British Lions Test Team

Originally posted by Tirau Dan
Not at all but I've always wondered why the sports world allows Great Britain to have four teams when it choses. The Olympics don't allow it.
I hate politics in sport but I'd love to see Great Britain play as one sporting Nation more often or is it in fact a case that the Kingdom is not as united as it makes out.

I'd love to see The United Kingdom o ...[text shortened]...
Until Great Britain gives back The North I'm afraid you can't have a United Ireland team.

you will get no welsh, n. irish or scottish people agreeing with that post. FACT!!

or a lot of english come to think of it i would guess.

it's not going to happen and shouldn't.

Originally posted by trev33
you will get no welsh, n. irish or scottish people agreeing with that post. FACT!!

or a lot of english come to think of it i would guess.

it's not going to happen and shouldn't.

Why?
Lot's already represent Britain at the Olympics and when the Lions tour so why not other sports. It's a higher level they are being deprived of in my opinion.

Originally posted by Tirau Dan
Why?
Lot's already represent Britain at the Olympics and when the Lions tour so why not other sports. It's a higher level they are being deprived of in my opinion.

With regards to Rugby, it would deprive the sport in the N.H. of some of its richest heritage.

I'm not sure if a G.B./France/Italy N.H. tournament would work nearly as well as the 6N does.

I think the disparity between NH and SH rugby atm has a lot to do with the club system up here, and the number of foreign players (arguably). The Super 14 is a much better system imho. I believe I'm right in saying that England has the largest Rugby Union player base in the world -- so simply increasing the size of that wouldn't necessarily change the quality all that much...

My two cents, anyway. 🙂

Originally posted by HumeA
With regards to Rugby, it would deprive the sport in the N.H. of some of its richest heritage.

I'm not sure if a G.B./France/Italy N.H. tournament would work nearly as well as the 6N does.

I think the disparity between NH and SH rugby atm has a lot to do with the club system up here, and the number of foreign players (arguably). The Super 14 is a much b ...[text shortened]... of that wouldn't necessarily change the quality all that much...

My two cents, anyway. 🙂

Heritage doesn't really answer how the GB have 4 teams when most countries have 1. (not complaining just seeking an answer.. is England really independent apart from sport and The Proms?

I could see six nations continuing but would like to see GB playing a lot more they are a true national side. They should play an annual series against the Tri Nations winner.

Our players say they are playing way too much rugby. Perhaps we should send The Maoris or a North or a South Island team up to play England, Scotland etc and keep the ABS for GB, SA, Aus etc.

The way the IRB have just totally off handedly dimissed the new rules trialled by sanzar without trialling them in Europe at all disgusts me and just shows the old boy network in England still pulls the strings. We may see Southern hemisphere teams refusing to play tours of GB over this rules issue. I know our local SA's and Aussies are really fuming over it too.

I understand the clubs having a lot of power in English and French Rugby they also have the money to attract players who naturally have to think of young families etc so venture up top or Japan for financial security.

Our Super 14 has no club or heritage base. It's pure sponsor run franchising. It's really destroyed the fabric of our National Competition and people are leaving the game in their droves.

Our clubs are tiny but their are lots and lots of them playing within our provincial union structure. I'd like NPC back the way it was with the top two provincial sides from Aus, SA and NZ playing a series. NZ may have won the grand slam last year but I maintain the belief I've held for the last couple of years that this is the worst period in NZ rugby I can remember in my life time. Their are too many changes that have cut to the core of of the game here. Bring back 3pm Sunday kick offs so we can all take the kids. Late games here may be good for UK viewe but they keep people home to watch on pay TV here. It's core support we need. The 86-88 era was the last great era for the abs - pre professionalism.

Originally posted by Tirau Dan
Heritage doesn't really answer how the GB have 4 teams when most countries have 1. (not complaining just seeking an answer.. is England really independent apart from sport and The Proms?

I think heritage is the reason people want to keep the teams separate. The teams don't want to lose their identity. And history is why they're separate in the first place. The home nations were the first international teams in football, and probably in rugby as well. England v Scotland may well be the oldest (serious) international sporting fixture.

In football there could well be pressure to combine the teams - it's why Scotland refuse to get involved in a UK team for the Olympics, as they think it will undermine their independence. It doesn't make sense in something like rugby though - the sport isn't strong enough to want to reduce the number of teams that can compete at a high level.

(In the commonwealth games - not only England, Scotland, N. Ireland and Wales enter as seperate teams, but so to the Isle of Man, Jersey, etc!)

Originally posted by mtthw
I think heritage is the reason people want to keep the teams separate. The teams don't want to lose their identity. And history is why they're separate in the first place. The home nations were the first international teams in football, and probably in rugby as well. England v Scotland may well be the oldest (serious) international sporting fixture. ...[text shortened]... and, N. Ireland and Wales enter as seperate teams, but so to the Isle of Man, Jersey, etc!)

I didn't know about the GB football team re Scotland. It does beg one to wonder how United UKGB is though.. but I didn't mean to get into other than sporting politics in this thread. I'll forgive Scotland so long as they keep the "e" out of whisky.

Originally posted by Tirau Dan
I didn't know about the GB football team re Scotland. It does beg one to wonder how United UKGB is though.. but I didn't mean to get into other than sporting politics in this thread. I'll forgive Scotland so long as they keep the "e" out of whisky.

i was hoping someone else would have answered this for me.

btw it wasn't just scotland but n. ireland and wales who don't want a gb football team in the olympics, and rightly so. it will be an all english team if there is a 'gb' team in 2012.

the pride and history involved of the 3 nations, n. ireland, wales and scotland is too great to mess with. not a lot of people in these countries call themselves british....a recent poll was done in n. ireland. 15% called themselves british the rest either n. irish or irish.

there will never be a british football team, there's more chance of n. ireland, wales and scotland breaking away from england to form there own countries. and that's probably not going to happen either.

Originally posted by trev33
i was hoping someone else would have answered this for me.

btw it wasn't just scotland but n. ireland and wales who don't want a gb football team in the olympics, and rightly so. it will be an all english team if there is a 'gb' team in 2012.

the pride and history involved of the 3 nations, n. ireland, wales and scotland is too great to mess with. not ...[text shortened]... from england to form there own countries. and that's probably not going to happen either.

Sorry Trev.

I didn't mean to be dogmatic or stubborn. I'm sure others can answer too, it's an open thread.

Look at the question of independence. You may have a Euro passport but isn't your citizenship British?

This isn't a choice you should have it's an international question of recognition. Is Britain a country or not? plain and simple question to the IOC. You can have heritage but that' ancestral history not governance.

If you want a separate sports team to play at world level then get your independance sorted out. Pay for your independence and get your own country back.

The English Gentry have run British sport for too long with the old boy public school network running Rugby Cricket and football codes. They seriously need a slapping and I hope people around the world start demanding change.

The first way to do it is for International sports bodies to stop recognising England Wales Scotland and Northern Ireland as separate countries "They gave up or lost sovereignty to Britain."

Nothing in the world would stop the home nations from playing with themselves. We've witness that for eons

Should not international sports authorities demand "One team per One Govt Country. England Scotland Wales and N.Ireland are surely just states of Britain..

Does anyone know The IOC's definition of Country? I couldn't find it.
I want a better answer than heritage or what people want.

I'm starting to think that I'm a lot for British than some of you folks. Born in England with a Scottish Lines, living in NZ and very proud of British heritage.

Originally posted by najdorfslayer
My Team

15. Lee Byrne (Wales)
14. Tommy Bowe (Ireland)
13. Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland)
12. Riki Flutey (England)
11. Shane Williams (Wales)
10. Stephen Jones (Wales)
9. Mike Phillips (Wales)

1. Gethin Jenkins (Wales)
2. Jerry Flannery (Ireland)
3. Euan Murray (Scotland)
4. Alan Wyn Jones (Wales)
5. Paul O'Connell (Ireland)
6. Tom Croft (England)
7. David Wallace (Ireland)
8. Jamie Heaslip (Ireland)

Comments??

Ferris for Croft
Williams for Wallace
O'Gara for Jones

Kearney might play his way in throgh the series and the Heineken Cup but Byrne was definitely better throughout the 6 nations

Originally posted by najdorfslayer
My Team

15. Lee Byrne (Wales)
14. Tommy Bowe (Ireland)
13. Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland)
12. Riki Flutey (England)
11. Shane Williams (Wales)
10. Stephen Jones (Wales)
9. Mike Phillips (Wales)

1. Gethin Jenkins (Wales)
2. Jerry Flannery (Ireland)
3. Euan Murray (Scotland)
4. Alan Wyn Jones (Wales)
5. Paul O'Connell (Ireland)
6. Tom Croft (England)
7. David Wallace (Ireland)
8. Jamie Heaslip (Ireland)

Comments??

Test side Annouced for 1st Test against Lions

15. Lee Byrne (Ospreys/Wales)
14. Tommy Bowe (Ospreys/Ireland)
13. Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster/Ireland)
12. Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
11. Ugo Monye (Harlequins/England)
10. Stephen Jones (Scarlets/Wales)
9. Mike Phillips (Ospreys/Wales)

8. Jamie Heaslip (Leinster/Ireland)
7. David Wallace (Munster/Ireland)
6. Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers/England)
5. Paul O'Connell (Munster/Ireland) Captain
4. Alun-Wyn Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
3. Phil Vickery (London Wasps/England)
2. Lee Mears (Bath/England)
1. Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues/Wales)

11/15 is not a bad prediction!!!

Originally posted by najdorfslayer
Test side Annouced for 1st Test against Lions

15. Lee Byrne (Ospreys/Wales)
14. Tommy Bowe (Ospreys/Ireland)
13. Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster/Ireland)
12. Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
11. Ugo Monye (Harlequins/England)
10. Stephen Jones (Scarlets/Wales)
9. Mike Phillips (Ospreys/Wales)

8. Jamie Heaslip (Leinster/Ireland)
7. David Wall ...[text shortened]... rs (Bath/England)
1. Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues/Wales)

11/15 is not a bad prediction!!!

The Lions are going on the Braai... Only Tong Masters play for The Spring Boks. The Lions will always just be watchers

YouTube

Originally posted by Tirau Dan
The Lions are going on the Braai... Only Tong Masters play for The Spring Boks. The Lions will always just be watchers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq2SOmwzjUU

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/britishandirishlionsrugby/5587030/South-Africa-26-British-and-Irish-Lions-21-match-report.html
They didn't do too bad.

Originally posted by Tirau Dan
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/britishandirishlionsrugby/5587030/South-Africa-26-British-and-Irish-Lions-21-match-report.html
They didn't do too bad.

The score flatters them. The boks started to take a nap after feeling they had won the game - we will not let off the accelerator this weekend.

Originally posted by Crowley
The score flatters them. The boks started to take a nap after feeling they had won the game - we will not let off the accelerator this weekend.

They nearly knocked off the Tong Master!!!

Unlucky guys.. good luck for the last test