Italy would be 'crazy' to ignore Odogwu says Blackett

for some as yet unrevealed new definition of nailbiter. coach killer, perhaps? No concept of ball retention, tactical kicking skills that sink to a new low; what happened to the hard-nosed forward-driven side that we lauded last year?

Graham Simmons had a go selecting a full Lions squad in a recent article on here titled “2025 Lions' selection: An idiot's guide”

Excluding all the players he named, England could still field a matchday 23 of:

1 - Baxter

2 - Cowan-Dickie

3 - Heyes

4 - Coles

5 - Martin

6 - Cunningham-South

7 - Underhill

8 - T. Willis

9 - JVP

10 - M. Smith

11 - Sleightholme

12 - Dingwall

13 - Slade

14 - Roebuck

15 - Furbank

16 - Dan

17 - Rodd

18 - Opoku-Fordjour

19 - Clark

20 - Hill

21 - Pollock

22 - Randall

23 - Ojomoh

That’s a team that would be immediately ready to perform at the highest level, not one that needs a huge amount of time to develop. Add to that the wider squad could include Langdon, Obano, Davison, Owen, Tuima, Roots, Pepper, Quirke, C. Atkinson, Butt, Murley, Steward, Hendy.

That would be a pretty solid group of players - almost all 36 of whom are already test level. And even then we’re not including Oghre, Iyogun, Fasogbon, Ewels, Mercer, Dombrandt, Fisilau, Barbeary, Spencer, S. Atkinson, Beard, Elliott, Carpenter etc.,

Still a lot of improving to be done to reach the big boys at the top though, but these two could get their this season.

Talataina was not on my radar, so thanks for mentioning him. I see he is 1.96m and 112 kgs at 21 yo. Will have a good look back at the Reds game , as he is listed as having played 40 mins there. Not sure if he played last night v Brumbies.

In saying that Vern has veered so far from last years strategy it’s not funny. I don’t think I can remember one pick and go from last night. It’s not playing to Sotutu’s linking/passing game strengths but I thought he again brought a fierceness that wasn’t there last year, I’m really interested to see what he could do in an All Black team.

Also, I’m pretty sure it was ineed a mistake to not put Plummer to 12. Perhaps they are saying good bye to him early and putting all their eggs in the Taele basket?