Post Six Nations Lions XV - Inside Centre

That’s it – no more matches to impress Mr Gatland.  The only hope potential players on the peripheral of selection have now is to use other methods to appease him – perhaps by sending him flowers in the post, treating him to an expensive brunch or even taking him out to the local owl sanctuary.  With that in mind, Warran Gatland will be having a very busy Monday I’m sure – almost as busy as me, as I have to try and find time to write 3 more of these before the squad is announced on Tuesday.  So, here’s RuckedOver’s take on the inside centre spot for the Lions...

Inside Centre

The role of the 12 varies between sides, with some preferring a human bulldozer and others going for a second distributor.  The key aspect is to have balance in the midfield attack between your centres and your full back – with one taking the role of a ball player, one as a strike runner, and one as a blockbusting basher to get your side over the gain line.  Think of great sides like New Zealand in 2011 and England in 2003 – they’ve all had guys able to fill those roles but in varying positions, and that’s what I’ve tried to do with my Lions selection.  Keeping in mind who I want in my 13 and 15 shirts, I’ve gone for a 12 that can slam down Quade Cooper’s channel and get the men in red surging forward.  And for that particular objective, there’s one man who particular who looms very large indeed...

TEST STARTER: MANU TUILAGI. OK, yes, he’s a 13 by trade, but ignore the number on his back.  I’d have him at 12 defensively and 13 in attack, but either way, that 10 channel is going to be his attack zone – and there’s nobody better equipped for that job.  I don’t care for the lazy (and invalid) argument that he’s 1 dimensional – when you are biologically similar to an angry rhinoceros you don’t need to be able to thread subtle grubbers through the eye of a needle – and the fact is that he does have a solid passing game, but when your primary job is to make yardage on the carry and break tackles then there’s not too much opportunity for 20 metre slings across the park, although he’s demonstrated a deft offloading ability out of contact.  Going into the Wales v England game, Tuilagi had beaten more defenders than the rest of the centres on the park put together, and even after the humbling administered to his side and a poor performance on his part, the Samoan-born wrecking ball had still made the most metres (over 3 times as many as Jamie Roberts) despite the fact he had played 2 less games.  Put simply, Tuilagi is the best centre in the Home Nations at smashing through tacklers and getting over the gain line, putting his side on the front foot.  Coupled with his deceptively quick feet and acceleration, I can see the hulking figure of the English 12 dominating the dreams of whoever will be filling that green and gold 10 Jersey come June. 

DIRT TRACKER:  JAMIE ROBERTS.  I have to firstly say I dislike Jamie Roberts intensely, in the nicest possible way.  It’s simply not fair that someone can be physically superior enough to be an international rugby player, intelligent enough to be a doctor (at the same time), a thoroughly nice chap by all accounts and – let’s face it – not particularly offensive on the eye (according to my other half).  In my opinion that’s just plain greedy.  This is also a pretty difficult one to pick – Roberts hasn’t actually produced a standout display like we know he is capable of on the international scene for some time.  During the Six Nations, he was largely anonymous with ineffectual carries and uncharacteristic handling errors – but we finally saw the Cardiff powerhouse show glimmers of how to unleash the fury at the Millennium Stadium against English.  It was, in some moments, a throwback to his colossal performances against South Africa for the Lions four years ago where it consistently seemed as if he had half the opposition backline clinging on to him as he surged relentlessly forward.  And it’s that experience and ability, rather than his out and out form, that gets Roberts onto the plane.  He’s a big-game player and if he can start to bring out some power-packed displays in the warm up games then he may well push for a starting spot. 

Who are the unlucky ones?  Luke Marshall has leapt onto the scene with some impressive displays for Ulster and Ireland, but I think this Lions tour has probably come a season too early for him – and the same can be said of England’s Billy Twelvetrees, despite the fact he’s not first pick for his country.  Brad Barritt, the man who keeps Twelvetrees out of the national side, is a strong presence himself and a phenomenal defender, but for me he doesn’t quite have that spark in attack that I’d like my 12 to have. 

Who would you select at 12 for the Lions?