RORY LOOKS THE BEST BET TO WIN GATLAND’S APPROVAL AS CAPTAIN
RORY BEST is quickly becoming the frontrunner for the British & Irish Lions captaincy after Warren Gatland gave the Irishman ebullient praise last week.
The Lions head coach has been thoroughly impressed with Best’s leadership of his country. And with Dylan Hartley facing another lengthy ban after he was redcarded on Friday night six minutes after coming off the bench for Northampton for a reckless swinging arm, the Ireland hooker has become the new favourite for the job.
If Gatland chooses Best, now a Test centurion, as his skipper for the tour to New Zealand, it would represent a remarkable turnaround for the Ulsterman.
For the last tour in 2013, which Gatland also led, he did not select Best in his original touring party — but when Hartley was banned for 11 weeks after he called referee Wayne Barnes ‘a ******* cheat’ in the Premiership final, Best went to Australia.
And what has pleased Gatland the most is that he has proved him wrong.
‘There is a lot to admire about Rory Best,’ he said, talking before Hartley’s red card.
‘I know from the last tour there was a lot said about how unlucky he was, and we took a lot of criticism (for not picking him), and he got called in late. I admire him as an individual.
‘He is scrummaging well, he is experienced. He has grown into that leadership role.’
Gatland, who is also expected to add Scotland attack coach Jason O’Halloran to his coaching set-up, added: ‘If you were to pick a Lions squad right now there would be a lot of England players — 15 or 17 probably.
‘And then half a dozen Scots, four or five maybe, six or seven Welsh, 10 or 11 Irish. That’s loosely in my head.
‘Those numbers can change. Six Nations is when it really matters, when it really counts.’