News
Looking for Lions
December 18 2008
The British and Irish rugby season is well and truly underway, and while all the players no doubt began their seasons focused on the tasks ahead, a greater prize awaits some 35-odd at the end of the season: a British and Irish Lions tour place.
After a hectic Heineken Cup fortnight, packed with some sizzling action in Munster and Twickenham especially, there's plaenty of movement on the charts!
Some fringe players - think Olly Morgan and Ben Cairns, Johnnie Beattie and Richard Hibbard - have played their way back into contention as some of the test players failed to shake off their fatigue from the November series.
Here are the movers and shakers from the second set of Heineken Cup weekends, but there's probably one or two we missed, as we are sure you'll let us know!
| Full-back | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pack your bags | Lee Byrne | ||||||||
| Keith Earls (up) | |||||||||
| Standby tickets | Geordan Murphy | ||||||||
| Delon Armitage (down) | |||||||||
| Keep June free | Nick Abendanon (new) | ||||||||
| Olly Morgan (new) | |||||||||
Notes: Keith Earls came of age a bit against Clermont, leading from the back in the second half when Clermont were laying siege to Munster's territory. Both Nick Abendanon and Olly Morgan did well enough for consideration, although it's a moot point whether either will get his chance to prove himself for England...
| Wings | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pack your bags | Shane Williams | ||||||||
| Shane Horgan (up) | |||||||||
| Chris Paterson | |||||||||
| Standby tickets | Rob Kearney | ||||||||
| Mark Jones (down) | |||||||||
| Leigh Halfpenny | |||||||||
| Keep June free | Ugo Monye (new) | ||||||||
| Simon Webster (new) | |||||||||
| Thom Evans | |||||||||
Notes: Rory Lamont's unfortunate injury means he drops off the list for a while, we'll be keen to see how he recovers. In the meantime, Shane Horgan stood out for a poor Leinster, knocking down the Scarlets' Mark Jones, of whom too much is currently being asked. Simon Webster and Ugo Monye are the newbies in the wing possibles.
| Centres | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pack your bags | Tommy Bowe | ||||||||
| Tom Shanklin | |||||||||
| Luke Fitzgerald | |||||||||
| Standby tickets | Brian O'Driscoll | ||||||||
| Ben Cairns (up) | |||||||||
| Nick de Luca | |||||||||
| Keep June free | Jamie Robinson | ||||||||
| Max Evans (new) | |||||||||
| Jordan Turner-Hall (down) | |||||||||
Notes: Ben Cairns' drift-and-dart raid through Wasps' backline on Sunday sees him rise a spot at the expense of the injured Jamie Roberts, but none of the Test trio relinquish their position this week. It was tight between Jordan Turner-Hall and Max Evans as to who would take Roberts' spot, but the Harlequin won it, just. Then Evans managed to replace Riki Flutey anyway!
| Fly-half | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pack your bags | James Hook | ||||||||
| Ronan O'Gara (up) | |||||||||
| Standby tickets | Toby Flood | ||||||||
| Stephen Jones (down) | |||||||||
| Keep June free | Danny Cipriani | ||||||||
| Ian Humphreys (new) | |||||||||
Notes: Stephen Jones is another who looks fatigued, and cedes his plane ticket for Ronan O'Gara, who performed so steadily for Munster. Danny Cipriani's inconsistency continues to dog his chances of a tour place, while Ulster's Ian Humphreys has had a super fortnight and works his way onto the periphery.
| Scrum-half | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pack your bags | Mike Blair | ||||||||
| Danny Care | |||||||||
| Standby tickets | Gareth Cooper | ||||||||
| Tomas O'Leary (up) | |||||||||
| Keep June free | Eoin Reddan (down) | ||||||||
| Dwayne Peel (down) | |||||||||
Notes: The Care-Blair stronghold continues, with Tomas O'Leary moving up to put pressure upon them.
| Number eight | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pack your bags | Andy Powell (up) | ||||||||
| Nick Easter (up) | |||||||||
| Standby tickets | Ryan Jones (down) | ||||||||
| Jamie Heaslip (up) | |||||||||
| Keep June free | Ally Hogg (down) | ||||||||
| Luke Narraway (new) | |||||||||
Notes: All sorts of movement here. Nick Easter continues to inspire and lead all around, while Andy Powell shook off some cobwebs in defence against Biarritz. Jamie Heaslip was another to stand out for an otherwise poor Leinster, while Luke Narraway is hitting form again. An honourable mention for Glasgow's Johnnie Beattie and Leicester's Jordan Crane, who just can't find a way in.
| Openside | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pack your bags | David Wallace | ||||||||
| John Barclay | |||||||||
| Standby tickets | Michael Lipman (up) | ||||||||
| Martyn Williams | |||||||||
| Keep June free | Lewis Moody (new) | ||||||||
| Tom Rees (down) | |||||||||
Notes: The only actual change is the rise and rise of Lewis Moody into contention for an already tightly-contested spot. But he'll have to keep his form up if he is to knock messrs Wallace, Barclay, and Williams away - he is moving up fast on Tom Rees and Michael Lipman though. An honourable mention also for Niall Ronan of Munster.
| Blindside | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pack your bags | Alan Quinlan (up) | ||||||||
| Stephen Ferris | |||||||||
| Standby tickets | Tom Croft (up) | ||||||||
| Jason White (down) | |||||||||
| Keep June free | Jonathan Thomas (new) | ||||||||
| James Haskell (down) | |||||||||
Notes: Tom Croft upped his game the past fortnight and replaces James Haskell, while Alan Quinlan reaps the rewards of all his hard graft against Clermont. Jonathan Thomas is back and looking sharp.
| Second row | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pack your bags | Paul O'Connell | ||||||||
| Donncha O'Callaghan | |||||||||
| Alun Wyn Jones | |||||||||
| Standby tickets | Steve Borthwick | ||||||||
| Nathan Hines | |||||||||
| Nick Kennedy | |||||||||
| Keep June free | Jim Hamilton (new) | ||||||||
| Devin Toner (new) | |||||||||
| Ian Gough | |||||||||
Notes: No change at the top, but Devin Toner and Jim Hamilton have worked their way onto the radar should things go wrong for the trusted triumvirate.
| Tighthead | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pack your bags | John Hayes (up) | ||||||||
| Euan Murray | |||||||||
| Standby tickets | Matt Stevens | ||||||||
| Adam Jones (down) | |||||||||
| Keep June free | Phil Vickery | ||||||||
| Rhys Thomas | |||||||||
Notes: John Hayes produced once more, to knock Adam Jones down a notch.
| Hooker | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pack your bags | Jerry Flannery (up) | ||||||||
| Ross Ford | |||||||||
| Standby tickets | Lee Mears (down) | ||||||||
| Rory Best | |||||||||
| Keep June free | Bernard Jackman | ||||||||
| Richard Hibbard (new) | |||||||||
Notes: Richard Hibbard impressed for the Ospreys, knocking off Welsh team-mate Matthew Rees from the list, while Jerry Flannery was in good form for Munster. Lee Mears is unlucky to therefore pay the price of being rested.
| Loosehead | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pack your bags | Marcus Horan (up) | ||||||||
| Gethin Jenkins | |||||||||
| Standby tickets | Andrew Sheridan | ||||||||
| Allan Jacobsen (down) | |||||||||
| Keep June free | Tim Payne | ||||||||
| Moray Low | |||||||||
Notes: Finally, the other member of Munster's front row, Marcus Horan, wins back his Test spot, bumping down Allan Jacobsen.