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The Test at Murrayfield shaped as a Scottish and Irish Lions backline trial even with Melbourne’s own Sione Tuipolotu out, with Ben White, Finn Russell, Darcy Graham, Huw Jones, Blair Kinghorn and Duhan van der Merwe all vying with their Celtic rivals for places on the British Airways jet Down Under.
Andy Farrell and Gerard Butler were both in attendance, looking quite similar in beanies, to judge. But friendly fire knocked Graham and Russell out (the latter did pass his HIA but his coaches cared enough about the man to hold him out anyway), and from there, the Scots chased a game gone. Still, one can learn as much from how a fullback (Kinghorn) plays on the backfoot as front foot (Hugo Keenan) and van der Merwe scored his obligatory superhero try on the stroke of halftime.
Sarcastically nicknamed ‘Humble’ Huw Jones is gliding through any defensive setup, even the Springboks, whilst White sniped a lovely try near the end of match which, at 17-11, could have gone differently, despite injuries, if the Scots had indeed been brave (chasing seven over three, with Ireland sure to add about ten points anyway).
Gregor Townsend looks too comfortable losing to the Irish; it is not clear whether Butler was present to prepare for a role as Toonie or the old League star from Wigan.
Wales are too humble now and Warren Gatland is competing with Townsend for most excuses. His attack resembles a pub crawl. The truth is Italy are now their superiors, and the likes of Georgia, Samoa, Spain or the USA are peers.
Jac Morgan is the only Welshman who made it into our Lions reckoning last week but this week was made to look a bit small by the Italians; this will not work against a very large Wallaby loose trio.
The game of the weekend was the English upset of the highly regarded French juggernaut, whose pack weight would almost match up with the Philadelphia Eagles (Emmanuel Meafou playing the part of Sydney’s own Jordan Mailata). England’s forwards beat the French and their young backs upstaged generational talents like Antoine Dupont, Thomas Ramos, and Damian Penaud.
So, here is our current Lions proto team after two rounds (note: using both weekends) based on stats and eyeballs.
Loosehead prop
Andrew Porter has the angle. He has played all but 18 minutes of the tournament so far, making 30 tackles, hitting 43 rucks, building a clear penalty advantage by hook or by crook at the scrum, and leading Ireland’s new four-man pod on advanced phase attack. Pierre Schoeman came off the bench in Round 2 but made a large whisky barrel-shaped impact, forcing two tacklers to commit to him on two thirds of his 18 carries into contact, hitting 30 rucks hard, and shoring up his team’s scrum. This is looking more and more like the probable depth chart at No. 1, unless Ellis Genge’s strong play pushes him into the frame to wrestle with Taniela Tupou and brethren.
Hooker
Nothing changed from week one except Ronan Kelleher had more time than Dan Sheehan and has thus made more tackles, hit three times as many rucks, carried more times and more dominantly. Still, Sheehan is more dangerous in space and on the fast pitch of Suncorp, seems the better tool. Two Irish hookers, still, with Jamie George having a lovely cameo, executing a late try to win it. He might just be a third choice for the Lions with lineout throwing often the key down the stretch.
Tighthead prop
Will Stuart has won both rounds on the right side of the scrum for England and stayed on the pitch for 116 of 160 minutes, always a big point. He has hit over 40 rucks, stays on the good side of refs, does not miss many tackles, and is a good mauler. Zander Fagerson took a step back in the ‘who can ring the Angus Bell’ stakes, but still showed enough in general play to keep a spot.
Locks
Maro Itoje is not an elite carrier, somehow not able to transfer his explosive power in the tackle to a run with ball in hand, but he has played very minute, hits rucks dynamically, is a 14-tackle a match man (with turnover power), and led his side to beat a French side considered in every way superior.
Jonny Gray does not give up but is still shaded by bearded James Ryan, a man enlivened by Jacques Nienaber at Leinster to discover his inner assassin. Once again, I have moved Tadgh Beirne to a Pieter-Steph du Toit role (easily shifting back to lock in late game) to allow this, given that the Lions will need long-limbed locks.
Blindside
Beirne is a shout for player of the tournament at the moment, blending big tackles, cleans and carries with an astute sense of the game, how to slow ball just about legally, and with the best, stickiest hands of a big man in years. Tom Curry is playing at six for England and if the Lions go 6-2 on the bench might be a candidate for the vital sixth forward, but I have him at openside because he is an openside. Jamie Ritchie is still in the picture.
Openside
The crucial opponent for Fraser McReight is the most open position, with Josh van der Flier, Morgan, Rory Darge, and either one of the Curry brothers vying for the glamour seven jersey. Tom’s performance at Twickenham, once again going all 80, was one for the ages. He pinched the ball from Dupont near his own tryline, has four pure breakdown steals (the most), and is carrying best. The Dutch Disciple, van der Flier would be an ideal backup.
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
No. 8
Caelan Doris had stiff competition from athletic Ben Earl this week, but the quality of his 160 minutes in the first two rounds is based on the full package. Yes, he makes the gainline, but all the eighthmen do (notably Jack Dempsey, who could join an intriguing Aussie contingent coming back home). What sets Doris apart is knowing where to be and how to ignite other parts of his team.
Scrumhalf
Jamison Gibson-Park is in form. We have said that now for years. But really. He is. The Scotland nine threw more passes (84 to 51) and made more box kicks (9 to 4), but the quality of those from the Blues man born on Great Barrier Island, a product of the Taranaki Academy and an 8-cap Maori All Black, is a marvel.
His hang time in both rounds is 4.3 seconds, finding the perfect distance on his foot wedge (23.4 metres average), and does not seem to tire (he has played 143 minutes so far). His ankle tackle on a trackback after Blair Kinghorn and Jones split the Irish defence up open on the right side was testament to fitness and desire.
White was no slouch and scored a peach of a try but the backup Lions berth switches to 145-minute Alex Mitchell who comprehensively outplayed Dupont in all eyes, even French media. If he can tighten up the defensive frailties which led to Lowe’s break in round one (which now looms larger, given England could be chasing a Grand Slam if Mitchell just slid down and completed the tackle) he might be there with Gibson-Park and White.
Flyhalf
Russell still has the jersey, albeit he did not play much of Round 2, mostly because his young contenders (Sam Prendergast and Fin Smith) are still finding their way. Smith guided the English home with guile and a fair amount of confidence. He also tackles above his weight. But it was the long, lean figure of the Leinster prodigy, chosen above Jack Crowley (who has done no wrong) who appeals as a Lions tourist, given his ability to kick any type of kick (he averaged a 30 metre gain in the kicking competition on Sunday, besting Russell, and his longest one was 58 metres) and hit the hole at speed, whilst still able to make the loop.
Left wing
Van der Merwe has a habit of scoring miraculous tries in which his size and power feature but this weekend he showed a certain NPC-like athleticism and body control to score through and over the corner flag and Irish defenders. He commits two or more tacklers 70% of the time, evades tackles 40% of the time and half of his carries knock a defender on their arse. He has not missed a tackle yet. But still, James Lowe’s kicking skills (another 50 metre punt at the right time this week) are crucial in exit, entry and pressure; he also leads the competition in line breaks with five.
Inside centre
England’s Ollie Lawrence did an amazing impression of Bundee Aki in southwest London. Tackling him is like grappling with a rolling greased giant bowling ball, uphill. When he is not being (almost) tackled (a la the Ramos matador) he is tackling. Hard. A crash tackler indeed. The Lions have options here.
No. 13
Huw Jones seems to have the most space on the pitch, which is no accident. He does. He is a smart lad, having spent his gap year at Bishops in Cape Town, then enrolling in the University of Cape Town, featuring over fifty times for Western Province and the Stormers, scoring 21 tries. Now with Glasgow, he is on 22 Test tries for Scotland. It takes a lot to keep blitz defender Garry Ringrose out but Jones is doing it.
Right wing
The more we see of Tommy Freeman of the champion Northampton Saints (93 appearances; 49 tries) the more we like him. In the age of more (and more types of) cards, his ability to play from 11 through 15 is a plus. In his 18 caps for country, Freeman has looked big and skilled. His try against the French was a beauty. Graham would surely be here if not run into by Russell but may face time off to recuperate.
Fullback
Hugo Keenan just needs to be on the pitch as much as possible. He is solid under the high ball. He joins the line at pace. He almost never puts a foot wrong. He keeps his spot with Marcus Smith showing just why he has been picked by every coach from Under 18 on up for England. France kept kicking long to him and he obliged by evading half their tackles attempted, setting channel runners free to go hard into contact.
Team (1-23): Porter (Ireland), Sheehan (Ireland), Stuart (England), Itoje (England), Ryan (Ireland), Beirne (Ireland), Curry (England), Doris (Ireland), Gibson-Park (Ireland), Russell (Scotland), Lowe (Ireland), Lawrence (England), Jones (Scotland), Freeman (England), Keenan (Ireland).
Bench: Kelleher (Ireland), Schoeman (Scotland), Fagerson (Scotland), Gray (Scotland), van der Flier (Ireland), Mitchell (England), Prendergast (Ireland), M. Smith (England). But if 6-2: delete Prendergast and add Darge (Scotland).
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