Lions 2013 Props - Where Are They Now?
The first in a seven-part series leading up to this summer’s Lions tour to New Zealand, taking a look at the 2013 incumbents and their chances of being selected again.
CIAN HEALY
2013 tour: Healy was tipped by many to be the starting loosehead, but fell to injury 36 minutes into the tour against the Western Force.
Since then: Healy’s injury record has played against him. Since bursting onto the scene in the early part of the decade a mixed bag of international appearances and absences has seen him lose his place as Leinster’s first choice loosehead, and by extension, Ireland’s.
Touring chances: 40%. A test spot may well be beyond him, but he’ll be in the mix for a midweek spot, mainly in competiton with England’s Joe Marler. A strong Leinster showing in Europe could help given that first choice Jack McGrath has already booked a seat.
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GETHIN JENKINS
2013 tour If anyone was going to play the first Test in 2013 ahead of Healy, it’d be Jenkins. The Wales veteran has been one of the finest front rowers the professional game has seen, with an ability to play both sides of the scrum and revolutionary breakdown and carrying skill for a prop forward. He got injured and didn’t play any games.
Since then: The 36 year old has broken his country’s caps record and retired gracefully been phased out of the national team but has been in the media claiming he still aims for a Lions place.
Touring chances 5%? It’s not as silly as it sounds, Jenkins remains a legend of modern Welsh rugby and has played a huge part of his career under Gatland. He could be seen as a much needed old hand on tour. But if you were Joe Marler or Rob Evans you’d be steaming to lose your place to him.
MAKO VUNIPOLA
2013 tour: 22-year old Vunipola was not starting matches for England in 2013 and was something of a controversial selection. Primarily brought in as a ‘finisher’, before that word was cool, Mako was the beneficiary of injuries to Healy and Jenkins and ended up starting the second Test. With the Lion’s superior scrummage successfully negated, Mako returned to his bench role for the third.
Since then: Mako turned into the best loosehead in Europe. You may have noticed. Having been initially a piledriver carrier and little else, he’s established himself as England’s first choice by gaining a working scrum and handling that no prop deserves. Winning endless trophies with Saracens helps too.
Touring chances: 99% If Gatland liked what he saw in 2013 it’s hard to see him changing his mind on Vunipola now. He’s there barring injury.
ALEX CORBISIERO
2013 tour: After having impressed in the six nations in 2012 and 2013, including an infamous smashing of the Irish scrum in 2012, Corbs was called up when Healy got injured and made it count. He started the first and third test, asserted the visitor’s dominance up front and bagged a 5th minute try in the win at Sydney. He went home as one of the players of the tour.
Since then: 24-year old Corbisiero immediately signed for title-chasing Northampton alongside fellow Lions hero George North, and all preparations made for his domination of world rugby, promptly disappeared off the face of the planet. After an horrible injury plagued few years with Northampton, he announced his intention to have a year out in January 2016. He currently has his own podcast.
Touring chances 0%. In the event of a severe concussion causing Gatland to forget what year it is, I’m fairly sure Corbs would turn it down. Decent shot at flying out as a pundit, mind.
RYAN GRANT
2013 tour: Called up as a replacement for Gethin Jenkins, Grant was mainly expected to be tour match filler. For the most part that is exactly what he did, with two tour games and his one test appearance being as an unused substitute.
Since then: Despite early promise, a stalled international career has not continued. Grant has made over 100 appearances for the Glasgow Warriors, but has been an increasingly less relevant part of their success as Gordon Reid has become their go-to loosehead.
Touring chances: 0.05%. In the event that a Scottish prop is required this time, we’re pretty screwed it’ll be Gordon Reid.
ADAM JONES
2013 tour: The 3-time grand slam winner started all three tests and was one of the players of the summer, the cornerstone of the Lions’ winning scrum. By most accounts the peak of a wonderful career.
Since then: Realistically, Jones’ time as an international player was likely coming to an end anyway, but public falling out with your nation’s eligibility rules doesn’t help either. Seeing the writing on the wall, after a controversial move to Cardiff in 2014, Jones retired from internationals the following winter. For the last two seasons he’s made appearances in the Premiership for Harlequins, but it’s not going to be enough to get back in the good books.
Touring chances: 0.5%. There’s been precedent for retired players before, including those not even as good as Jones was, but for many reasons, it’s not happening. If any Ospreys fans would like to rant about why in the comments be my guest. Or just, y’know, scream at the wall.
DAN COLE
2013 tour: A few years into his England career, Cole was taken on tour as Adam Jones’ understudy. Three appearances off the bench in three tests, along with an appearance of some form in all 10 tour matches, makes for an admirable microcosm of his career.
Since then: Dan Cole continues to play every game. It’s not just a case of keeping his first choice spot either, in a world of rotation and resting he has been racking up the caps. It’s hard to grasp anything he does exceptionally well, aside from not get injured, but maybe that’s a bigger deal than we give it credit for, considering what’s happened to half this list.
Touring chances: 80%. Cole is the only prop in Europe who has remained a first choice international for four years. He gets a lot of hate, but he’s clearly a solid scrummager and has also scored three tries in the last year, so must be doing something in the loose. I’d expect him to perform exactly the same role as four years ago. Dan Cole is a fixed point in time and space.
MATT STEVENS
2013 tour: The ‘bolter’ of front row picks last time, 32 year old and post-test-retirement Stevens was picked out of club rugby under the basis that he could scrummage on both sides and was difficult to shift. His responsibilities off the field are potentially libelous so I’ll leave it there. He played five midweek matches, mainly off the bench.
Since then: After a handful of appearances for Saracens (13 matches in 3 years) and returning to his native South Africa to play a season in the Currie Cup, Stevens ended up in Toulon from June 2015. He is, as far as I can tell, still there as a player, but doesn’t appear to be actually playing.
Touring chances: 0.01%. If he can still get a gig at Toulon then hey, anything is possible, but if we really need a doughy-faced South African tighthead it’s hard to look beyond WP Nel. And we could probably book Ali Williams if we need the other thing.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Bell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
13 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo 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!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 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
13 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.
13 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.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 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?
13 Go to comments