O’DRISCOLL GOES FOR A WELSH TRIO TO ROAR ON LIONS TOUR
IRELAND legend Brian O’Driscoll says Jonathan Davies will be a key man for the Lions in South Africa next summer.
The man who skippered the Lions to New Zealand in 2005 has included the Scarlets centre as one of three Welshmen in his team who he believes can defeat the world champion Springboks.
The others are scrum-half Tomos Williams and lock Alun Wyn Jones.
His side is dominated by Eddie Jones’s England stars, with no fewer than eight of them making the cut for O’Driscoll.
Only two of his fellow Irishmen are selected, with two Scots also getting in.
One of those Irish stars is James Ryan, who according to O’Driscoll should partner Wales captain Jones in the second row.
To accommodate that, O’Driscoll chooses England colossus Maro Itoje in the back row at blindside flanker. He is chosen next to former Ospreys star Sam Underhill and Billy Vunipola.
O’Driscoll argues that Davies will hold off the challenge at outside centre from Garry Ringrose as “the man in possession” of the Lions jersey.
“I think that’s working in his favour even though he hasn’t shown any form because he hasn’t played since the World Cup,” he said.
“Jonathan has been a big success on the last two tours, particularly the last one.”
In selecting Davies, the Ireland great also addressed his own Lions partnership with the Wales ace against Australia in 2013 and admitted it simply didn’t work.
The two were thrust together after Jamie Roberts was struggling with a hamstring injury and England’s Manu Tuilagi was nursing a stinger.
It meant O’Driscoll found himself lining up with Davies for the opening two Tests with the Wallabies.
“We were out-and-out 13s and as much as I talked about moving into 12 for certain players, I’m far more comfortable in the 13 jersey, when I’m out there from an attack point of view with space, but also from the defensive point of view,” said O’Driscoll.
“Simply from the injuries to Manu Tuilagi and Jamie Roberts, we were forced into being the centre pairing for the first Test and that would definitely not have been a first-choice selection had four or three centres been fit.
“As much as individually we were good players, as a partnership I just don’t think it worked in the two Test matches.
“We didn’t read off one another well, in attack and defence.”
O’Driscoll, of course, found himself dropped in favour of Davies for the Test decider back in 2013 – a Warren Gatland decision that provoked a storm.
Of his back-row selection for next year’s tour, O’Driscoll told the Off The Ball podcast: “If Billy Vunipola can stay fit he’ll be No. 8.
“Taulupe Faletau has been riddled with injury as well but Gats loves Faletau, so there’s every chance if he can get back to fitness, he’ll be in the mix somehow.
“And when you think of that try he scored against New Zealand in 2017, that was the difference in the second Test.
“It’s those moments coaches remember, the players who can deliver on the big occasions.
“Gats maybe has gone back to Welsh players in the past two Lions tours, because he knows they are tried and tested and they’ve delivered for him winning Grand Slams and Six Nations titles.
“The back row is a really tough one and at seven do you pick Justin Tipuric, Sam Underhill or Hamish Watson on another day?
“I don’t think there’s a huge amount between the three of them. Probably Underhill, maybe Tipuric, ahead of Watson, but I’d be happy with any of the three of them.
“I questioned whether Alun Wyn Jones would still be capable of delivering in a year’s time.
“But I just know the warrior that is in him and the animal that he is.
“I know the appetite he has for work, so I fancy he’ll still be able to piece himself together for one last hurrah.”