nations were nothing short of magnificent, like a jackal over the
ball and a force of nature in defence.
But one thing the home nations perhaps lack is a selection of truly
destructive ball carriers – and in Healy we have a real brute.
TEST STARTER: CIAN HEALEY.
Yes, he was a bit of a mug against England when he administered his
own version of chiropractic therapy to Dan Cole's ankle, but his destructive
ball carrying was key to anything good Ireland did (which, admittedly, wasn't a
huge amount). His scrummaging has
improved no end, as he showed with solid performances against Wales, England
and France, but it is ball carrying that gets him the nod to start, with a
potential shortage of bullocking runners elsewhere in the pack.
BENCHER: GETHIN JENKINS. Geth is pretty unlucky not to start, having had a great end to the tournament, and I'm sure that he will put a strong claim forward for a test spot in the warm up games, but his experience on the bench may prove to be vital. Outstanding over the ball and titanic in the tackle area, he's just the man to bring on if the Lions are struggling in either the set piece or unable to get their hands on the ball. And, to be fair, it's not exactly like he isn't capable of making inroads with the ball in his mitts...
DIRT TRACKER: MAKO VUNIPOLA. Whoever travels in the company of Healy and Jenkins will not only be competing for a test spot against two powerful props, but also two terrifying looking men, with Healy looking like Quasimodo's slightly beefier big brother and Jenkins resembling psychopathic village butcher. Vunipola is the man for the job in both departments. Not only is he a colossal ball carrier, but he also looks like the mummified remains of a prehistoric rhino. His rise to fame has been sensational, his scrummaging solid and his explosivity a force of nature at times – and it is that raw talent that sees him just edge out the impressively mobile Ryan Grant. As for Big Ted? Well, he'd fit in looks-wise, but there's still a question to be asked about whether or not he has played enough top class rugby lately to prove himself. The Heineken Cup will be key.
Who would be in your Lions number 1 jersey?
They have to at least take Sheridan on the plane.
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