Sam’s right on the nose!
Rookie prop Sinckler plays Lions opener
THE LIONS will unleash England’s ‘angry’ rookie prop Kyle Sinckler and cross-code Kiwi centre Ben Te’o for their tour opener on Saturday, in a side led by Sam Warburton on his comeback from a knee injury.
Head coach Warren Gatland last night named a side largely based on the modest contingent of players who were available to train for a fortnight prior to departure from Heathrow.
Selection was dictated by having only 14 members of the 41-man squad to work with on the opening week in camp in Cardiff. But Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton has been given the first audition at No 10, as one of the later arrivals who will start against the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians.
Sinckler’s inclusion is another remarkable landmark in his surge to prominence. The 24-year- old Harlequins tighthead has emerged as England’s second choice No 3 behind veteran Dan Cole, but he is yet to start a Test for his country; having made eight appearances off the bench.
Now he is being pitched straight into a Lions XV, ready to inflict damage on a home team who are likely to be significantly outclassed.
Speaking during the early stages of the pretour training camp, Sinckler gave an insight into his mindset, saying: ‘I don’t know if you’d call it angry or aggressive or uncom-uncompromising. I only know how to playplay the game one way. If I have not got that fire in my belly and I am not excited about going out there to hit people for a living, then I don’t want to play.
‘I have been told to calm down throughout my career, but when I trained with England Eddie Jones was telling me to get more angry.’
Worcester centre Te’o made his mark for England during the Six Nations, as a powerful impact replacement. The 30-year-old was a team-mate of Sam Burgess for South Sydney Rabbitohs during a rugby league career which included a Test cap for Samoa.
He moved to Leinster and starred in the Dublin-based province’s midfield before joining the Warriors last summer. As soon as he was eligible for selection through joining an English club, Eddie Jones picked him for the national team. But Te’o was hampered by injury on tour in Australia last June, so had to wait until autumn to make his debut. He now has eight caps including one starting appearance and this selection for the Lions has personal resonance, as it has come in the city of his birth.
Gatland and his assistants have included all three of the Scots in the squad — Stuart Hogg, Tommy Seymour and Greig Laidlaw — in the back line. Te’o is joined in midfield by Bath centre Jonathan Joseph, in what should be an alliance of brawn, pace and finesse.
Sexton has not been in vintage form for Leinster of late, so the IrishIr playmaker will relish the chancech to start his own tour as so soon as possible. He faces a fier fierce contest with Owen Farrell and Dan Biggar — the former in part particular — for the Test No 10 place place. The perception that Sexton and Farrell would form a 10-12 doub double-act has been replaced by the ssense that they are instead fighti fighting for one shirt.
Irela Ireland captain Rory Best will go into the game believing that there should be a wide-open contest for the Test hooker berth.
Wales lock Alun Wyn Jones is another who should be a frontrunner to start the Test series against the All Blacks, along with compatriots Toby Faletau and Warburton — who will make his first appearance since being injured while playing for Cardiff Blues in early April.
Gatland said: ‘It’s great to have Sam Warburton starting in the first game of the tour — something he didn’t do in 2013.
‘It is important these guys put themselves in the shop window for a Test start.’