Bath the latest Premiership club to answer Gatland's Lions selection threat
Challenge Cup semi-finalists Bath have become the latest Gallagher Premiership club to wade into the Lions debate ignited on Tuesday by Warren Gatland’s threat about English-based players potentially losing out on 50/50 selection calls if their clubs don’t make them available for the pre-tour preparation camp.
While Lions boss Gatland is understanding of the situation regarding any player that might be involved in the June 26 Premiership final, he believes it is important that players not involved in that showpiece are released to the tour party early despite the current regulation nine players release window agreement preventing that from happening.
Meetings have taken place this week between the PRL, the RPA and Lions administrators and Exeter boss Rob Baxter had his say on Gatland taking the situation public, branding his player release comments at Tuesday’s coaching staff announcement as disingenuous.
Now Bath boss Stuart Hooper has given his take on the Lions situation. His club have previous Lions tourists in their ranks in the guise of Anthony Watson and Taulupe Faletau, who were both part of the XVs in the drawn 2017 Test series in New Zealand, while Sam Underhill is also touted as a potential tour pick this time around to South Africa.
Hooper explained he fully understands the ambitions that Bath players have for the Lions but he also laid out the Premiership’s view and the need for agreements to be respected, just as were during the Six Nations when Bath had dealings with Scotland over Cameron Redpath, Josh Bayliss and Jamie Bhatti and their availability.
"Using the players this way is wrong"
– @chrisjonespress has learned that Lions boss Gatland picked the wrong day to go public with his threat over Premiership-based players
https://t.co/iApCWxOTYP— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 14, 2021
“These are questions where the decision will be made as a Premiership because there are agreements in place,” said Hooper at Bath’s weekly media briefing. “As romantic and as much as everyone loves the Lions, and as important a part of our rugby calendar that is, there is also a professional agreement here and it’s there for a reason.
“We have to protect that as a Premiership unit, we have to protect ourselves and protect our players but we are open to conversations to make sure that we can help the guys have the very best experience they can. I don’t actually know the specifics of whether it would have to be unanimous [any decision by the Premiership to release players early], but it would definitely be discussed at the board level for sure.
“To be honest, I haven’t had a clear understanding of when the Lions will meet up and that sort of thing. It will go along the lines of reg nine windows that are given for international rugby so I haven’t seen when they meet up but I presume it has to fall in line with that and that is the angle that is being discussed there.
“Those things crop up more than you might think. This year we have had internationals with Scotland with Cameron, Josh Bayliss and Jamie Bhatti so those conversations are ones that I will always have with the guys so that they understand the reason decisions have been made around reg nine and around the release of international players so they are fully in the picture and understand rather than just do what they are told.”
Beneath the red tape, though, Hooper is a Lions fan but he was unclear how many Bath players might be picked by Gatland for this latest tour. “The Lions are amazing. It has got that romance to it. It has got a real intangible feeling that even the very, very best players in the world turn back into the schoolboy that was first picked for his first team when they get the call-up for the Lions.
“I have seen it, seen the guys who have done it before and the impact it has had on them and it’s fascinating. I love the fact there is still a real emotive drive to play for an international team and if any of our guys get the opportunity then it’s incredible for them and as a club, we will stand right beside them, incredibly proud of that achievement.
“It’s a difficult question (who will get picked). There are obvious ones who have been talked about before and who have been on tours before, the likes of Toby and Anthony, those guys, and we can all write them on a piece of paper.
“The Lions has that effect on the coaches as well so we had a conversation the other day on who is going to be picked and the reality is that it depends how they want to play the game. It depends what Warren and more this time with Gregor (Townsend) as attack coach, how they want to play the game depends massively on who you are going to pick because it is a short period of time.
“It’s not about developing over a long period of time into the team you want to be, it’s about having a very clear picture of how you want to play, how you are going to beat the Springboks in their own backyard and picking people to fill that. Who knows? I’m hoping across the board from a spectator’s point of view that there are a few wildcards and a few people that we don’t expect to be picked but who knows.”
Quizzed on Underhill’s prospects after he missed the recent Guinness Six Nations with England through injury, Hooper added: “I wouldn’t say he was a wildcard if he got picked. He has consistently been one of the top, top back-rowers in the time he has played international rugby. Will he get picked? I’m not sure. If he does get picked he will be deserving and I wouldn’t see him as a wildcard. Look back to years gone but, Lions tours have taken uncapped players and it’s interesting to see if that happens again.”
A backlash has started over Warren Gatland's Lions selection comments https://t.co/dNK8QNDZAN
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 14, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
No Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
5 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
5 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
18 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to comments