Six Nations champions England look set to provide more than a third of the 2017 British and Irish Lions squad – but reports suggest Dylan Hartley is a certain absentee.
Lions tour manager John Spencer will announce the squad on Wednesday (Thursday AEST).
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While players like Ben Te’o, Elliot Daly, Joe Marler and Maro Itoje should become first-time Lions in New Zealand this summer, some high-profile casualties are also possible.
Lions boss Warren Gatland and his coaching staff put the finishing touches to their selection during a meeting on Tuesday afternoon.
According to both the BBC and The Times, England captain Hartley has been overlooked, with Rory Best, Ken Owens and Jamie George the preferred hookers.
Hartley has led Eddie Jones’ side to two Six Nations titles, a grand slam, a series whitewash of Australia and a world record-equalling run of 18 Test consecutive wins but indications are he will be omitted, while uncertainty also surrounds centre Jonathan Joseph, fly-half George Ford and lock Joe Launchbury.
New Zealand-born former NRL star Te’o, who has made one England start in eight appearances, shone in front of watching Lions assistant coach Rob Howley when Worcester beat Aviva Premiership opponents Bath three days ago.
England’s representation is set to be their largest since Clive Woodward selected 20 for the Lions’ 2005 New Zealand expedition, but Scotland, despite winning three recent Six Nations games, could be left with fullback Stuart Hogg as their solitary squad member.
The Lions kick off their 10-match trip against the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians in Whangarei on June 3, with the Blues, Crusaders, Highlanders, Maori All Blacks and Chiefs all on their agenda before the first of three Tests three weeks later.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Yes, you're right.
Bakkies
Guest
Owens isn't better than Hartley
Bakkies
Guest
Cuw is can understand Tupiric starting at 7 for the Lions but Warburton shouldn't be ahead of O'Mahony, O'Brien and Stander at 6.
Bakkies
Guest
Going to be tough now with the rest of the flankers only competing for one spot in the starting test side
Bakkies
Guest
Injured and if he was fit 50/50 at best for tour selection
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Hope O'Mahony gets a start. He's a beast and will improve the Lions, and he deserves it.
Fionn
Guest
' Marler is more of a hot head these days than Hartley, a poor scrummager and a shíthouse bloke.' ???
cuw
Guest
April 2007 - banned for 26 weeks after being cited for eye-gouging Wasps forwards James Haskell and Johnny O'Connor. March 2012 - received an eight-week suspension after being cited for biting the finger of Ireland back row Stephen Ferris while playing for England in a Six Nations game. December 2012 - banned for two weeks after being cited for punching Ulster hooker Rory Best during a Heineken Cup match. May 2013 - sent off for verbally abusing referee Wayne Barnes during the Premiership final against Leicester at Twickenham. Received an 11-week suspension that prevented him from taking his place on the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia. December 2014 - sent off for elbowing Leicester centre Matt Smith in the face. Banned for three weeks. May 2015 - banned for four weeks after head-butting Saracens' Jamie George in Northampton's 29-24 Aviva Premiership semi-final defeat to Saracens. As a direct consequence, England ruled Hartley out of their World Cup plans. December 2016 - sent off for striking Leinster flanker Sean O'Brien with a swinging arm. Suspended for six weeks.
cuw
Guest
if SW starts , it may be as 6 - just like he did for Wales alongside Justin Tipuric , who is basically the best 7 in 6N competition. but it seems SW will be captain going by this. http://www.planetrugby.com/news/photo-leak-reveals-warburton-as-lions-captain/
maxxlord
Roar Rookie
Not sure that Heaslip can be left out, unless its no longer about Rugby.
davSA
Guest
The one omission that should have happened but hasn't is leaving Gatland behind.
Bakkies
Guest
For his club he is. As far as I know he has never been banned while playing for England
Bakkies
Guest
No there is no lesson learnt if it is true that Marler tours it will back fire. Marler is more of a hot head these days than Hartley, a poor scrummager and a shíthouse bloke. Warburton isn't good enough to start in the tests and still has another 5 weeks of rehab to go
JimmyB
Guest
You're right. Best is pretty lucky to be there too. If Gatland had an ounce of adventure about him, he'd have picked a Cronin or a Taylor, but alas, that's just not his style.
mania
Guest
dunno if roryBest is better. but cant fault the other 2.
Derm
Roar Guru
The likely squad to be announced today: B3s: Hogg, Halfpenny, North, Nowell, Watson, Williams, Earls Mids: Daly, Henshaw, Teo, Davies, Roberts Flys: Sexton, Farrell, Biggar SH: Murray, Youngs, Webb Props: Marler, Vunipola, McGrath, Furlong, Sinckler, Cole Hooks: Best, Owens, George 2nd Rows: Itoje, Kruis, Lawes, Wyn Jones, Ryan, Henderson Flanks: O’Brien, O’Mahony, Stander, Warburton (capt) , Tipuric 8 Men: Vunipola, Faletau Crew of 40. All Welsh back 3 option English, Welsh and Irish combos available on the 9/10/12/13 axis Full Irish and Full English front row options Full English locks and a Welshman for the test side, Henderson and Ryan for midweek Full Welsh back row option and potentially full Irish back row option for a midweek game. 28 British and 12 Irish Lions. Roll on for what should be a great series.
JimmyB
Guest
The amount of information that has seemingly been deliberately leaked by Gatland and his team would suggest that he's preparing everybody for what he knows are going to be some very unpopular selections and non selections. It's a thankless job that Gatland's got, but gee, he's made it so much harder for himself. If he was using the Lions tour as an audition for the ABs job, then he's failed it already.
JimmyB
Guest
It's not even that so much as the fact that the other three selected are better.
mania
Guest
yeah hartley is still too much of a liability.
Old Bugger
Guest
Is there a lesson learned observation, with this non-selection reflecting back to Ted Henry's BILs, in 2001?? Reports from that tour, indicated disharmony was rife between certain English players and Henry, who at the time, was the Welsh coach, like Gatland. Who knows but IMO, I think choosing Warburton, if his fitness permits, as the BIL captain, is an inspirational choice for both coach and player and the last thing they would want, is a repeat of what happened, in 2001.