WARREN GATLAND WILL name his British & Lions squad to tour Australia this summer and he needs your help.
In the lead-up to Gatty’s 30 April squad announcement, we are asking for your thoughts on player selections in a number of key positions.
So, get your red polo top and navy trackie bottoms on, we’re asking for your front row selections. Gatland is set to select five props and three hookers.
Adam Jones, Gethin Jenkins and Cian Healy are near-certainties but, after that, a host of names could travel Down Under.
Rory Best was a nailed-on starter for the First Test in Brisbane before his lineout nightmares in the Six Nations, a tournament Ireland finished second last in. Richie Hibbard of Wales may have the edge but Tom Youngs looked solid and Ross Ford had a handy knack of finding his Scottish jumpers.
Props Dan Coles and Joe Marler looked impressive as England headed for Grand Slam glory but they crumpled under Welsh heat at the Millennium Stadium.
From a green-tinted perspective, Mike Ross is a stalwart for his country but is steady at best. Richardt Strauss was a good outside bet until a knee ligament injury blighted his season.
Dave Kilcoyne was touted as a potential Lions by Rob Penney, his coach at Munster, back in January but made a minimal contribution to Ireland’s Six Nations campaign.
Kilcoyne would have hoped to start against Scotland at Murrayfield but was overlooked for Tom Court, a man subsequently dropped from the squad by Declan Kidney after Ireland lost.
The Irish dream team: Ross, Best and Healy. (©INPHO/Billy Stickland)
Gatland may look to France’s Top 14 and Toulon’s Andrew Sheridan, who has not featured much for Stuart Lancaster’s England. The Kiwi is known to be fond of the idea of bringing Mako Vunipola off the bench as an impact prop.
Also under consideration are Euan Murray, Dylan Hartley, Sean Cronin, Ross Ford, Matthew Rees and Ryan Grant.
What do you think? Who should Warren Gatland select as his front row?
Realistically he will pick one or two players from Toulon. I’d be very surprised if he didn’t. The two reasons Cian Healy will most likely start is because of the Aussies scrum is weak so he won’t be tested there and his play in the loose is better then the majority of other props. If it was South Africa or New Zealand he wouldn’t be near starting.
Toulon players should they be tied up in the top 14 won’t travel.
True, if Toulon reach final those players would not be able to join up until week 2 of tour. Gatland not likely to go for any Toulon players so no Jonny, Gethin or Steff Armitage. Still think only Irish front row player will be Healy but should start every test.
Cian Healy is a poor scrummager…his good play in the loose just disguises this.
Adam jones is a certainty! Alex corbisero or Healy will be the other side and hooker is up for grabs
Healy, Best and A.Jones with Jenkins, Hibbard and Cole on the bench.
I might consider putting best on the plane only for the fact that the ability to throw the ball both high and straight for a distance of 5-15 meters is generally a necessity for a hooker in rugby
dont know why the IRFU bother taking part tbh, just sending tired players to the other side of the world with a way to high chance of getting injured. Love rugby not pushed about the Lions at all.
Eoin you could go to any rugby club in Ireland and Britain and ask the kids what their dream is and you know what the answer would be; Lion
Gatland has already said that he’ll bring 6 props, so in order;
Looseheads:
Healy, Jenkins and Ryan Grant
Hookers:
Best, Hibbard and Strauss
Tightheads:
Jones, Cole and Murray