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Warren Gatland names his official 2021 British and Irish Lions squad
Warren Gatland has unveiled his 2021 Lions pick for their tour to South Africa, choosing 11 English players, 10 Welsh, 8 Irish and 8 Scottish in a selection that will be skippered by Alun Wyn Jones of Wales, the most capped Test rugby player of all time, who found out on Sunday that he would be getting the role.
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Following months of speculation, Gatland finally whittled down his options to 37, one player more than the anticipated 36, to take on the Springboks in July and his party will include a bolter in the guise of England’s Sam Simmonds, who has been unwanted by Eddie Jones for quite some time. Last October’s double-winning Exeter No8 was last capped in March 2018.
Recent Six Nations title winners Wales will surely be bemused by how they were not the dominant country in the four-nation selection, their ten picks eclipsed by England who finished fifth in the championship. The dominant country every four years had tended to be the team that won that particular year’s championship.
For the 2017 trip to New Zealand, a year when England had retained their Six Nations title, 41 players were originally chosen to tour and the breakdown of that squad was 16 England, 12 Wales, 11 Ireland, 2 Scotland. Four years prior to that, when Wales were back-to-back Six Nations championship, the initial 37-man squad was made up of 15 Wales, 10 England, 9 Ireland, 3 Scotland.
Sixteen different clubs were recognised in the 2021 squad with Saracens emerging as the team with the biggest representation in garnering 5 picks to 4 each for Exeter, Leinster and Scarlets. Edinburgh had 3, Northampton, Gloucester, Munster, Glasgow, Bath and Ospreys 2 apiece, while Cardiff, Connacht, Racing, Sale and Ulster had 1 player each included.
This will be special?? ? https://t.co/pofXFObBej
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 4, 2021
“It was stressful,” said Gatland about his latest Lions squad selection. “In all my time in coaching this was the hardest, most challenging squad that I have ever been involved in to pick because it is trying to get a balance and understanding what that is.
“We have seen so many different squads by people and at the end of the day selection is just a matter of opinion and we have got to try and do the best job we can as coaches to put the right squad together that we think can go down there and win a series.
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“It hasn’t been an easy decision. We had a meeting yesterday [Wednesday], it was about four hours and we looked at all our options and we added an extra name. The squad was initially going to be 36 but we have gone to 37 just to try and cover all our bases.
“It was really, really tough and I just need to assure people no decision was taken lightly. It was really thoroughly discussed a lot of the positions and the options trying to get that balance right… some really tough calls.”
Positional flexibility will be important in South Africa. Gatland mentioned how tighthead Andrew Porter can provide cover at loosehead and while Tadhg Beirne and Courtney Lawes were officially listed as second rows, Owen Farrell as out-half and Elliot Daly as a centre in the announcement, their ability to play elsewhere is viewed as invaluable by management.
While the 37 players named below will be thrilled with their selection, especially Irish duo Bundee Aki and Jack Conan who had featured in little or none of the pre-selection speculation, there were some big-name casualties including Kyle Sinckler, James Ryan, Billy Vunipola, Sam Underhill, Johnny Sexton, Henry Slade, Jonny May, Jonathan Davies and Manu Tuilagi.
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2021 LIONS SQUAD FOR SOUTH AFRICA (37)
LOOSEHEAD (3): Wyn Jones (Wales/Scarlets), Rory Sutherland (Scotland/Edinburgh), Mako Vunipola (England/Saracens);
HOOKER (3): Luke Cowan-Dickie (England/Exeter), Jamie George (England/Saracens), Ken Owens (Wales/Scarlets);
TIGHTHEAD (3): Zander Fagerson (Scotland/Glasgow), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland/Leinster), Andrew Porter (Ireland/Leinster);
SECOND ROW (6): Tadhg Beirne (Ireland/Munster), Iain Henderson (Ireland/Ulster), Jonny Hill (Exeter), Maro Itoje (England/Saracens), Courtney Lawes (England/Northampton), Alun Wyn Jones (Wales/Ospreys);
BACK ROW (6): Jack Conan (Ireland/Leinster), Tom Curry (England/Sale), Sam Simmonds (England/Exeter), Justin Tipuric (Wales/Ospreys), Hamish Watson (Scotland/Edinburgh), Taulupe Faletau (Wales/Bath);
SCRUM-HALF (3): Gareth Davies (Wales/Scarlets), Conor Murray (Ireland/Munster), Ali Price (Scotland/Glasgow);
OUT-HALF (3): Dan Biggar (Wales/Northampton), Owen Farrell (England/Saracens), Finn Russell (Scotland/Racing);
CENTRE (4): Bundee Aki (Ireland/Connacht), Elliot Daly (England/Saracens), Chris Harris (Scotland/Gloucester), Robbie Henshaw (Ireland/Leinster);
WING (4): Josh Adams (Wales/Cardiff), Louis Rees-Zammit (Wales/Gloucester), Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland/Edinburgh), Anthony Watson (England/Bath);
FULL-BACK (2): Stuart Hogg (Scotland/Exeter), Liam Williams (Wales/Scarlets).
"He has almost gone into that sort of Martin Johnson aura of his leadership"#LionsRugby #Lions2021 https://t.co/Y3blQhxvfz
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 6, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Oh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
26 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
2 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
2 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
7 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
26 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
26 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to comments