Well the Pommes weren't good enough
On a more serious note, when you pick arbitrary cut-off points you're going to get poor selections. Every single player on this list is brilliant, Richie and Carter best to ever play the game, but have the 5 years they played in the last decade been enough to make the team? For Richie, I'd say yes, for Dan who missed the '11 WC because of injury I'm not really sure even though he's my favorite player of all time alongside BOD, I might give a nod to Sexton, as I think Beaudy didn't play enough at #10. Pocock at 6? Really? Just seems like a cheap attempt to shoe-horn him in. He didn't play 6 a lot and he certainly didn't have his best years there. I'd have Ried over Parisse personally, and I have no idea how Bismarck and North made the team. BOD I don't know what to think. He played only 5 years and his best years were before the turn of the decade. I think Davies is more deserving of the spot, compared to BOD or Conrad Smith.
Props are fine I guess, especially Tendai, even though Franks isn't my favorite player and I might rate Furlong higher. Locks are spot on IMHO, Etzhebeth might have a case or Alun Wyn, but Brodie was the world player of the year as a lock which is quite an accomplishment and Whitelock is just a beast. As for #2, I'd pick Coles just for his peak. I know he had a lot of injury issues and didn't play a lot, but at his peak, he was just insane, might be the best hooker ever. Going peak in 2010s is interesting, I would have it like this:
Tendai - Coles - Furlong
McCaw - Whitelock - Retallick - du Toit
Ried
Murray - Carter - Nonu - C. Smith
Habana - B. Smith - Savea
I was tempted to put in Beaudy over Dan or Ben Smith, but I just can't do that. Carter was immense in 2015 and Ben is just a brilliant fullback. Beaudy had chase down tackles and when attacking from the 2nd level is just unfair, but Ben is so good defensively, so smart with his kicking, such an amazing support runner etc, can't go against him. Murray over Aaron Smith is also a tough one, but I rate Murray as the best scrum-half in the game.
Might be a dumb question to ask on here, but anyone bother to follow MLR?
I mean, I quoted you how many times now? Deny all you want, then thanks the scholarships, culture, economic possibilities and AB name for all the talent that comes to NZ.
We'll never know for sure what would have happened, but most probably ABs would have been a worse team. Having GOOD islanders, one way or the other, helps, period.
Parisse is one of the most overrated players of all time. No way he should be the number 8 for team of the decade. Yeah, he's a good player for Italy, and has standout games for them. But he's not this amazing player a lot of pundits make him out to be. He gets hyped up because he's a good player from a not very good team.
In 20 years, if anything, I have to admit that Italy has regressed instead of improving. I think that the economic problems the whole country has had in the past years have ravaged our national league to the point that we had only two teams playing higher level rugby (Benetton and Zebre) in another league and the rest got absolutely nuked. The results are under the eyes of everybody, the generation of Parisse, Masi, Castrogiovanni, Zanni is gone... We have a bunch of youngsters which have limited international experience and, honestly, much less talent.
Wooden spoon and white wash is assured yet again in this Six Nations, I wonder if Georgia might beat us at this point, I wouldn't be surprised.
Honestly Italy played some very positive rugby in the first half against France last week and had a lot of territory and possession, but all their work kept getting undone by handling errors and such inside the attacking 22 which killed all momentum and resulted in breaks the other way. The defensive organisation and tackling definitely left a lot to be desired but honestly I think France really were just that good. Going forward there definitely are some positives for Italy.
The whole edgy argument of "replace Italy with Georgia" I think has been thoroughly debunked at this point. Didn't Italy smash them last time they played them? And Georgia played a series of games in Europe in the autumn and got uttely ruined by everyone except Fiji who hadn't played another other games because of covid cases.
Also just for fun I'll have a go at my starting Lions 15 based on this year's tournament. Assuming everyone is fit.
1 - W.Jones
2 - Owens
3 - Furlong
4 - Itoje
5 - Beirne
6 - Navidi
7 - Curry
8 - Faletau
9 - ?
10 - Russell
11 - May
12 - Farrell
13 - J.Davies
14 - LRZ
15 - Hogg
AWJ tour captain, Hogg or Farrell can fill in for the tests if he's not picked.
Can't really decide who should play 9. Think it's really up for grabs and will depend on performance in the warmup matches.
For lack of a better home nations 9 (and given the man nominating the team), Id say Gareth Davies will get that jersey. Overall, I do think that team is close to being the one ultimately picked I have some tweaks though:
2 - Cowan Dickie (Ken Owens hasnt been the Ken Owens of old these last few years. I think Cowan Dickie had a better tournament overall)
5 - AWJ (likely the captain and since Gatland picks the team likely to be starting. I see Henderson on the Bench currently)
6 - Beirne (Mainly because he is on form and impressed at 6 even more than at Lock this 6N. Hard on Navidi, but Id have him as Utility Back row on the bench)
10, 12, 13 - I think this is the toughest to call and where we differ the most. Im starting to doubt whether Russell will make the Lions. His return to Scotland didnt make them substantially better. I'd say, Sexton (yes my Ireland Bias) could be in with a shout, in which case id have JS at 10, OF at 12 and Henshaw at 13. Davies hasnt been that good (except for the france match) while Ireland doesnt get 3 wins this championship without Henshaw. If Sexton doesnt make the team, then the starting order would probably be OF at 10, Henshaw 12 and one of North or Davies at 13, while I lean towards North. Id take one of Biggar or Ford as the backup 10. Also, Huw Jones is playing rejuvenated, he could make a (admittedly) small case for himself.
11 - I dont know, I thought May was poor by his standards this year. Might be a close one to decide between him and van der Merwe for me personally. May might still edge it, but not as clear cut as he would have been 12 (or even 4) months ago.
Also I like the call with LRZ. Its tough on Liam Williams, since he is such a class player, but there really isnt a starting spot for him on the team...
On a side note: Is there honestly no better LH in the Home Nations than Wyn Jones??? Nothing against him, he is a very good player, and based on this years tounament is certainly deserving of the starting lions jersey, but he is not at the same level as a peak Vunipola, Healy or even Jack McGrath. In Ireland there is ongoing chatter (mainly from fans) about switching Porter to Loose Head because there is literally no quality in the Pipeline (as evidenced by the reliance on Ed Byrne as 3rd LH), but it seems to be a problem thoughout the British and Irish Isles.
Same goes for 9. I love Davies (albeit a bit begrudgingly) but I am always marvelling at the lack of a quality 9 for England. Youd think they could come up with someone better than Be Youngs, but it seems that any young promising 9 just stalls out early in their career... Also, what happened to Rhys Webb? Havent been following the Welsh provinces closely (or barely at all really), but has he been injured this season? Bit surprised I havent seen/heard his name at all this season
I tried to pick mostly based on form. I thought Owens had a great tournament and while I do like LCD he didn't really get given enough game time for me to give a proper judgement. I thought Navidi has been far too good to leave out as well and they'll need an out and out 6 to defend against the Springboks. I went with Russell because his tactical kicking has been better than any other 10, Ford had a poor tournament in this regard and I think Sexton is past it (sorry) I could see them only taking Russell, Biggar with Farrell being able to cover 10/12. North will be on the plane but I can't see him playing at 13 in the tests, he's only there for Wales because they have so few centers and can easily cover his wing. I don't really rate Van Der Merwe and I did think May was good whenever England did actually get the ball out wide and is one of the best finishers in the game. I'll also mention Keith Earls is in really good form. Lots of good options on the wing. Liam Williams will go and will probably be on the bench for the tests to cover fullback and wing.
I also picked Wyn Jones on form, the guy was unbelievable and put in massive shifts in some of the games. He played 77 minutes against France. Normally I'd have gone with Mako Vunipola but he looked a shell of his former self, still good in the scrum but not as much of a ball carrying threat as he used to be. Rhys Webb did definitely play for Wales in the autumn but I do think he has been injured for the 6 Nations otherwise he would've been called up when Tomos Williams got injured in the first game.