The 2013 British and Irish squad was announced by the team’s manager, the fabulous Scots fullback Andy Irvine, in alphabetical order.
From fullback, wingers (no Chris Ashton), centres (veteran Brian O’Driscoll in), flyhalves (no Jonny Wilkinson, a mistake in my view), halves, props, hookers (no Rory Best), second-rowers and loose forwards (no Chris Robshaw).
In a triumph of media planning, the last player named was Sam Warburton. Warren Gatland then came forward to announce that Warburton was the captain of the side.
There are 15 Welsh players in the team. And three of the five members of the coaching staff – Warren Gatland, Rob Howley and Neil Jenkins – are involved with the Welsh national side.
So I am calling the side, right now, the Welsh Lions and making the fearless prediction that loading the side with Welsh players for an 11-match tour is an indulgent gamble that could backfire on the side.
To begin with, Warburton is an over-rated player and captain, in my view. He took what was described as the best side ever to leave Wales to Australia last season and came away with a 3-0 series loss.
And this series loss was against a Wallabies side that had no James Horwill and over 20 possible Wallabies out with injuries over the period.
As Wayne Smith pointed out in The Australian on Monday, Warburton was out-played by David Pocock in the 2012 Test series.
Moreover, he has played seven Tests against Australia and has won – none of them.
There is a real question mark over the effectiveness and quality of Warburton’s play, although Gatland told the world-wide television audience watching the announcement of the team that he was one of the few players guaranteed of a place in the starting side.
This could only be the case if the Lions play two number sevens on the side, with Dan Lydiate as the other flanker or Justin Tipuric.
Lydiate and Tipuric are more impressive loosies than Warburton, in my opinion.
When Warburton was asked by the compere for his thoughts on being captain, he made what I thought was a revealing and daft comment:
“I’ve got a strong Welsh contingent of leaders I can rely on,” Warburton said.
Imagine what Brian O’Driscoll, who would have been my captain, or Paul O’Connell, another strong candidate for the captaincy, must have thought about this.
The thing about Welsh players is that, historically, with the exception of the Lions sides in the 1970s to New Zealand and South Africa, they have been poor and unsuccessful tourists.
They are inclined to stick together and form a Welsh rump in Lions sides that invariably, anyway, face a seemingly insurmountable task of trying to mix together players from four cultures.
In fact, make that seven cultures. This Lions side has players from Wales, England, Ireland and Scotland, as well three players with an Islander background (Manusamoa Tuilagi whose name Irvine struggled to pronounce and whose first name is the name of Samoa’s national side, Mako Vunipola, Toby Faletau), two New Zealanders (Dylan Hartley, Sean Maitland) and a South African (Matt Stevens).
The success of the tour will be dependent on Gatland somehow getting the oil and water of these different cultures to somehow mix.
Graham Henry’s Lions of 2001 could not achieve this on their tour of Australia. Sir Clive Woodward failed in 2005 in New Zealand.
The 2009 Lions in South Africa with the Scots coach Sir Ian McGeechan got the players to play like Lions possessed, a team of real unity, but still lost the series.
The thing about the Lions, and history is quite clear on this, is that the sum of the parts is generally less than the sum of the individual talents in the side.
Unless matters are handled very expertly, there could a schism of England players as there was on the 2001 tour especially if they believe (as they did in 2001) that there is something of a Welsh conspiracy against them in the selection of the Test sides.
The older players in the side are past their prime and the younger players, including the captain, are yet to hit their prime.
When one of the coaches was asked about the getting the ‘chemistry’ of the side right, he talked about ‘establishing combinations’.
Wrong answer, in my view.
There will no doubt be a huge emphasis when the squad comes together in a couple of weeks on forging a united Lions side out of the disparate parts.
This exercise has to work for the Lions to be successful against the Wallabies. But I would argue that loading the team with Welsh players and officials is not a promising start to their great journey into rugby history.
ScotandProud
Guest
Halpenny Cuthbert North Roberts Phillips Jenkins Jones AWJ Tipuric/ Lydiate Warburton Faletau. Wales (+ others) lose for a record 8th and 9th time in a row.
ScotandProud
Guest
The lions bottled a big lead in the second test because they were too soft psychologically: which is why Aussies are right when they say "the Lions aren't the All Blacks". I agree on the quality of the rugby - what I love about Lions series.
ScotandProud
Guest
Ha ha
Colin N
Guest
It has been a farce but things are better than they were, although that's not difficult. Not sure about the recruitment though. First three signings were promising, I think Kulemin was the name you were after - him and Ostrikov could form a pretty useful second-row unit next season with Gaskell calling the lineouts from eight. Holmes is a talent, he played England under-18s and under-20s and was Gaskell's partner through age-grade rugby, but he suffered a horrific injury which set him back two years really. Slightly more concerning is that Easter and Croall have signed new deals which suggests Diamond is struggling to find any props and number eights. Gaskell's performances at eight, alongside the addition of Braid, is one of the main reasons in Sale's improved form, but they could do with a heavyweight eight tbh. I like what Nigel Davies has done with Gloucester actually, built a base and expanded through the season, although next season will prove how much they've improved. I'm also not sure about Wasps. Their performance against Exeter reminded me of last season and their scrum is a constant weakness. Having said that, their talented youngsters will be a year older, with Vunipola's departure that will allow Johnson to play in his favourite position and bring Haskell to blindside, and they have signed Mullan.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
Don't know what to make of Sale anymore. It's becoming a bit of a farce tbh. Anyway, you know my opinions on Steve Diamond... Talking of Thomas, I've also been impressed with Tom Holmes. I noticed he has signed a new contract. I also noticed you've signed that giant tighthead lock from London Welsh. Can't spell his name off of the top of my head. Used to play for Castres. Russian? He could be a boost for Thomas just as a big unit. I also think Braid will prove an exceptional player with a proper pre-season under his belt. I thought that Bath had a strong squad this season, but they never really clicked. You would hope that next season they will move up a gear, because Gloucester, IMO, are there to be overtaken, and I can't see Wasps being as strong next season.
arbitro storico
Guest
Then why haven't they won a series anywhere since 1997?
colvin
Guest
good one cat.
Give me the Aussie pls!
Guest
Great piece. I'm with you. Even as an England fan (and our stupid messing with home shirt colours) it irks me for some reason. Australia or just Wallabies.
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
@Give me... You're a man (or woman) after my own heart: http://www.theroar.com.au/2012/06/19/time-rename-wallabies/
Give me the Aussie pls!
Guest
Can we just go old school and have Australia v British and Irish Lions for this series. The 'Qantas Wallabies' thing drives me mad. It's frigging horrible.
Red Kev
Guest
Folau isn't a winger, he's a fullback - 10 games of rugby, nine of them at 15 IIRC
jameswm
Roar Guru
Crikeys I totally forgot about Higgs. To be honest, I'd always thought of him as a bench player. I don't think he has the workrate needed to start. So if MMM starts at 6, I'd have Higgs and Gill/Hooper on the bench. If you have a genuine backrower at 6, then you probably need a lock on the bench plus one of Gill, Hooper and Higgs. Tough call. And I don't go for the two opensides starting thing. Have one starting and one on the bench and play them together for the last 25 mins, fine. But not both starting. Too unbalanced.
jameswm
Roar Guru
I think they're the best two performed wingers this season Kev. Ioane isn't doing it, and isn't the sort of player where previous test caps are such a positive experience factor.
mania
Guest
a real good idea way of inspiring another team is calling them losers. esp before a games even been played. gatlans gotta pipe dirctly the aus media into the lions changin rooms. the more aus media beat up on the lions the harder thyre gonna come. lovin it. i smell ambush. the only thing that might bring balance is the enthusiasm of youth. not having expectations of an opppn side can be a powerful leveller. guys like quirk mowen scatz gill hooper auelua dont seem to care whether ther side is doing good or bad and just get on with it.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
The media here are beating up the whole Welsh Lions claptrap.
Colin N
Guest
Thomas looks much bigger this season but I hope he doesn't suffer burnout - he's played a lot of rugby at a young age. Cole's rise was rapid but he was slightly older and fully developed physically when he broke into the first team at Leicester. He also had a powerful pack alongside him. As much as for the development of rugby in the north I would obviously like Thomas to stay, I don't know whether he would be better served going somewhere else to play behind a more experienced tighthead, like Sinckler and Collier at Harlequins. That's unless there is some serious recruitment at Sale in the off-season. As for Bath, they've been poor considering the money they've spent but they've improved towards the end of the season and they've made some intelligent signings in Garvey, Ford and Joseph, and the addition Watson could prove inspired - special talent. Agree about Hamilton, his all-round game is poor but he does just add sheer bulk. He wouldn't necessarily be a Test option but just something different. Remember, it's a big squad so you look for balance and different types of players.
mania
Guest
Thank moaman makes sense the righteous ness Good idea nos. how will we fit two flags tho?
Ben.S
Roar Guru
Given that the 2001 Wallabies and the 2009 Springboks were the world champions this current Wallaby side is already behind the 8 ball - unless in the coming season they are going to win the 3N, the Bledisloe, have a successful European tour and then go on to win the WC in 2015... It's pretty much beyond debate that they simply do not compare to the other sides as things stand.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
Edit: not relationships - reputations.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
Just briefly: Jones suffered a real come down at the end of his tenure, but he also tasted success, and during the 2005/06 3N had cattle including Johansson, Mackay, Kanaar, Roe and a gaggle of non-Test material players. Deans hasn't suffered from that problem. When England played an Eddie Jones coached side they were generally well drilled and intelligent sides. Never have I ever seen any technical innovations from the Deans Wallabies. Equally, under Connolly the Wallabies tried and played some very attractive footy. Let's not forget the ease that Australia put Wales away in the group stages of the 2007 WC and the fanfare that greeted the play of the young Berrick Barnes. Connolly also suffered from trying to actually build a strong forward platform and hence he used a lot of players in the front row. At least he tried. Deans only ever tried alternatives in the front row when his hand was forced. People always refer to the QF in Marseille, but Australia were 1/8 favourites prior to that match. When has a Deans coached Wallaby side ever, ever been that much of a favourite against an England side? Never.