Hogg set to be unleashed against Boks
STUART HOGG will complete his eightyear Lions odyssey on Saturday by emerging from an isolation ordeal to start the first Test against South Africa. In a surprising side led by Alun Wyn Jones, the Scotland captain looks likely to be joined in the starting XV by countrymen Ali Price and Duhan van der Merwe, with Hamish Watson and Rory Sutherland on the bench. Hogg missed out on a place in the series against Australia in 2013 and New Zealand in 2017 — the latter as a result of a freak facial injury which forced him to return home early. When he was dropped by Exeter at the end of last season and then forced to quarantine for seven days in Johannesburg after a Covid outbreak among Warren Gatland’s squad, it
appeared he might miss out again, but he will be named at full-back today.
Lions head coach Gatland has brought forward the announcement of his line-up to face the worldchampion Springboks and he will also confirm that Jones has capped a remarkable recovery from a dislocated shoulder to take his place as lock and captain.
He is also expected to confirm that Price and Dan Biggar will form a starting half-back alliance, Luke Cowan-Dickie has been preferred at hooker and Jack Conan has been chosen ahead of Taulupe Faletau at No 8.
There has been much debate and intrigue about the midfield axis and it is understood that Robbie Henshaw and Elliot Daly will join forces again, as they did last weekend against the Stormers. And with Anthony Watson and South Africa-born Van der Merwe set to line up on the flanks, top try-scorer Josh Adams will be omitted from the match-day 23 entirely, along with Faletau, Jamie George, Mako Vunipola, Liam Williams and Chris Harris, another Scot who had been tipped to start.
Conor Murray and Owen Farrell are expected to be named as the two reserve backs among a six-two split on the bench. Both would have been seen as likely starters before the tour, but these are not even the biggest selection shocks.
Gatland has shown in the past that he is not afraid to be ruthless and make bold decisions — and the team he names tomorrow is destined to continue that tradition.
For Hogg, a career peak now looms large. Speaking before details of the Test team emerged, he said: ‘It would definitely be right up there. I don’t want this to be a sob story because I’ve missed out on the two previous tours, but it’s something I have really worked hard towards for a long, long time. These are the games that everyone wants to be involved in. It would mean the absolute world to me.’
Jones’ astonishing recovery from an injury sustained during the pre-tour fixture against Japan at BT Murrayfield has been a huge boost to the locked-down Lions squad. By playing 26 minutes against the Stormers last Saturday, he proved that he is ready to withstand the sort of physical ferocity which will come the way of the tourists in the first Test.
Hogg was asked about the impact of having their talisman back on board and he said: ‘It’s been absolutely brilliant. I’ve got a lot of respect and admiration for Alun Wyn.
‘We heard snippets that he was going to be back fit and potentially be involved but I didn’t believe it until he walked through the door. He just has this big aura around him that I absolutely love.’
There was another boost for the Lions when it was confirmed last night that — as first reported by
Sportsmail several weeks ago — all three Tests will be played in Cape Town. That means Gatland’s men will not be subjected to the ordeal of international combat at altitude in Gauteng and Hogg added: ‘It is definitely easier when you come back down to sea level.’
BRITISH & IRISH LIONS (probable): Hogg; A Watson, Daly, Henshaw, Van der Merwe; Biggar, Price; W Jones, Cowan-Dickie, Furlong, Itoje, AW Jones (capt), Lawes, Conan, Curry. Replacements: Owens, Sutherland, Sinckler, Beirne, Henderson, H Watson, Murray, Farrell.