Lions 2013 Back Three - Where Are They Now?
The final part of our seven-part series in the run up to this summer’s selection, taking a look at the 2013 incumbents and their chances of being selected again.
GEORGE NORTH
2013 tour: Went on tour as more or less the first name on the team sheet. Started all the tests, scored in two of them, and his try in the first was so good that Welsh parents have started naming their children after it. (Prove that they are not)
Since then: Joined Northampton and announced his arrival with an amazing try creation from deep against Gloucester. Some iffy form and a worrying number of concussions have seen the compass veering away from the straight and narrow from time to time, particularly this season in Edinburgh, but it seems to be back to due North by now.
Touring chances: 90%. So long as he shows a semblance of form as in the last couple of matches, he’s back to being first name on the team sheet, or at least the first wing.
TOMMY BOWE
2013 tour: A veteran of the 2009 tour – where he was second behind Jamie Roberts as player of the series – Bowe was expected to be the man on the other wing. He did get in two test appearances after an injury against the Reds ruled him out of much of the tour.
Since then: Bowe has played far fewer matches for Ulster than he would like, with injuries being a recurring problem, and two of the men he was selected over, Zebo and Trimble, have played the majority of Ireland matches. His brief, one-minute comeback in the six nations was not met with much enthusiasm outside the northernmost province.
Touring chances: 1%. With Ireland looking to move on you expect the Lions will too. His slim chances were then cut significantly with a broken ankle in his short appearance in the Six Nations.
ALEX CUTHBERT
2013 tour: After a boatload of tries for Wales in the 2012 and 2013 Six Nations, the 6’6 Cuthbert was taken as a finisher, referring to tries, not matches. Finish he did, getting four tries on tour, including one in the first test.
Since then: It’s all gone a bit pete tong. By this years’ six nations the majority of Welsh fans insisted that they must ‘stop picking him in blind hope’. Those are not my words, they’re Shane Williams’. Cuthbert was never a particularly well-rounded player, but his ability to catch the ball, beat a cover tackle and find the try line has been tragically absent too, leaving the flaws in his game nastily exposed.
Touring chances: 2%. Leave Alex Cuthbert alone, please. He’s had enough.
SEAN MAITLAND
2013 tour: The former Canterbury winger joined Glasgow and Scotland for the 2012-13 season, and was actually taken on tour as a utility back that played fullback in one tour game and wing in another. Did well enough to make it as a sub in the third test, prompting him to make further interviews about how he’s always felt Scottish, but wasn’t used.
Since then: By and large continues to play for Scotland with the same all-round effectiveness that he did four years ago, although a rising Scotland may look to be more ambitious than that with Seymour and Visser in the future. Survived Scotland’s last-minute world cup knockout in 2015 when he was yellow carded for deliberately knocking on, so they must have plans for him in the future.
Touring chances: 10%. Going well for Saracens but hasn’t quite got the pace of some of his six nations contemporaries, including Scotland’s Visser and Seymour. Ability to play full back is unlikely to help him, almost all this tours wingers will be doing it.
SIMON ZEBO
2013 tour: When Tommy Bowe broke his hand, Zebo was called in as cover, then being known mainly for a ridiculous back-heel pickup against Wales that year. He played three tour games and has since mainly been known for a phone call he was forced to make as a punishment.
Since then: For a long time you had to speak to someone from Limerick to find why Zebo is known for rugby, but he has over the last couple of years made an Irish back thee spot his own. Has been spending an increasing amount of time at fullback in red and green, and his developed kicking game helped seal Ireland’s win against the All Blacks in November.
Touring chances: 40%. Before this years’ Six Nations, Zebo’s performances for Munster would have likely had him on the plane, but the re-emergence of North, a fit again Anthony Watson and the rise of Elliot Daly this winter seems likely to interfere.
SHANE WILLIAMS
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2013 tour: Williams was possibly the finest winger Wales have ever played, and one of the best players in the world in the 2000s. In the 2010s, not so much. Called up as ‘backline cover’ in a universally understood signal that the midweek matches had stopped being taken seriously, he played the one match against the Brumbies, hich the Lions lost.
Since then: Williams was playing in the Top League in Japan until 2015, but the main justification for picking a man already well into his commentary career at the time was that he was up for it. Williams’ recent turnout in the Welsh ‘National Bowl’ for Amman United, aged 40. Maybe he’s got one eye on the prize.
Touring chances: 0.1%. I’m not actually putting it past them.
CHRISTIAN WADE
2013 tour: Impressed on debut for a depleted England in Argentina, and called up along with Williams, though at widely differing ends of the potential spectrum. Played the one game against the Brumbies.
Since then: Scores by the bucket load, just not for England. Wade’s career with Wasps has seen the little speedster score dozens of beautiful tries but the lack of an all-round game has left him continuously overlooked.
Touring chances: 5%. Whatever’s keeping him out of the England side will presumably keep him out of the Lions by extension, but he wasn’t first choice for England last time either.
LEIGH HALFPENNY
2013 tour: Playing every minute of the 2013 Six Nations and winning player of the tournament was a warm up. Halfpenny did exactly the same thing in the Lions test series while racking up an enormous point count. Hands, pace, vision, and in a series in which Kurtley Beale famously slipped on the tee when it mattered, peerless goal kicking. A magnificent performance.
Since then: There is no shifting him from international duties, but is that despite a need for a new attacking threat in the backline? A threat called Liam Williams, maybe? Welsh fans have become frustrated that the feet and vision that made him a star in 2013 seem to have been lost. His metronomic kicking seems to have waned a little since crossing the channel to play for Toulon as well.
Touring chances: 80%. I’ve seen quite a few fan-picked squad that leave him out but I don’t see it. Even at his slowest the security Halfpenny provides as a specialist fullback is a little too tempting, and if previous performances in a Lions shirt mean anything at all, you take him.
ROB KEARNEY
2013 tour: A veteran from 2009, Kearney was the second fullback in a side that was happy to (or more likely dependent on) have Halfpenny play 80 minutes, and made three midweek appearances on the tour.
Since then: Has continued confidently in Ireland’s 15 shirt where his contribution to Schmidt’s kicking game is most valued. Remains a safe pair of hands, but there are questions over whether that should be enough to see him keep his Ireland place following kiwi-turned-ulsterman Jared Payne’s qualification to wear green.
Touring chances: 30%. If a third fullback goes again then he is probably in, but with Liam Williams, Watson or Zebo able to cover the back three there are plenty of options to compete for this spot.
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STUART HOGG
2013 tour: The fastest man to come out of Scotland who isn’t a Labour MP. 20-year-old Hogg was actually picked in 2013 as a utility back, and covered 10 more than 15 in his four appearances against the clubs.
Since then: and two player of the tournament awards in the six nations to boot.
Touring chances: 99%. Has two games with Glasgow to not get injured.
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Comments on RugbyPass
No surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to comments