2021 British & Irish Lions Squad

[TRF_Olyy]

Backs (16):
Josh Adams (Cardiff, Wales) Wing
Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby, Ireland) Centre
Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints, Wales) Fly-half
Elliot Daly (Saracens, England) Centre
Gareth Davies (Scarlets, Wales) Scrum-half
Owen Farrell (Saracens, England) Fly-half
Chris Harris (Gloucester Rugby, Scotland) Centre
Robbie Henshaw (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) Centre
Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs, Scotland) Full-back
Conor Murray (Munster Rugby, Ireland) Scrum-half
Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland) Scrum-half
Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester Rugby, Wales) Wing
Finn Russell (Racing 92, Scotland) Fly-half
Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland) Wing
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, England) Wing
Liam Williams (Scarlets, Wales) Full-back

Forwards (21):
Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby, Ireland) Second row
Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) Back row
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, England) Hooker
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, England) Back row
Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland) Prop
Taulupe Faletau (Bath Rugby, Wales) Back row
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) Prop
Jamie George (Saracens, England) Hooker
Iain Henderson (Ulster Rugby, Ireland) Second row
Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs, England) Second row
Maro Itoje (Saracens, England) Second row
Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys, Wales) (Captain) Second row
Wyn Jones (Scarlets, Wales) Prop
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, England) Second row
Ken Owens (Scarlets, Wales) Hooker
Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) Prop
Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs, England) Back row
Rory Sutherland (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland) Prop
Justin Tipuric (Ospreys, Wales) Back row
Mako Vunipola (Saracens, England) Prop
Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland) Back row

 

[MattGaff]

11 English
10 Welsh
8 Irish
8 Scots

Pretty nice balance compared to previous tours!

 

[ncurd]

I dunno how Gatland did it but he managed to **** off English and Irish supporters by picking their players guys a genuis.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

so do I rant here or the other thread?

 

[MattGaff]

Lions squad selection always gets people's backs up. Twitter is so funny. The outrage is amusing.

 

[Curls]

Biggest thing that jumps out is that Gatland clearly has put AWJ down as 5 for the tests already and then to maintain that he could only pick 1 of Ryan or Itoje.
Not surprising Sexton was left out. But surprised Aki made it given he didn't feature for Ireland at all really.
Glad for Conan while I feel a special nod of gutted..ness generally for Doris from a Leinster, Ireland and Lions point of view.

Be interesting to see if there's competition for the test 15 and if its just a wallop it up the middle job all summer?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Not surprising Sexton was left out.

It is when you think of how bad Russell was in the games Scotland won and then was worse in the heads up v Sexton. Russell has been so poor and has a contrived reputation winning him undeserved plaudits whereas Sexton is the reverse.

Very strange when Gatland sticks with the tried and tested for the most part and the only test he's coached the Lions for that Sexton didn't start was shambolic.

Add in Russell's attitude problems and the likelihood being that he won't be the golden boy like he is with Scotland, such a bad shout for me.

Hopefully Sexton gets another good season out of this and Gats fails fairly miserably.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

a third of our forwards have never played South Africa before

 

[Curls]

It is when you think of how bad Russell was in the games Scotland won and then was worse in the heads up v Sexton. Russell has been so poor and has a contrived reputation winning him undeserved plaudits whereas Sexton is the reverse.

Very strange when Gatland sticks with the tried and tested for the most part and the only test he's coached the Lions for that Sexton didn't start was shambolic.

Add in Russell's attitude problems and the likelihood being that he won't be the golden boy like he is with Scotland, such a bad shout for me.

Hopefully Sexton gets another good season out of this and Gats fails fairly miserably.

Well given his injury profile and perhaps something behind the scenes we're not yet aware of yet I don't think its a surprise. He was always going to take Biggar out if sheer Welshophilia and Farrell again was tagged on eventhough hes currently playing 2nd tier rugby. Russell is over rated given his body of work but I guess we'll see.

Sadly its looks like a Farrell, Henshaw, Aki, VDM smash ball job in the backs. That's of course when the forwards aren't hitting brick walls too.

Anyhow South Africa to do to the Lions what they did to England and Farrell to get sent off in the first test.

 

[Jakedood]

It is when you think of how bad Russell was in the games Scotland won and then was worse in the heads up v Sexton. Russell has been so poor and has a contrived reputation winning him undeserved plaudits whereas Sexton is the reverse.

Very strange when Gatland sticks with the tried and tested for the most part and the only test he's coached the Lions for that Sexton didn't start was shambolic.

Add in Russell's attitude problems and the likelihood being that he won't be the golden boy like he is with Scotland, such a bad shout for me.

Hopefully Sexton gets another good season out of this and Gats fails fairly miserably.

I want sexton playing well, and I think on form he's the best of the lot in terms of his attitude, work rate and general game management

However I would really worry about him in a Lions tour with less rest time due to reduced squad size, and the physicality and potentially dirty play that often comes from the warm up teams. The guy is a legend, but isnt that 3 times since February he's been sat down for concussion? He loves rugby with so much passion, I think a summer off may do him the world of good, just to prevent any big injuries, particularly if he is indeed planning on playing in 2023

 

[ncurd]

I mean I know I said it yesterday but IU don't understand what Gatland sees in Russell now that he didn't see 4 years ago.

 

[Jakedood]

I mean I know I said it yesterday but IU don't understand what Gatland sees in Russell now that he didn't see 4 years ago.

Russell for me has looked a lot more mature in his game management now than before, he can still pull of the miracle passes etc, but he seem to choose his moments better. Would argue he's the most complete fly half going

 

[MattGaff]

I mean I know I said it yesterday but IU don't understand what Gatland sees in Russell now that he didn't see 4 years ago.

Its a coaching panel (not just Gatland) and I'm sure Townsend and Tandy would have had massive input here.

 

[ncurd]

Russell for me has looked a lot more mature in his game management now than before, he can still pull of the miracle passes etc, but he seem to choose his moments better. Would argue he's the most complete fly half going

Its weird one for me, Sexton would be going over Biggar or Farrell for me not Russell. Russell is my kind of fly half although I think Ford is better. But I don't think Russell has done much differently in intervening years to put them side by side in current form and make a different one from 4 years ago.

Sexton has gone from reluctant starter to at least 4th choice that doesn't add up.

 

[ncurd]

Its a coaching panel (not just Gatland) and I'm sure Townsend and Tandy would have had massive input here.

He threw a tantrum last year and learnt his lesson?

 

[Jockstap]

What a comeback story for Tadhg Beirne, delivering pizzas to his Leinster team mates to pushing for a Lions test start. Inspiring stuff.

 

[Welsh Exile]

What a comeback story for Tadhg Beirne, delivering pizzas to his Leinster team mates to pushing for a Lions test start. Inspiring stuff.

He should be one of the first names on the test team sheet but I worry that he won’t be.

 

[Mike88]

Trying to keep all the Home Nations happy is not a good move by Gatland and Co. However why he managed to select the most players from the weakest home nation is not necessarily the wisest of moves.

 

[UlsterRugby2012]

Is this the poorest squad in recent Lions memory? I don’t think this squad / best XV beats 09,13 or 17.

I’m concerned about the lack of creativity in the midfield. Farrell - Henshaw is probably the most creative option and even then it’s lacking. & we all know he won’t go for that, can’t wait for some more warrenball

 

[Wasps92]

Trying to keep all the Home Nations happy is not a good move by Gatland and Co. However why he managed to select the most players from the weakest home nation is not necessarily the wisest of moves.

Agreed, too many Welsh in the squad for my liking.

 

[ncurd]

Is this the poorest squad in recent Lions memory? I don’t think this squad / best XV beats 09,13 or 17.

I’m concerned about the lack of creativity in the midfield. Farrell - Henshaw is probably the most creative option and even then it’s lacking. & we all know he won’t go for that, can’t wait for some more warrenball

I would consider removing 'recent' if were just talking squad I'd definitely want the '01 and '05 players that were selected over these guys.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Genuinely perplexed at Sinkler not going. Makes no sense to me

 

[Genghis]

Not too much to be outraged by, I don’t think.

Very surprised Sinckler isn’t going, as I think he is absolute quality. Likewise Navidi, who is criminally underrated. I get why Sexton isn’t going, sometimes he needs protection from himself - and I say that as a compliment to the guy.

Not sure what Aki has done to justify selection, but it does say a lot about the style of rugby Gatland is looking to play. Can’t argue with his success doing that though. I’m not a big Farrell fan, but he is a dead-eyed goal kicker and (apart from Biggar) there isn’t anybody else at taking points in crucial tight games.

Whilst I am Welsh, so probably a bit biaised, Alun Wyn is the right guy to be captain.

 

[NickBD]

Genuinely perplexed at Sinkler not going. Makes no sense to me

Obviously every nation will have questions but this is the worst one for me. Zander Fagerson is a good player but in no way is he better than Kyle Sinkler. The Furlong with Sinkler to finish was so effective last time.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I want sexton playing well, and I think on form he's the best of the lot in terms of his attitude, work rate and general game management

However I would really worry about him in a Lions tour with less rest time due to reduced squad size, and the physicality and potentially dirty play that often comes from the warm up teams. The guy is a legend, but isnt that 3 times since February he's been sat down for concussion? He loves rugby with so much passion, I think a summer off may do him the world of good, just to prevent any big injuries, particularly if he is indeed planning on playing in 2023

I wanted Johnny to be able to add three time Lion to the résumé. He deserves it and not just for sentimental reasons, unless he himself made the call I think it's a mistake. He was nearly everyone's starting 10 after the last round of the 6n, he's a leader which the squad, and backs in particular don't have many of and there's no one in that squad who's played better in international test matches v the SH sides than Johnny has consistently throughout his career.

I actually expected him to go and retire after, feels like BOD again just with poorer replacements and I have little doubt Gatland did that one just so he could be the only coach to ever drop BOD.

I think it's a call which shows why so many people aren't excited by the Lions anymore too, Gatland really isn't connecting with rugby fans. He'll argue that his job is only to win, well picking arguably the most pivotal player to his Lion's success might help that.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I’m not a big Farrell fan, but he is a dead-eyed goal kicker and (apart from Biggar) there isn’t anybody else at taking points in crucial tight games.

England fans reading this


Once upon a time he was superb but recently he's average at best (for an international goal kicker), and put in one of the worst displays of goal kicking I've ever seen in the autumn (and that's coming from someone who has supported a team with Danny Cipriani and Rob du Preez as goal kicker!)
I'd trust him about as much as Russell (and less than Sexton and Biggar) to nail an important kick

and that's from someone who, up until recently, was one of Farrells biggest cheerleaders on here

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Only 5 Scots in the squad. Be raging if I were them

 

[Scotty]

From this squad what's our 10 12 13? 13s the position im not sure on, henshaw 12 and 13 harris? Dont want Aki and its Dalys best position but still he hasnt been on best form for a while.

 

[Scotty]

Anyone who has time(as i dont) care to break it down into positions. It would be good to see the head to heads.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Money on
10. Biggar
12. Farrell
13. Henshaw

shudder