Neil Back

Backy's Lions Test XV

Wed Apr 08 01:17PM

The first thing I would like to say is that selecting a Lions Test XV has been no easy task. There is so much competition for places that I could quite easily have named a very different looking side.

For me, only three of the positions are nailed down, which goes to show how tight the selection will be.

I also want to stress that a great deal can happen between now and the 1st Test in Durban on June 20.

History has shown that the favourites ahead of the tour do not always get to start in the Tests. Form and fitness vary once the tour has kicked off.

This could be even more so this time round, because there was no truly dominant team in the Six Nations.

Don't get me wrong; Ireland fully deserved their Grand Slam and were the best team. But they did not hammer the other teams as other championship-winning sides have done in the past.

I would also like to apologise to Scotland fans in advance; there are no Scots in my XV. I tried my best, and Euan Murray came close, but for reasons I mention below he just failed to make the team.

Neil Back Lions Test XV

1. Gethin Jenkins (Wales)

Selected for his mobility on fast South African pitches. Also has good hands. Impressed me a great deal on 2005 Lions tour.

2. Jerry Flannery (Ireland)

The stand-out hooker from the Six Nations. His combination with Paul O'Connell will be crucial to Lions success at lineout.

3. John Hayes (Ireland)

Great lineout lifter and his relationship with Flannery and O'Connell could be key.

4. Paul O'Connell (Ireland)

One of the first names on my team sheet. Magnificent for Ireland during the Six Nations.

5. Alun-Wyn Jones (Wales)

With O'Connell and Tom Croft, should provide Lions with plenty of lineout ball.

6. Tom Croft (England)

Vastly improved at break-down, easy to lift and able to compete on South African throw at lineout.

7. David Wallace (Ireland)

Very quick and powerful, outstanding throughout the Six Nations.

8. Jamie Heaslip (Ireland)

With Croft and Wallace, offers Lions real pace in the back row on fast South African tracks.

9. Dwayne Peel (Wales)

Selected for his all-round game. Challenge for selectors will be to decide who provides support off the bench: Mike Phillips, Danny Care or Harry Ellis?

10. Stephen Jones (Wales)

Hardest position to decide, but Jones's defence and relationship with Peel gets him in ahead of Ronan O'Gara.

11. Shane Williams (Wales)

Did not have his best Six Nations, but there is no doubting his attacking threat.

12. Tom Shanklin (Wales)

A solid performer who provides the right midfield balance alongside Brian O'Driscoll.

13. Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland - capt)

Picks himself and also gets my vote as captain. Crucial to Lions' chances of victory.

14. Tommy Bowe (Ireland)

Had a great Six Nations, full of confidence and power, and good under the high ball.

15. Delon Armitage (England)

Did very well during average England season. A rock under the high ball and great ability to counter from deep. Just edges Lee Byrne.

Comments1 - 30 of 61
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would have to say stephen ferris at 6, was the outstanding 6 of the 6 nations, and lee bryne at 15 is i think is the only choice
From bhq_no9 on Wed Apr 08 02:58PM
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peel at 9! just what you want at scrumhalf with a physically intimdating pack ready to spoil, a featherweight scrumhalf who hates contact!
Wrong call in my eyes you need phillips. He wont offload the ball if things arent right and you know he he is strong enough to hold on the ball until support comes.
Tom Croft?????? What about ferris?
Surely Martin Williams has to fit in the mix somewhere?
From d16949 on Wed Apr 08 03:10PM
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From zhangjiamaidu on Wed Apr 08 04:25PM
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Peter Stringer (Ire) is a must, if only on the bench.
From brw1marine on Wed Apr 08 04:29PM
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Good choices but definately Byrne at 15 and what about Rob Kearney at 14?
From gazd90210 on Wed Apr 08 05:06PM
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ferris has to be at 6.byrne at full back.armitage doesnt hav enough experience.stringer or blair should be 9 wit gara 10.
From danmcs2 on Wed Apr 08 05:06PM
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half penny at 14 he can play in most positions at the back, other than that good call by backy
From matthewschris55 on Wed Apr 08 05:11PM
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I agree with most but I will hold out on the outhalf spot until after the Heinekin cup. Obviously between Jones and O'Gara, whoever is carrying the best form should get the start.
From markear1 on Wed Apr 08 05:34PM
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Not a bad team, Backy me lad - get Sheridan and Ford into the front row for Hayes and Flannery and Phillips in at scrum half and we might win something! Only one Leicester player too, which is heartening.
From jbcwright on Wed Apr 08 05:42PM
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re. the comments below, Byrne is a bit too small and Welsh, and O'Gara is capable of losing a test match all by himself
From jbcwright on Wed Apr 08 05:44PM
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good team, i'd have Kearney or Byrne at 15 and ferris at 6, croft on bench to come on and run rings around berger after ferris has beaten him up! LIONS!!!!!
From ptothej on Wed Apr 08 05:50PM
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i would have euan murry instead of hayes and rees instead of flanery worsley at 6 instead of croft philips at 9 flood at 10 hes quicker than jones and ogara fluety at 12 and byre at fullback armatige is good but maybe off the bench
From smithy12232 on Wed Apr 08 06:02PM
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Lots of requests for Philips but - despite being a powerful, physical player, almost a fourth back row, he can't read a game. Players like Peel and Blair can look up and make a decision, Philips often makes the wrong call.
From timbath on Wed Apr 08 06:18PM
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has to be phillips if ur goin for a welsh scrum half, u cant choose the second choice from a country especially 1 who has been injured a lot recently, also lee byrne as full back way better than armitage, y else wud guscott call him the best player in the world right now (his words not mine b4 u slate me). also if he wants consistent pace and power in the team has to be murray not hayes.
From davidjsdb on Wed Apr 08 07:29PM
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hi i think we should have ronan o'gara at fly half or toby flood but glad delon armitage made it
From peter.debnam on Wed Apr 08 08:41PM
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i'd love 2 see wallace at 8 think he well able to match d likes of spies and kankowski in d ball carries and power runnin stakes, always does well there for munster, croft as impact from d bench wit ferris at 6
From barry_griffin1 on Wed Apr 08 09:31PM
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u must hav paterson. if u havent noticed, he didnt miss any of his kicks in the world cup and has missed 1 or 2 in the last 5 years! i'd also put sheridan and sackey instead of jenkins and bowe.
From christopherippon on Wed Apr 08 09:49PM
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Who would be a Lions selector!??.... I reckon O'Connell and BOD are absolute certs and probably G.Jenkins to prop.....as for the rest....tough calls.....I think Shanklin definitely alongside BOD, I like Armitage at FB but as someone has previously posted he may be a little green..I still think he was the form FB of the 6n's thought...a gut feeling as it were....Shane Williams?...again gut feeling says yes....poor season but still a thoroughbred....and the rest......yikes....most of Mr B's selection seem spot on but there are many others who could do similar work.....Fly half seems the weak spot........Id go with Jones who seems to have really arrived..I was never a huge fan but he now looks like a very good FH.....English players (I'm english...)...Croft and Armitage Id agree with but Byrne has a an equally good claim to the FB berth.....maybe pick byrne, halfpenny and williams.....bottom line......COME ON THE LIONS.....Anyone going to SA to watch it...you lucky sods.........final gut feeling says BOD to win the series 2-1 with a drop goal.......
From mikedclarke on Wed Apr 08 10:20PM
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I'd hav Byrne at full back nd hav Armitage nd Karney as my 2 wings
Blair shud be scrum half partnering o gara nd defo hav Ferris in der instead of croft!
From d.bolton7 on Wed Apr 08 10:49PM
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I'd hav Byrne at full back nd hav Armitage nd Karney as my 2 wings
Blair shud be scrum half partnering o gara nd defo hav Ferris in der instead of croft!
From d.bolton7 on Wed Apr 08 10:49PM
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I reckon its a shame italy arent involved, Sergio Parisse and Martin Castrogiovanni would be my first names on the teamsheet!!
From stuart_r_barnes on Thu Apr 09 08:14AM
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Re comment 29-Agree completely, especially about Parisse. He was my player of the championship & it would be wonderful to watch him playing as part of a better team at international level.
From olwenfls on Thu Apr 09 08:30AM
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Nice 2 see all the banter about who goes...let's all nod in agreement that we just don't want the disaster of the last costly tour. I watched it with Kiwi mates and I don't think I have recovered yet. We need the fire in the belly, remember Jonesy squaring up to Farr-Jones? Centres hitting the opposition so hard that they bled? We need that pride and toughness.
Let's hear you roar!
From tigger_1129 on Thu Apr 09 09:29AM
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Chris Cussiter must start at 9.He has best pass and more likely to create breaks.
From colin73 on Thu Apr 09 09:31AM
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Lets not get hoodwinked over the Irish and Welsh players that Neil Back has selected for the Lions Test team. As you stated these fast pitches in South Africa will be a handful for our Northern hemishere players but to select players who will give needless penalties away and with both sides probably having solid defences the team selected will be continually have to play catch up rugby, silly selection........................
From m.goodman859 on Thu Apr 09 10:07AM
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Orange2tuf is talking rubbish,munster aside its the french & english clubs that have dominated the heineken cup & as for world cups not even the mighty all blacks can top englands record . You watch to much super 14 on the tv which i agree does make the game look quicker & more exciting but bring those teams to england & our conditions would level the teams as our southern hem imports would be 1st to agree . Get your hate the english cap off , look at the facts & start contributing sensible messages .
Paul37
From firstchoicepm on Thu Apr 09 11:13AM
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i see mr. back as picked some england players in the lions team he wood like more than that ??? if you are to bet the r.s.a you most pick your from players
From parry.david on Thu Apr 09 11:27AM
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orange2tuf give it a rest lad. You obviously watch enough rugby to be able to contribute constructive comments. Some smack talk after our fantastic grand slam win is fine but the constant abuse is a bit much. C'mon lad, roar on the Lions with our English chums with pride! I was in NZ in 2005 and had a brill time with their fans the fans from all the home nations!
From ptothej on Thu Apr 09 12:25PM
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It is pity that going to a country renowned for scrummaging, you pick a tight-head who is good at lifting!!! Hayes cannot scrummage.
From jhbogle on Thu Apr 09 12:31PM
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im presuming orange2tuf is irish?? well I am and have to say you sure talk a load of rubbish. all this anti english nonsense you come out with is old. get that chip off your shoulder and make your comments sport related. Its not just this article, I have seen plenty of comments from you in the past and the majority have had the same theme running through them.
From desfls2000 on Thu Apr 09 12:35PM
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