Samoa roll out big guns for World Cup opener

That’s the assignment ahead of them.

My only issue is if Leinster and by extension, Irelands decline is measured by lack of Euro Cup medals and World Cup success, does that imply that English, Welsh and Scottish world cup winners have been left at home???

If Saints don’t kick on and win their final should they all be dropped from the squad?

They simply haven’t replaced Sexton. They can’t settle on a box office 10 to lead the team. That’s the obvious issue the last 2 seasons and explains some of their current hiccups. England are on the up but have no sliver ware to show for it.

Ireland’s most impressive recent performance against a big 3 was Durban last July. It’s only 9 months ago when they used a depleted squad to beat the most capped Bok team ever fielded. The intensity of Durban would be comparable to what’s coming especially as the game started to drift from them.

I think the most troubling thing for the Lions is that in some real crunch games, Irish and Leinster players have shown mental fragility.

But they can pick a pack with an awful lot of size and power if they want, which is unusual for Aussie. Frost and Skelton would tower over any combo the Lions can select!

I’d say it is dangerous basing your planning on a team which is clearly on the slide. Ireland have been great, no argument about it, but I don’t think they are relatively better now compared to where they were in 2022 for example. They looked to be casting around for a new direction at the 6N.

If the Lions need a template of how to beat the Wallabies they can watch the two Rugby Championship games between the Boks and Australia in Australia last year. Brute strength did the trick - easily - especially in the second test when Australia had no clue against the rolling maul. Perhaps the Lions don’t have the monsters the Boks have and, as you point out, there is limited time for coaches to move away from what they know, but I reckon grunt over guile is the road to 3-0 for the Lions.

That said, as a neutral, I hope it’s a run-fest.

If anything their only real pedigree is in winning overseas series.

It depends on how you weigh the importance of games doesn’t it? Why did England beat France but Ireland concede over 40 at home to the same opponents?

My own support for George, Martin, Lawes and Wilis is based on the fact that all have been very good players for a long time. Willis is regularly mentioned as the best player in Top 14 by the French Press and George and Lawes would contribute to squad solidaritywith their huge experience…

If you’re basing all your theory around current Leinster I think you need to come up with something a lot, lot better. Their D is not as aggressive in Irish green as it is Leinster blue, and the attack has dropped a couple of notches from where it was three years ago.

Sadly they have also made it a habit of falling at the final hurdle too. So what’s your proof?

P.S I reckon it’s you who are blinded by jingoism and bias - I’m a Welshman arguing England’s case!

The forward are athetic rather than there for sheer power, esp in the back five forwards, so if Aussie go down the Tupou/Skelton route the power equation could be with the home side.

If they choose say the Northmapton template they could be very good indeed. We’ll see.

The last Lions series, the coaching staff got the tactics completely wrong, playing conservatively and trying to outmuscle the Boks - which suited the home side just fine. It wasn’t until the third test when Finn Russell came onto the field that the Lions looked really potent. There’s every chance that the Lions might get their tactics wrong again in Australia.