Tier 2 Board respond to promotion knock back

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?

Why wouldn’t you want him scoring a try a match at fullback?

Otherwise you’ve named the two 10s NZ will need, one 10 that they should be trying to pasture out, a winger that got dumped from the side, and a winger that hasn’t yet seen enough consistency to make the ABs. These are you’re fullback depth? LOL! 😜

What wing depth is there? Stevenson, Narawa, JB, … Love, Nani-Seturo to name a few. Clarke, Telea, Rieko, Tangitau, Springer, Carter, all immediate test starters on the wing for me! 😋

Look I just don’t want another 10 at fullback. I want someone who will take the line on. That’s definitely not Dmac because he’s far too small to be carrying the ball into contact at internationa level. I wouldn’t mind a Perofeta there because even if he’s not a great runner I think he could be the best at making use of all 3 backfield options on the counter attack. Shaun is another good option simply because I like his instincts, theyre more open than most, and he’s got that triple threat like Perofeta. I haven’t seen Love do enough good things to think he’ll succeed at test level, he’s getting so much support simply because people don’t like the other options.

A try a match wingers simply don’t last. I’m seeing that with Jordan as well, I simply think people are way over rating his ability on the right wing these days, but I’m perfectly happy for him also to be given a chance to prove he’s still got it. It is much the same circumstance with Rieko. Telea is probably the best winger in the world, so he stays there for me.

The other Tele’a is certainly the most imposing, Frank Bunce like center we have at the moment. I almost whish we were like France and didn’t give a crap about winning every game just so we get to see how the side can play with different styles of players.