The much anticipated British and Irish Lions tour of Australia is set to kick off in the early days of June. The Lions come together just once every four years in order to tour one of the big three southern hemisphere nations.
In 2009 it was South Africa and in 2005 New Zealand. The last time the lions toured Australia was 12 years ago in which the Wallabies pulled off a 2-1 win of the series.
12 years on we see history repeating itself as Warren Gatland becomes just the second Kiwi to coach the prestigious Lions following in the footsteps of the great Graham Henry who did it 12 years ago. Ironically Henry was also given the nod in 2001 whilst he was the Welsh coach.
The Welsh captain Sam Warburton who is on his first Lions tour will lead this prestigious outfit. Gatland appointed Warburton as Wales’s skipper in 2011 and he went on to steer his country to the Rugby World Cup semi-finals and a Six Nations Grand Slam the following year. Wales made it back-to-back championship victories earlier this year with Warburton losing his place and the captaincy through injury. He turned down the chance to lead his country again on his return to form and fitness in favour of concentrating on his own game but Gatland clearly has no concerns about his ability to lead.
Gatland yesterday announced the 37 man squad he selected to tour down under and lots of talk has erupted with regard to his selection as a few big names appear to have been omitted. The final squad includes 21 forwards and 16 backs.
Lions Squad 2013
Props: G Jenkins, C Healy, M Vunipola, A Jones, D Cole, M Stevens
Hookers: D Hartley, R Hibbard, T Youngs
Locks: I Evans, R Gray, AW Jones, P O’Connell, G Parling
Back row: T Croft, T Faletau, J Heaslip, D Lydiate, S O’Brien, J Tipuric, S Warburton (capt).
Scrum-halves: C Murray, M Phillips, B Youngs
Fly-halves: J Sexton, O Farrell
Centres: B O’Driscoll, M Tuilagi, J Roberts, J Davies
Wings: G North, A Cuthbert, T Bowe, S Maitland
Full-backs: L Halfpenny, S Hogg, R Kearney
In the front row Gatland has gone to his old faithful Welsh props Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones who have both been on the International circuit for over ten years. He also has the Ruthless Irishman Cian Healy along with the two English props Mako Vunipola and Dan Cole. The omission of Rory Best from in the list of hookers is rather baffling considering he is rated as one of the best. Englishmen Tom Youngs and Dylan Hartley get the nod along with the fairly experienced Welshman Richard Hibbard.
34 year Irishman old Paul O’Connell will be a rock in the second row along with the mammoth Scot Richie Gray, England Geoff Parling and Wales AlunWyn Jones and Ian Evans. Jones and O’Connell have got Lions experience behind them whilst Parling, Gray and Evans will be touring with the Lions for the first time.
There seems to be much controversy in the third row with the omission of the England skipper Chris Robshaw whilst there appears to be three Welsh open-side Flankers in Warburton, Tipuric and Lydiyate all three have shown they have earned this place in their performances of recent. Toby Faletau is the 4th Welshman in the back row whilst Irelands Jamie Heaslip and Sean O’Brian will be joined by England’s Tom Croft.
It will be interesting to see Connor Murray, Mike Phillips and Ben Youngs battle for the number 9 jersey. Phillips is by far the most experienced with 80 caps under his belt whilst Murray and Youngs were both spectacular in the six Nations.
The all-important position of fly half has been under much debate with Wilkinson turning down the call up but agreeing to be on stand-by in-case of injury. Jonny Sexton and Owen Farrell who are both excellent players will be competing for the number 10 jersey. Sexton is slightly more experienced and will be able to control the game well, whilst Farrell can manipulate the game with his boot.
Of the four men in the centers Brian O’Driscoll is by far the most experienced having played 131 tests over 14 years. This will be his 4th Lions tour and is the only player in the squad to have done that. O’Driscoll will be accompanied by the combination of Jamie Roberts and Jonathon Davies who have dominated at center for Wales as pair for the last 4 years. The Youngster of the lot in Manu Tuilagi the powerhouse Englishman whose brute force has dominated the International stage since he made his debut at the age of 20 in 2011.
Wales’ Alex Cuthbert and George North have been a force to reckon with on the wings and they will be accompanied by Irelands Tommy Bowe who started all three Lions test in South Africa four years ago. Also touring is the New Zealand born Sean Maitland who made his Scottish debut just this year.
The competition for Full Back will also be interesting with Leigh Halfpenny and Rob Kearney who have both been in excellent form in the recent past battling it out with Scotland Stuard Hogg. Halfpenny is likely to get the nod because of his kicking abilities.
All in all the Gatland has put together a strong force and it will be interesting to see how soon the team can come together and if they can hold their own against a young lethal Wallabies unit.
