I loved seeing Wales win the grand slam. They played rubgy as it should be played, attackng with flair and defending with guts. Fabulous stuff, and I’m no Welshman.<br />
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Now to pee in the cereal. <br />
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I still don’t think Wales have all the best players to take on the lions tour. They will have a good representation, and rightly so. But I can’t see too many certainties for the XV – Michael Owen will push for #8, and Peel and Jones are in a good shout for the half backs. Yet Clive Woodward might pull a surpsise and pick Wilkinson and Dawson. Elsewhere there is tons of competition for positions. At this rate, the centres could be O’Driscoll and D’Arcy, leaving Henson out. And there are stacks of good cases for non-Welsh players in the back 3. Robinson and Lewsey will be hard to leave out. <br />
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Back in the pack, and Ireland should provide the locks. Corry looks a good bet to start, and the front row is anyone’s guess. That could leave the grand slam champions with perhaps only 3 or 4 players in the team – a strange scenario, but that’s the lions for you.<br />
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And as for talk of Wales getting a slam next year, I just don’t see it. Why? a) Slams just don’t come around that often. b) backing it up is too improbable, given form and fitness c) France, England and Ireland will all be back stronger next year, in all liklihood.