Lions and Six Nations team of 2017

The six nations is over, that's right, it's not injury time anymore, it has definitely finished.
Here is my team of the tournament and Lions picks.

1 - Loosehead Prop: Rob Evans (Wales)
Zander Fagerson showed great promise for the future for Scotland, who missed WP Nel who was one of the players of the tournament last year. Joe Marler was good for England, especially considering his broken leg just a month before the tournament. However, Rob Evans was brilliant in the loose, making key yards, but also showcasing some great passing.

2 - Hooker: Ken Owens (Wales)
Owens has a peerless throw, only once being picked in the tournament. He also demonstrated good work in the loose. Rory Best and Dylan Hartley are likely to accompany him on the plane to New Zealand.

3 - Tighthead Prop: Tadhg Furlong (Ireland)
Furlong has been dominant in the scrum. There have been better plays in the loose, but none have been better in the scrum. 

4 - Second row: Joe Launchbury (England)
England's lock positions are stocked with talent, which means it requires a good performance each game, to maintain your place. Launchbury has been colossal in his performances, making 85 tackles, more than anyone else in the championship and providing key go forward ball.

5 - Second row: Alun Wyn-Jones (Wales)
Wales' new captain hasn't been able to match his predecessors in terms of on field success, but he has lead by example and maintained his own high standards. He is likely to be picked to start for the Lions being a firm favourite of Warren Gatland's, and a leader on the field.

6 - Blindside flanker: CJ Stander (Ireland)
The back row positions especially 7. is one of the most hotly contested for Lions and in the Six nations team of 2017. Which is why, I have picked Stander at 6. However, Stander offers a key threat in the loose he's had 104 carries and beaten 14 defenders, although not as threatening as the likes of Warburton or Watson at the breakdown, his presence with ball in hand often puts his team on the front foot.

7 - Openside flanker: Justin Tipuric (Wales)
Gourdon has been a fantastic find for the French with his great work rate, Hamish Watson was key for the Scottish at the breakdown, but Justin Tipuric has a phenomenal work rate and made the second most amount of tackles (84) and his great dynamism is key in the flanker position.

8 - Number Eight: Louis Picamoles (France) / Lions - Billy Vunipola (England)
If only Picamoles could be a Lion, he is imperious in his strong running and carrying. He provided France with a key platform to attack again and again. No team was able to fully cope with his power and strength. Billy Vunipola would be my Lions starter, but he had very little time in the tournament to make an impact.

9 - Scrumhalf: Rhys Webb (Wales) / Lions - Connor Murray
A tough call, as it could easily have been Connor Murray, who had a good tournament, but missed half of the Wales game and all of the England game, Murray would be my Lions starter. Webb brings a bit more zip than Murray, and was key in providing Welsh momentum. Baptiste Serin looks like Lionel Messi, as well as looking like a great prospect for the future.
10- Fly-half: Jonny Sexton (Ireland)
Against Scotland, Ireland missed Jonny Sexton, Paddy Jackson played well, but Sexton brings a different level. As Brian O'Driscoll can attest to, the Lions will be targeted by New Zealand players, Sexton, who was peppered with cheap shots and late hits by England, is able to roll with the punches and keep his composure. George Ford was obviously also key to England, but Sexton's defence especially is the level above.

11 - Elliott Daly (England)
The try Elliot Daly scored against Wales will be remembered by England fans for a while. He made the most clean breaks of any England player, but Daly provides more than just speed. He has good all round footballing ability. He has the ability to kick penalties, as well as the nous, for example getting a touch on the ball before it went into touch on the full from an England kick to ensure key territory wasn't lost. For me he would be a certainty in the Lions squad as his versatility, he can play wing, centre or full back, mean he is ideal to cover the first XI.

12 - Inside centre: Owen Farrell (England)
Farrell is always competitive, he has an aggressive streak, which drives his game, and he thrives on competition. He was good with the boot, but outstanding alongside George Ford, in providing England with an attacking platform, which Daly and Joseph were able to thrive off of. Alex Dunbar deserves a notable mention as he was key in winning turnovers for Scotland.

13 - Outside centre: Gael Fickou (France) / Huw Jones (Scotland)
Outside centre was a tricky position to pick, Jonathan Joseph scored a hat-trick against Scotland but was anonymous in the other games, Garry Ringrose showed greater potential and promise, but Gael Fickou showed electric pace and skill, and Huw Jones provided Scotland with a potency in attack, breaking the gain line and scoring key tries, he would have been an outsider for the Lions, but injury may well dampen any selection hopes.

14 - Wing: George North (Wales)
North combines strength with speed and agility. He has struggled in recent tournaments with concussions, but this year North was close to his best, especially against Ireland and Italy.

15 - Full-back: Stuart Hogg (Scotland)
Scotland have become an attacking force, something which a few years ago appeared unlikely. A key part of that has been Stuart Hogg, he is an exciting player with ball in hand, but also has a good boot on him and, as he displayed against Italy, has the requisite defence for a full-back. He was the stand out full back in the tournament.

My Lions Squad:
Props: Marler, Evans, Furlong, McGrath, Healy
Hookers: Hartley, Owens, Best
Second Rows: Launchbury, Wyn-Jones, J. Gray, Itoje
Back Rows: Vunipola, Stander, O'Mahoney, Heaslip, Watson, Warburton, Tipuric
Scrum halves: Murray, Webb, Youngs
Fly halves: Sexton, Ford
Inside centre: Farrell, Henshaw, S. Williams 
Outside centre: H. Jones, Payne, Joseph
Wings: North, Daly, L. Williams, Nowell/Seymour
Full back: Hogg, Halfpenny, Brown

Rugby World Cup - Pool A

On the 18th September the Rugby World Cup will officially kick-off.
The tournament with 4 groups, 20 teams, represents International Rugby's pinnacle.

Over the next 4 posts I will review the 4 groups.

Group A

Australia
England
Wales
Fiji
Uruguay

Group A is by far the hardest group. With only 2 teams going through, 1 of the top 6 ranked rugby nations will be going out in the group stage.

Australia

Israel Folau, Australia's lethal weapon
(Photo: David Molloy - Flickr)

This is a team going through what feels like a constant stage of transition, they were rebuilding under Ewen McKenzie until the text saga, with Kurtley Beale and a female general manager broke, splitting the squad. Michael Cheika has come in and Australia have improved, winning their first Rugby Championship, after beating the All-Blacks.

Key Players
Michael Hooper
David Pocock
Tevita Kuridrani
Israel Folau

Prediction - Semi Finals

England

The current England team, will be trying to emulate the success of 2003
(Photo: Ken Douglas - Flickr)

A good build up to this world cup in contrast to the previous one, which ended badly, but in truth never really went well. This time around the lead in has been positive, with two Six nations campaigns that resulted in being runners-up on points difference alone.

Stuart Lancaster has been building his squad towards the World Cup since the 2011, and before through his involvement in the Saxons. England lack experience in a few key positions, such as Hooker, Centre and Wing. However, on a positive side, there is good depth to their squad and home advantage which could be key.

Key Players

Joe Launchbury - his agility in the second row is key, as both Launchbury and Lawes play a dual role of second row and back row, such is their physicality and mobility.

Jonathan Joseph - relatively inexperienced at international level, however he excelled in the six nations, showing great pace and agility to score 4 tries.
Mike Brown - his kicking, tackling and line breaks are a key part of England's game, they struggled without him in Ireland in the Six nations.

Prediction - Finals

Wales

The Welsh team will need to be united to overcome England, Australia and Fiji
(Photo: Marc - Flickr)

The reason there are 3 top nations in this pool is entirely down to Wales, as this article explains.

Wales had a poor run of form, at the wrong time, just when the rankings decided who would be seeded where, Wales played a superfluous fixture against Australia, which they lost, and ended up ranked 9th.

Under Warren Gatland, Wales have been hit and miss, when they are good, they play an effective game, utilising the pace and power of George North and Jamie Roberts to cut open defences and Leigh Halfpenny's boot punishing the opposition's indiscretion.

However, injury to Halfpenny and Rhys Webb, starting scrum half, will cause disruption to the team, and could lead to an early exit.

Key Players
George North
Lee Williams - with Halfpenny absent, Williams will be a key attacking threat from full-back, but is himself only just recovering from injury.
Alun Wyn-Jones

Prediction - Group stage

Fiji

Fiji will be looking to reach the Quarter Finals for a third time
(Photo: M+MD - Flickr)

The 9th ranked nation in the world, Fiji are by no means pushovers. They have been grouped with Wales in the last two World Cups, beating Wales in 2007 but losing comprehensively in 2011.

Many of the Fijians play in Europe, particularly in France. 

Key Players
Niki Goneva - the Leicester centre combines pace and power and is a key threat in Fiji's midfield.
Nemani Nodolo - he is an accurate goal-kicker and a powerful and pacey winger, if Fiji are going to win games, he is the man to provide the points.
Nikola Matawalu - the Glasgow scrum-half is headed to Bath after the World Cup, such is his ability. He is the spark in the Fijian side, and could be a thorn for his opponents.

Prediction - Group stage

Uruguay

Uruguay qualified with a tight win over two legs against Russia(Photo - Flickr)

Unfortunately, for Uruguay they are try fodder for the rest of the teams in this group.  They did well to qualify for the World Cup beating Russia 57 - 49 on aggregate, but the World Cup will be a significant step up in class.


Key Players

Agustin Ormaechea 
Felipe Berchesi
These two provide the half back combination which was key to Uruguay reaching the World Cup.

Monday news - post weekend blues

Review of the weekend that was

Formula 1 - Japanese Grand Prix

Jules Bianchi - a member of the Ferrari young drivers programme

Unfortunately, the biggest news at the weekend, was the serious crash involving Marussia driver Jules Bianchi.

Bianchi is in intensive care, after having brain surgery, following a horrific crash at the Japanese circuit. Bianchi collided with a recovery vehicle, that was recovering Adrian Sutil's car from a crash on the previous lap. 

The race

The results of the Grand Prix are secondary after such an incident, however they are still significant in the course of the season.

Hamilton won the race with a great pass, around the outside of Nico Rosberg into turn 1, in the small window in the race where DRS was enabled.

Jenson Button confirmed his wet weather prowess, finishing a highly credible 5th, just missing out on the podium to the Red Bulls.

Big Transfer News

Button's performance was commendable, not just for the gamble to move on to intermediates and the difficult conditions, but also because of the intense speculation surrounding his future, as Vettel confirmed he is leaving Red Bull. He is almost certainly heading to Ferrari to replace Fernando Alonso, who is rumoured to be heading to McLaren to replace either Button or Magnussen, but rumours are that Button is the most likely to be replaced, despite consistently outperforming Magnussen.

Button's 5th was also key as it helped McLaren cut the gap in the constructors to Force India, by 5 points, so the gap is now only 1 point.

Rugby Union

Bath continued their great early season form, with a 21-11 win against Saracens, to move into 2nd place in the Aviva Premiership. After beating Leicester 45-0, 2 weeks ago, the win against Saracens highlights Bath's potential.

Bath's centres Eastmond and Joseph both scored tries and outlined their England credentials.

Burgess

The form of Eastmond and Joseph and at international level, Twelvetrees, Tuilagi and Burrell, all adds to the intrigue around the signing of Sam Burgess from Rugby League.

Burgess is joining Bath, after having won the NRL grand final with Sydney Rabbitohs at the weekend, in which he won the Clive Churchill medal (for best player in the final) after playing on despite a fractured cheekbone, in the very first action in the game.

Cycling

One of the final classics of the season, the Tour of Lombardy (also known as the race of the falling leaves) was run at the weekend.

Irishman, Dan Martin own the race for Garmin-Sharp, with a late attack, to collect his second 'monument' after Liege-Bastogne-Liege in 2013.

Highlights of the finale at Lombardy are here

I'll hopeful cover a few other sports stories this week as well.