JOB FOR GIANTS
Toppling All Blacks tougher than winning World Cup, says Hastings as he picks his XV
Gavin HASTINGS believes it is tougher to win a Lions Test series against the all Blacks in new Zealand than the World Cup.
as rugby fans await Warren Gatland’s squad announcement today, the Scottish rugby legend has shed some light on just how difficult the task will be.
Hastings was captain of the 1993 Lions, who took the all Blacks to a third and deciding Test before losing out, and he warned: ‘There is no tougher place to go to try and win a rugby match than new Zealand.
‘You win a World Cup by playing different teams but trying to beat the all Blacks over three Test matches in their own backyard is even harder.
‘in a World Cup you can beat teams in one-off situations. Beating the all Blacks twice, maybe three times in their home country? That is a whole lot tougher than anything.’
Hastings was one of seven Scots in the 1993 touring side yet he fears Gatland may name just two in his squad today. Stuart Hogg and Tommy Seymour — with Hamish Watson and Sean Maitland in with a chance.
Here Hastings talks exclusively to Sportsmail about his Lions starting Xv... and those who came into his thinking.
15. STUART HOGG (SCOTLAND)
The easiest selection decision of them all for me. any player who wins the Player of the Six nations for two years in a row and really shows a bit of sparkle in attack is Lions material.
He plays with a lot of confidence regardless of the opposition. You need men like that when you go up against the all Blacks. if we are going to have a chance of beating them we need to have some attacking threat and Stuart can provide that.
Some think he has defensive frailties under the high ball but they are not as bad as people fear. Flair players can turn a game and Hogg comes into that category.
Leigh Halfpenny of Wales and Rob Kearney of ireland came into my thoughts and have the experience to do well against the all Blacks, but Hogg is still far and away my first pick with Halfpenny his back-up.
14. GEORGE NORTH (WALES)
north is the type of big, hard runner who is perfectly suited to taking on a team like new Zealand. His tries against ireland in the Six nations were superb and he is very strong in defence.
He just gets the nod ahead of Tommy Seymour, who i would also take on tour. Tommy is fearless under the high ball and has a track record of scoring tries at the highest level. England’s anthony Watson won’t be far away from selection.
Tim visser would also be in the thoughts of Warren Gatland as he had a fine Six nations and is in the same mould of north in that he is a big, physical winger but i can’t see him making the final cut.
13. JONATHAN DAVIES (WALES)
Duncan Taylor has been doing well for Saracens and can also play at full-back. That versatility will be an advantage but he remains on the fringes of possible selection.
if fellow Scot Huw Jones had not been injured, he would have been in the mix to be one of my Lions squad picks but it was between Davies and ireland’s Robbie Henshaw to start. i went for Davies as his consistency under pressure will be vital.
Jonathan Joseph may have scored a hat-trick of tries against Scotland but he was anonymous the following week against ireland, yet will have his supporters.
12. OWEN FARRELL (ENGLAND)
He could turn out to be the most important player in the Lions squad, which is why i am hoping he avoids injury. a world-class player on his day, he is the best goal-kicker in Britain, if not the world.
His versatility is another strength. He plays ten for his club and could do a similar job there if any of the first-choice stand-offs are injured.
i thought alex Dunbar would be in the mix for Lions selection, especially after his clever try from the line-out against ireland. Unfortunately at Twickenham he was posted missing for two of the English tries and those momentary lapses of concentration in defence took him out of the equation.
11. LIAM WILLIAMS (WALES)
a top-class finisher who just gets the nod for me ahead of England’s Elliot Daly and Seymour.
if i was choosing one Scotland winger to take to new Zealand, i would go with Seymour but have a sneaking suspicion that Sean Maitland is also in with a shout. Maitland was injured during the Six nations and, although the form you show in that tournament should go a long way to deciding whether you go on the Lions tour or not, he has a lot of other things in his favour. Maitland is a player Gatland likes.
10. JOHNNY SEXTON (IRELAND)
He struggles with injury but, if fit, he is the man to pull the strings. He was part of the ireland team that beat new Zealand in the USA in november, so he knows what it is like to beat the world champions.
That experience should never be underestimated as he will go in against them full of confidence and fearing nobody.
i have been hearing George Ford of England won’t be going but he must have been in the mix along with Dan Biggar of Wales and our own Finn Russell.
i would love to think Finn can sneak into the Lions squad. He was superb at times for Scotland during the Six nations but didn’t impress against England. He had a chance to redeem himself for Glasgow in their European Champions Cup quarter-final against Saracens but didn’t do enough to secure his Lions selection.
9. CONOR MURRAY (IRELAND)
Greig Laidlaw’s injury scuppered his chances, otherwise he would have had a good chance of being picked. i would start Murray because he is another irishman who knows what it is like to beat the all Blacks. My back-up would be Rhys Webb, who was in great form for Wales during the Six nations. Ben Youngs of England was also probably mentioned at selection meetings.
1. JACK McGRATH (IRELAND)
it was a toss-up between McGrath and England’s Mako vunipola to start. Both are strong scrummagers and show up well in open play. i expect both to feature in all three Test matches if they stay fit. There is nobody from Scotland who featured in my thinking after alasdair Dickinson missed the Six nations through injury.
2. KEN OWENS (WALES)
i expect there to be much debate over my choice of hooker as there are so many good candidates.
i have gone for Owens as he is the most consistent. His throwing-in is better than ireland captain Rory Best, who i would have on the bench. Then it comes down to the third-choice hooker.
England captain Dylan Hartley or his understudy Jamie George. it is a tough call and, based on the Six nations, it could be George, who impressed off the bench.
3. TADHG FURLONG (IRELAND)
if Willem nel had been fit, he would have definitely gone and probably started the Test matches. in his absence, Zander Fagerson did really well in the Six nations and came into my thoughts.
Zander’s lack of experience — he is only 21 — counted against him, especially in a specialist position like tight-head prop.
Furlong has been playing well for Leinster and ireland and would start against the all Blacks.
Equally important for the Lions is who is on the bench as the tight-head position is tough to play for a full 80 minutes.
i would put England’s Dan Cole in there because of his experience
but I am not totally discounting Fagerson. He will be in the mix, as will Samson Lee of Wales.
4. ALUN WYN JONES (WALES)
Jonny Gray didn’t play to his full potential in the Six Nations and won’t be picked but his time will come in the future for Lions selection.
I know Wyn Jones is out just now with a damaged left shoulder from the Six Nations game against France but I like to think he will be fit for the Lions tour.
The Wales captain is a real leader and is one of the best second rows in world rugby. It is vital that he travels to New Zealand and starts for the Lions.
I would have had Joe Launchbury, who, for me, was the best line-out player in the Six Nations, but I am hearing he won’t make the cut. He is an absolute work-horse who gets through lots of tackles and I am really surprised he is likely not to be involved.
I would have no problems with Maro Itoje going, as he has a great engine on him and can run all day. Ireland’s Donnacha Ryan also impressed me, as has Courtney Lawes.
5. IAIN HENDERSON (IRELAND)
When the chips were down he delivered big time. The stand-out player for Ireland in their win over England that denied them the Grand Slam should not be ignored.
The All Blacks have massive locks, so we need our big men to compete and to get around the park, which Henderson can do.
Richie Gray outplayed his brother Jonny in the Six Nations and although he will come close, I don’t think he will be picked.
6. C J STANDER (IRELAND)
A strong ball carrier, who can also play at No 8 and is perfectly suited to make and take hard tackles from the All Blacks.
There is nobody who comes close to matching him, although his team-mate Peter O’Mahony is versatile enough to play anywhere across the back row, but the blindside position is Stander’s to lose.
7. JUSTIN TIPURIC (WALES)
Hamish Watson won’t be far away from Lions selection. He is the dynamic sort of player they need but could miss out simply because of the quality of the other candidates.
That would be a shame as he could have a big impact. He is the type of dynamic seven who is quick to the breakdown.
Sure to go are Sam Warburton, who is being tipped to be Lions captain, and Sean O’Brien of Ireland. Out of them all, Tipuric, for me, is the best option.
8. BILLY VUNIPOLA (ENGLAND)
He may have had limited game time in the Six Nations but is the type of powerful No 8 that is needed to deal with the big men in the All Blacks back row.
Welshman Taulupe Faletau is my choice as his back-up. Josh Strauss played well in the Six Nations and would have been among my picks if he was fit.
LIONS CAPTAIN
Everybody seems to be suggesting it is a foregone conclusion that it will be Sam Warburton. I disagree and would go with his Welsh team-mate Alun Wyn Jones.
I know Wyn Jones is injured just now but he is a born leader and is more of a natural captain than Warburton. I also think there is more chance of him starting all three Test matches.
I would argue there is a good case to be made for naming Wyn Jones as captain and Warburton as his vice-captain.