Take great Care on tour, urges Geech

LIONS legend Sir Ian Mcgeechan has listed the men he thinks could be 2021 bolters.

Mcgeechan rejects the idea of a shorter tour and a smaller squad limits the scope for such selections, believing a lack of clarity at scrumhalf, hooker and No. 8 opens the door for a bolter or two.

The four-times Lions head coach wrote in the Telegraph: “Conor Murray is the clear favourite to be Test starter, but my bolter would be Danny Care.

“He offers something different from virtually every other No. 9 and is in cracking form.

“At No. 8, two possible bolters are Sam Simmonds and Alex Dombrandt.

“I worry slightly about Simmonds’s size, but if he played alongside a big six like Tadhg Beirne or moved to six himself, with his speed he could be a really effective performer on the hard grounds of the high veldt.

“Ditto Dombrandt, who has amazing mobility and ball-carrying ability for a big man.

“I would be tempted to take one or the other alongside Taulupe Faletau and CJ Stander.

“At hooker, I thought Scotland’s George Turner was fantastic in this Six Nations.

“He is frantically busy, works his way into the game well and would fit the sort of fast-paced, ball-carrying Uli Schmidt-style hooker template for success in South Africa.

“Yet that is by no means the end. In the backs, I’d look at Racing 92’s Simon Zebo, who plays with a joyous freedom and would make a great tourist.

“Scotland’s Huw Jones first came to prominence while playing in South Africa so we know he can prosper there, while he proved during this Six Nations that he is back to his try-scoring best.”