Today has been a day of doing right-index-finger workouts
and stretching in preparation for a day of hammering the refresh button on the
BBC Rugby Union website from about 9am onwards.
We are that close to discovering who will be selected as the crème-de-la-crème
of Home Nations rugby to take on those hooligans in the Southern Hemisphere
this summer. Whilst I prepare tonight's
high carb meal in preparation of tomorrow's 'finger-fest' (steady on), take a
look at who RuckedOver would stick in the Lions 14 shirt.
Right Wing
I'm starting to sound like a broken record – and not for the
first time, as anyone unfortunate enough to be subjected to a retelling of one
of the 7 stories I have on rotation will tell you – but the key with any unit
within a team, the back 3 included, is balance.
I have a human wrecking ball on the left wing, so that means I want
someone with a dash of intelligence on the right – a bit of brain to complement
all the brawn. That means someone who's
quick and has good feet, sure, but I want a right winger who's solid under the
high ball, hits smart lines in the middle and can finish when given half a
sniff of an opportunity. For me, that
puts one man in the driving seat – even if he hasn't played there for a little
while.
TEST STARTER: LEIGH HALFPENNY. Say what?
Halfpenny on the right wing? You
betcha. It's impossible to leave the
Player of the Six Nations out of the team but, ironically, I think there is a
better out-and-out attacking 15 available – and that's why I've pushed the
Welshman out onto the right wing, where he started his career and still, to
date, played the majority of his international rugby. We all know about Halfpenny's howitzer boot –
he was the deadliest place kicker in the Six Nations – but what often gets
overlooked is the fact he is a superb finisher and a gifted runner. Because of the way Wales like to play, we
mainly see him using his boot to great effect as opposed to taking men on or
hitting support lines, but he is very quick, has great feet and is a bundle of
muscle with biceps the size of Brisbane.
A phenomenal defender as well, he'll have no trouble dealing with the
dangerous Digby Ione and, given space on the wing, we'll hopefully get to see a
display of running like we saw in his outstanding solo try for the Cardiff
Blues against Toulon. A fullback on the
wing also has its benefits in terms of positional play and kick returns, and
that's something I think the Lions would find invaluable against a talented
Wallaby backline.
BENCHER: ALEX CUTHBERT. Despite constantly looking as though he has just come off a big night on the tiles, the Cardiff man is incredibly unlucky not to be starting after a really strong Six Nations. I have to admit that prior to this year, I had my doubts about him – I sort of had him pinned as a giant (and very fast) headless chicken – but he proved me utterly wrong, scoring 4 very well taken tries. He hits some great lines off his wing and the pace he showed for his 2 scores against England was sensational – couple that in with some strong club form and surprisingly quick feet, and you have a definite tourist. The only reason he doesn't make my starting team is because he's a little too similar to George North (not a bad thing by itself) and I'd personally like a little more guile on at least one of my wings. I've also got concerns about his defence (his missed tackle rate was the second worst – behind Chris Ashton – in the tournament), but with his raw power and speed, I think he would be a great impact substitution when the game begins to open up.
DIRT TRACKER: CHRISTIAN WADE. Sorry, I just couldn't help it. Part of the magic of Lions tours is that you generally find there's at least one 'bolter' who gets on the tour and makes a name for himself – and 'bolt' is quite an appropriate phrase when describing Christian Wade. Despite not being capped, the lightning winger has terrified defences in the Premiership and Amlin Cup this year, scoring 16 tries, including a couple of stunning efforts against Leinster in front of Warren Gatland. The Wasps winger is simply phenomenal to watch – with scorching speed, searing acceleration and mesmerising footwork – and in space, is arguably the most dangerous runner in the Northern Hemisphere. Sure, people can point at his pocket-sized frame as being a potential concern (despite the fact he's a solid tackler), as well as the fact that, under pressure, his decision making is questionable, but that ability to petrify any defence in the world and get the crowd on their feet is a value that I would love to see present on this Lions tour. Perhaps it's a bit of a romantic notion and a bit risky but, who knows, Gatland may just unearth a real gem on the international stage.
These are the guys filling my number 14 shirts, but there are some pretty big names being left behind who I wouldn't be too upset at seeing on the plane. Firstly, the superb Tommy Bowe is a Lions veteran and a smooth operator, but after a nasty knee injury – which he came back from sooner than expected – he hasn't quite looked up to his usual standards and I think he needs the summer off. Chris Ashton had a really difficult 6 Nations but has looked very decent in a Sarries shirt – there is no denying his qualities as a finisher but his defensive frailties have been all too obvious for some time now, and so I think he stays at home despite his additional tour value as 'banter fodder'. Craig Gilroy is another unlucky character, having impressed in his breakthrough season – the young Ulsterman is a good finisher and superbly-balanced runner, but he doesn't have Wade's X-Factor. Still, he'd do a good job if selected. Elsewhere, Keith Earls, Andrew Trimble, Dave Strettle and Sean Maitland have all had their moments but not done it with the degree of consistency required to get on the plane to Australia.
Who would you select on the right wing for the
Lions?
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