EIGHT IRISH PLAYERS have been named by Warren Gatland in his 37-strong British and Irish Lions squad to tour South Africa this summer: Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Conor Murray, Andrew Porter, Iain Henderson and Jack Conan.
There is no Johnny Sexton or James Ryan. Also unfortunate to miss out are Cian Healy, Rob Herring, Ronan Kelleher, Peter O’Mahony – the captain from the first test in 2017 – CJ Stander, Josh van der Flier, Garry Ringrose, Jacob Stockdale, Hugo Keenan, Simon Zebo, Keith Earls and Jordan Larmour.
In all, there are 11 English players named, 10 Welsh, eight Scots and eight Irish. Big name English players – including Kyle Sinckler, Henry Slade, the centre, and Billy Vunipola, the No 8, missed out.
Ireland’s tally of eight is the lowest number selected to tour for the Lions since 2001. However, there is plenty of logic behind the decisions to exclude Ryan, Ringrose and Sexton – firstly because of the quality of names who got there ahead of them but also because of the mixed seasons they have had.
In Ryan’s case, his form has dipped noticeably, evident last weekend when Leinster needed him in their moment of crisis against La Rochelle. Those selected ahead of him, Maro Itoje, Alun Wyn Jones, Jonny Hill, Courtney Lawes and Henderson deserve their place.
Sexton is certainly unfortunate in the sense that no kicker had a better return in the Six Nations – Sexton landing 86 per cent of his shots at goals – and that’s before we mention everything else he has to offer: a ruthless desire to win, deep tactical intelligence and defensive strength which is uncommon in most fly-halves.
The 2017 tour turned on the back of his inclusion for the second test. However, injuries have plagued him this season. In five starts for Leinster, Sexton came off hurt in four, the last of those being against Exeter in the quarter-finals, resulting in him missing Leinster’s defeat to La Rochelle last weekend. At 35, his durability must have been a concern for Gatland.
Advertisement
Leinster and Ireland's Ryan misses out. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
Ringrose, similarly, has seen his form dip, failing to back himself like he used to.
For others today was a good one. Aki is the big surprise given how little rugby he has played this season; Conan, too, had a series of injuries before coming late into the Six Nations campaign, where he excelled against England. That game sealed his place on the tour.
Andrew Porter is less of a surprise, although it remains a big call for a coach to name a back-up with his club on a Lions squad. Nonetheless, he merits inclusion, as does Henderson, Murray, Beirne. Henshaw and Furlong are Ireland’s likeliest starters when the Tests begin.
Alun Wyn Jones was named captain which was no surprise as Gatland had previously selected Sam Warburton to lead the side on the 2013 and 2017 tours.
“I had a call from Gats on Sunday evening; we had a quick chat and evidently it was a huge privilege to be able to add this to the CV,” said Jones, who at 35 becomes the oldest Lions captain of the modern era.
“As a rugby player you want to be involved in these challenges … the significance isn’t lost on me … it will be interesting to see how we go out there. To do that is a huge honour … that custodianship … [as players] you’re all connected, it’s something very, very special, and it’s hard to explain. I’d like to think it hasn’t changed from the times before professionalism to this very day.
“I enjoy the sport, I love what I do, and I’ll continue in a similar vein.”
It's time to update our Captains' Roll of Honour with another modern great...
— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) May 6, 2021
Gatland said: “Everyone will start in one of the first three games on the tour. That puts you in the shop window.
“You certainly feel for the guys who have missed out. It has not been an easy decision. We went through a list of names and extended it from the initial number of tourists – from 36 to 37.
“I’d like everyone who missed out to know that it was not an easy choice.”
Here is the Lions squad in full.
The Originals, 1888 The Invincibles, 1974 The heroes of 1997 The Unbeaten Tours of 2013, 2017
Over to you Class of 2021 - Time to write a new chapter in our history 🦁
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
199 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Eight Irishmen named in Lions squad as Sexton and Ryan miss out
EIGHT IRISH PLAYERS have been named by Warren Gatland in his 37-strong British and Irish Lions squad to tour South Africa this summer: Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Conor Murray, Andrew Porter, Iain Henderson and Jack Conan.
There is no Johnny Sexton or James Ryan. Also unfortunate to miss out are Cian Healy, Rob Herring, Ronan Kelleher, Peter O’Mahony – the captain from the first test in 2017 – CJ Stander, Josh van der Flier, Garry Ringrose, Jacob Stockdale, Hugo Keenan, Simon Zebo, Keith Earls and Jordan Larmour.
In all, there are 11 English players named, 10 Welsh, eight Scots and eight Irish. Big name English players – including Kyle Sinckler, Henry Slade, the centre, and Billy Vunipola, the No 8, missed out.
Ireland’s tally of eight is the lowest number selected to tour for the Lions since 2001. However, there is plenty of logic behind the decisions to exclude Ryan, Ringrose and Sexton – firstly because of the quality of names who got there ahead of them but also because of the mixed seasons they have had.
In Ryan’s case, his form has dipped noticeably, evident last weekend when Leinster needed him in their moment of crisis against La Rochelle. Those selected ahead of him, Maro Itoje, Alun Wyn Jones, Jonny Hill, Courtney Lawes and Henderson deserve their place.
Sexton is certainly unfortunate in the sense that no kicker had a better return in the Six Nations – Sexton landing 86 per cent of his shots at goals – and that’s before we mention everything else he has to offer: a ruthless desire to win, deep tactical intelligence and defensive strength which is uncommon in most fly-halves.
The 2017 tour turned on the back of his inclusion for the second test. However, injuries have plagued him this season. In five starts for Leinster, Sexton came off hurt in four, the last of those being against Exeter in the quarter-finals, resulting in him missing Leinster’s defeat to La Rochelle last weekend. At 35, his durability must have been a concern for Gatland.
Ringrose, similarly, has seen his form dip, failing to back himself like he used to.
For others today was a good one. Aki is the big surprise given how little rugby he has played this season; Conan, too, had a series of injuries before coming late into the Six Nations campaign, where he excelled against England. That game sealed his place on the tour.
Andrew Porter is less of a surprise, although it remains a big call for a coach to name a back-up with his club on a Lions squad. Nonetheless, he merits inclusion, as does Henderson, Murray, Beirne. Henshaw and Furlong are Ireland’s likeliest starters when the Tests begin.
Alun Wyn Jones was named captain which was no surprise as Gatland had previously selected Sam Warburton to lead the side on the 2013 and 2017 tours.
“I had a call from Gats on Sunday evening; we had a quick chat and evidently it was a huge privilege to be able to add this to the CV,” said Jones, who at 35 becomes the oldest Lions captain of the modern era.
“As a rugby player you want to be involved in these challenges … the significance isn’t lost on me … it will be interesting to see how we go out there. To do that is a huge honour … that custodianship … [as players] you’re all connected, it’s something very, very special, and it’s hard to explain. I’d like to think it hasn’t changed from the times before professionalism to this very day.
“I enjoy the sport, I love what I do, and I’ll continue in a similar vein.”
Gatland said: “Everyone will start in one of the first three games on the tour. That puts you in the shop window.
“You certainly feel for the guys who have missed out. It has not been an easy decision. We went through a list of names and extended it from the initial number of tourists – from 36 to 37.
“I’d like everyone who missed out to know that it was not an easy choice.”
Here is the Lions squad in full.
Backs (16):
Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby, Wales) – Wing
Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby, Ireland) – Centre
Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints, Wales) – Fly-half #821
Elliot Daly (Saracens, England) – Centre #822
Gareth Davies (Scarlets, Wales) – Scrum-half
Owen Farrell (Saracens, England) – Fly-half #780
Chris Harris (Gloucester Rugby, Scotland) – Centre
Robbie Henshaw (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) – Centre #824
Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs, Scotland) – Full-back #783
Conor Murray (Munster Rugby, Ireland) – Scrum-half #790
Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland) – Scrum-half
Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester Rugby, Wales) – Wing
Finn Russell (Racing 92, Scotland) – Fly-half #835
Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland) – Wing
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, England) – Wing #816
Liam Williams (Scarlets, Wales) – Full-back #833
Forwards (21):
Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby, Ireland) – Second row
Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) – Back row
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, England) – Hooker
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, England) – Back row
Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland) – Prop
Taulupe Faletau (Bath Rugby, Wales) – Back row #779
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) – Prop #818
Jamie George (Saracens, England) – Hooker #819
Iain Henderson (Ulster Rugby, Ireland) – Second row #808
Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs, England) – Second row
Maro Itoje (Saracens, England) – Second row #825
Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys, Wales) (Captain) – Second row #761
Wyn Jones (Scarlets, Wales) – Prop
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, England) – Second row #826
Ken Owens (Scarlets, Wales) – Hooker #829
Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) – Prop
Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs, England) – Back row
Rory Sutherland (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland) – Prop
Justin Tipuric (Ospreys, Wales) – Back row #786
Mako Vunipola (Saracens, England) – Prop #787
Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland) – Back row
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
British and Irish Lions Johnny Sexton Lions Springboks