WHO WILL JOIN GATS AND LIONS?
WARREN Gatland announces his Lions squad for the tour of New Zealand in a fortnight’s time, but will already have decided on most of it for the most demanding mission in rugby.
The best of British and Irish rugby have only won one series against the All Blacks, 46 years ago when a certain Barry John was crowned the ‘King’ and a host of other Welsh greats became legends.
Class of 2017 coach Gatland still has some major decisions to make with some positions still up for grabs. Performances over the next two weekends could decide the final composition of his squad, which is likely to contain approximately 37 players.
We assess the state of play and what may be going through the mind of Gatland.
BACK-THREE Nailed on: Leigh Halfpenny, George North, Anthony Watson, Elliot Daly, Stuart Hogg.
Sizzling attacker Hogg may have been voted Six Nations player of the season for a second year, but it was the public who made that choice.
Gatland has quite rightly pointed out the defensive frailty of the Scotsman and the full-back position in the Lions Test team remains wideopen.
The goal-kicking expertise and defensive excellence of Leigh Halfpenny means he’s almost sure to make the party, as is George North following his welcome return to form. The other choices Gatland will have to make: He could take another three back-three players and versatility could be a key with Simon Zebo, Liam Williams and Jack Nowell all able to play at full-back or wing, which could put Rob Kearney, Mike Brown and Tommy Seymour out of the equation. There could be a bolter: I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Ulster’s experienced Jared Payne, who figured at full-back for Ireland in their victory over England last month and is also an accomplished centre, making Gatland’s party or Sean Maitland getting another call.
CENTRES Nailed on: Owen Farrell, Robbie Henshaw, Jonathan Joseph, Jonathan Davies.
Farrell will be one of the first names in Gatland’s squad, as a centre or outside-half, while Robbie Henshaw will be pencilled in for the power role which was filled by Jamie Roberts on the last two Lions tours.
The talent and try-scoring expertise of Jonathan Joseph cannot be ignored, while Gatland rates 2013 Lions hero Davies highly. The other choices Gatland will have to make: As pointed out above, Daly and Payne could be picked as backthree players but also be used at centre or vice-versa while the ‘new Brian O’Driscoll’, Garry Ringrose, could get a call with two berths in midfield being vacant. There could be a bolter: England recruit Ben Te’o, like Payne, was honed in the southern hemisphere and does the basics so well he could force his way on to the aeroplane.
OUTSIDE-HALF Nailed on: Johnny Sexton.
Farrell will compete with Sexton for the Test jersey worn by the Lions’ play-maker but is likely to head Down Under as a centre. The other choices Gatland will have to make: There’s a four-way scrap between Dan Biggar, George Ford, Finn Russell and Paddy Jackson for the place available to join Sexton and Farrell in Gatland’s party. There could be a bolter: Joey Carbery wasn’t in Leinster’s squad when it was named for the Pro12 but the 21-year-old sevens ace has come from nowhere and slotted in seamlessly at No.10 during the final 21 minutes of Ireland’s shock triumph over New Zealand in Chicago.
He has also been shining for Leinster at full-back, possessing the vision, skill and speed to crack defences so has the potential to add versatility to the Lions.
SCRUM-HALVES Nailed on: Conor Murray, Rhys Webb, Ben Youngs.
End of debate.
PROPS Nailed on: Tadhg Furlong, Dan Cole, Jack McGrath, Mako Vunipola.
Furlong is firm favourite to be at tighthead prop against the All Blacks with Cole providing back-up but the situation isn’t as clear at loosehead despite McGrath and Vunipola, whose work in the loose could m.ake him indispensable off the bench, likely to tour The other choices Gatland will have to make: Rob Evans impressed during the Six Nations, Joe Marler started it strongly and Cian Healy is a powerful and seasoned operator with those three in the mix for a slot at loosehead. There could be a bolter: Two actually and one of them would become the oldest Lion in history if he was to face New Zealand in the opening Test.
Although the three-time Lions tourist Gethin Jenkins missed the Six Nations through a chest injury, he was sensational in New Zealand last summer and skippering Wales last autumn, with Gatland being an ardent admirer of the 36-year-old’s game nous and ability at loosehead.
Young Kyle Sinckler, who made a massive impact off the bench during the Six Nations, put his rapid rise through the ranks down to having Wales cult figure Adam Jones and Lions scrummaging guru Graham Rowntree guiding him at Harlequins and could be the final tighthead.
HOOKERS Nailed on: Nobody. The choices Gatland will have to make: This is potentially a problem position for the Lions with England captain Dylan Hartley out of form and Ireland skipper Rory Best being an inconsistent marksman at the line-out.
The pair were firm contenders for Lions leadership duties but that’s likely to have gone out of the window with the pair competing with Ken Owens, Jamie George and Fraser Brown to be among the three hookers Gatland will take.
LOCKS Nailed on: Alun Wyn Jones, Maro Itoje, Joe Launchbury.
Assuming Jones recovers from a shoulder knock the two-time Lions tourist is a certainty for the trip. Launchbury was the form lock during the Six Nations while the best position of Itoje, who could also fill a back-row role, is in the boiler-house. The other choices Gatland will have to make: Courtney Lawes, George Kruis, if he proves his fitness, Jonny Gray
and Iain Henderson, who can also figure at blindside flanker, will battle for the other two or three lock slots available.
BACK-ROW Nailed on: Sam Warburton, C J Stander. The other choices Gatland will have to make: Depending on what position Itoje is picked and whether Henderson makes it, another four or five backrowers could join Warburton, who looks increasing likely to be captain, and Stander in the squad.
Two of specialist No.8s Taulupe Faletau, Billy Vunipola and Jamie Heaslip may make it while the competition at flanker is vast with Justin Tipuric, Peter O’Mahony, Sean O’Brien, Ross Moriarty and John Barclay all having valid claims. There could be a bolter: Hamish Watson impressed during the Six Nations and has the speed to thrive in New Zealand.