'Baffling' - Former Lion leads Irish outrage over Ryan omission

When Ireland and Leinster’s James Ryan was securing a Grand Slam, Heineken Champions Cup, a series win down under in Australia and a victory over the All Blacks in 2018, the lock seemed destined to make the British and Irish Lions in 2021.

Even as Ireland and Leinster waned slightly in the succeeding years, Ryan remained one of the most promising players in the game. At the beginning of the year, the 24-year-old would have still been many people’s favourite to start against the Springboks, and was even in the captaincy conversation. His inclusion in Warren Gatland’s squad was nothing short of an inevitability.

That is why the Leinster man’s omission this year has caused quite a stir online since the 37-man squad was announced on Thursday. In a squad where Gatland has favoured locks who can also slide down the scrum into blindside flanker, Ryan misses out.

Jean de Villiers on what will be a monumental Lions Tour | Rugby Podcast | RugbyPass Offload | EP 28

Jean de Villiers on what will be a monumental Lions Tour | Rugby Podcast | RugbyPass Offload | EP 28

Alun Wyn Jones and Jonny Hill are the only two selections who solely operate in the second-row. The tour captain Jones was always secure, but Hill’s selection over Ryan has been questioned, particularly by 2009 Lion Luke Fitzgerald.

“Hill>Ryan…wake up from that dream,” the one-cap Lion and former Ireland winger wrote on Twitter soon after the squad was announced, but he is not alone.

Hill>Ryan…wake up from that dream. No Sexton is crazy…this calls for an emergency podcast to discuss…@slatterywill @IndoSport

— luke fitzgerald (@lukefitz11) May 6, 2021

Some absolute baffling calls there

— luke fitzgerald (@lukefitz11) May 6, 2021

In the past year, Leinster’s pack have been physically dominated in their two biggest matches, against Saracens in the Champions Cup quarter-final last year and against La Rochelle in the semi-final last weekend.

Those performances would not have helped any Leinster player, but plenty of Ryan’s teammates made the squad, three of which are fellow forwards.

Meanwhile, England’s Hill has been part of an Exeter pack that have consistently swarmed their opponents over the past 18 months, winning the Champions Cup and Gallagher Premiership in the process (although they did lose to Leinster this year). That sort of physicality up front is what the Lions selectors will want against the Springboks.

Gatland has emphasised that this is just a matter of opinion, but no other omitted player has looked so secure over the past four years than Ryan.

https://twitter.com/darrenkilkelly5/status/1390273661983236097

Gatland picking AW Jones + Itoje + Jonny Hill + Henderson + Lawes + Beirne but no James Ryan is a far greater injustice than O'Driscoll being dropped in 2013. It's a genuine injustice.

One of Hill/Henderson/Lawes has to go.#Lions #LionsSquad

— Björn Jåkøb (@BenJacobMD) May 6, 2021

Hadn’t even noticed him ? Courtney Lawes instead of James Ryan is absolutely insane too

— Rhys Knott (@buck_mitchell) May 6, 2021

Gatland named James Ryan as a potential captain last autumn. Ryan has not made the squad despite 6 locks being picked. Imagine how he feels.

— Eoin Harrison (@Eonzer012) May 6, 2021

Cant understand how James Ryan and Navidi missed out. Ringrose should also feel a little hard done by. Exciting squad though.

— James (@JamesEgan88) May 6, 2021

How is Jonny Hill on that lions squad and James Ryan isn’t?

— Philip M ? (@philipm90) May 6, 2021

Jonny Hill ahead of James Ryan is my gripe .. and IMO it’s not the type of tour for Finn Russell ..
Also England were beaten by each of the representative countries this year .. yet carry the most players ..
also my names not there so there’s that issue too!

— Colin Doyle (@Doyle15Colin) May 6, 2021

Absolutely baffled with James Ryan missing out. A few big names not going, J.Davies and Sexton especially, but I'd have thought Ryan was nailed on to go #Lions2021

— Mikey Roberts ??????? (@mikeyroberts81) May 6, 2021

How is James Ryan not in that Squad? Ryan is a sure fire Lineout operator, has a serious engine to boot, and gives away very few penalties, no sense in leaving him at home.

— David Cranny (@davidcranny) May 6, 2021

James Ryan not being in the Lions squad is outrageous. How can it be justified? #Lions

— Matty L Raps (@MattLooks) May 6, 2021

https://twitter.com/jarleth_eaton/status/1390279178730233862