Official Lions selection, moaning and bitching thread

[Chrysoprase]

Beeb are saying this morning that it's definitely AWJ for captain:

I don't see anything in the piece that verifies this so it could be educated guesswork or a gamble on the part of the journo, but hardly a surprise if true

Wales great Alun Wyn Jones will be confirmed as captain of the British and Irish Lions when head coach Warren Gatland names his 36-man squad on Thursday for the tour of South Africa.

Jones, 35, has been the favourite for the role since leading Wales to the Six Nations title in March.

He will be going on his fourth Lions tour, after being a key part of the series in 2009, 2013 and 2017.

The Lions squad is confirmed at 12:30 BST on Thursday.

British and Irish Lions await 2021 South Africa tour selection
Rugby Union Weekly squad selection summit
Jones has won a world record 157 international caps and has played in the last nine Lions Test matches, including captaining the team to victory in the decisive third Test against Australia in Sydney in 2013.

And while he is set to face stiff competition for a Test match place in the second row, Gatland has shown he is prepared to leave the tour captain out of the starting XV if required.

In 2017, skipper Sam Warburton was on the bench for the first Test against New Zealand with Peter O'Mahony the captain, before Warburton returned to lead the side in the second and third Tests.

However Jones' form in the Six Nations, as well as his aura, experience and remarkable longevity have convinced Gatland he is the man to succeed the retired Warburton.

"Coming from a team that has done reasonably well in the Six Nations, and having the respect of other players in the squad, that is fairly important," Gatland told the BBC last month.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57004215

[Caley_Red]

there's obviously a leak somewhere: Telegraph reported same on Saturday and Guardian earlier this week. .

[Margin__Walker]

Some of it sounds like educated guesses. They are usually pretty good keeping Lions squads under wraps. You'd think the only player that will have been told already is AWJ assuming he is captain.

People do seem fairly certain on Simmonds though, so if he's on the list, there might have been a small leak in there somewhere.

[SaintK]

Some of it sounds like educated guesses. They are usually pretty good keeping Lions squads under wraps. You'd think the only player that will have been told already is AWJ assuming he is captain.

People do seem fairly certain on Simmonds though, so if he's on the list, there might have been a small leak in there somewhere.

Are these the same people who are also saying that Elliott Daly is also in the squad?

[Margin__Walker]

Some of it sounds like educated guesses. They are usually pretty good keeping Lions squads under wraps. You'd think the only player that will have been told already is AWJ assuming he is captain.

People do seem fairly certain on Simmonds though, so if he's on the list, there might have been a small leak in there somewhere.

Are these the same people who are also saying that Elliott Daly is also in the squad?

Not sure. Not seen the Daly rumour

[Caley_Red]

Some of it sounds like educated guesses. They are usually pretty good keeping Lions squads under wraps. You'd think the only player that will have been told already is AWJ assuming he is captain.

People do seem fairly certain on Simmonds though, so if he's on the list, there might have been a small leak in there somewhere.

Are these the same people who are also saying that Elliott Daly is also in the squad?

Not sure. Not seen the Daly rumour

Will definitely take a tenner bet that Daly and Mako make it.

[SaintK]

Some of it sounds like educated guesses. They are usually pretty good keeping Lions squads under wraps. You'd think the only player that will have been told already is AWJ assuming he is captain.

People do seem fairly certain on Simmonds though, so if he's on the list, there might have been a small leak in there somewhere.

Are these the same people who are also saying that Elliott Daly is also in the squad?

Not sure. Not seen the Daly rumour

The Guardian today

Daly looks poised to make the cut despite his loss of form for England in the Six Nations coupled with Saracens’ relegation to the Championship. The 28-year-old was dropped by England for their Six Nations victory against France and has had limited game time for Saracens in the second tier. But Gatland values his versatility and Daly has looked more at home since a recent return to outside centre from full‑back. Ultimately his ability to play in midfield as well as across the back three – he started the three New Zealand Tests on the wing in 2017 – appears to have proved decisive. All the more so since George North was ruled out through injury.

[Hal Jordan]

Daly is a good shout for dirt tracker, versatile, not going to make a fuss, decent shot at the Test bench.

[Margin__Walker]

Are these the same people who are also saying that Elliott Daly is also in the squad?

Not sure. Not seen the Daly rumour

Will definitely take a tenner bet that Daly and Mako make it.

Wouldn't be a huge surprise on Daly. He will be lucky, but probably gets in the conversation on versatility in the small squad.

[Caley_Red]

Not sure. Not seen the Daly rumour

Will definitely take a tenner bet that Daly and Mako make it.

Wouldn't be a huge surprise on Daly. He will be lucky, but probably gets in the conversation on versatility in the small squad.

Although- due to time differences- my viewing of the recent 6N was severely curtailed, I think he's a quality player and, as you say, his versatility will be a substantial benefit given the smaller squad.

[Biffer]

Radio this morning said Manu Tuialgi is in the conversation.

[Tichtheid]

Radio this morning said Manu Tuialgi is in the conversation.

What's he saying?

[Slick]

Radio this morning said Manu Tuialgi is in the conversation.

What's he saying?

I'm not going to take a space, hopefully

[Sandstorm]

Are any players vaccinated? Or are they worried about complications afterwards?

[SaintK]

Will definitely take a tenner bet that Daly and Mako make it.

Wouldn't be a huge surprise on Daly. He will be lucky, but probably gets in the conversation on versatility in the small squad.

Although- due to time differences- my viewing of the recent 6N was severely curtailed, I think he's a quality player and, as you say, his versatility will be a substantial benefit given the smaller squad.

He also has the benefit of being selected and playing well in 3 tests on the last tour!

[sockwithaticket]

Are any players vaccinated? Or are they worried about complications afterwards?

Coaching staff maybe, but none of the players are old enough to have been jabbed yet and I'd be surprised if any of them had the kind of underlying conditions that allow one to jump the queue.

[sockwithaticket]

Wouldn't be a huge surprise on Daly. He will be lucky, but probably gets in the conversation on versatility in the small squad.

Although- due to time differences- my viewing of the recent 6N was severely curtailed, I think he's a quality player and, as you say, his versatility will be a substantial benefit given the smaller squad.

He also has the benefit of being selected and playing well in 3 tests on the last tour!

Which was 4 years ago...

Not having a go at you specifically SaintK, but you often hear players' past performances in key tournaments or fixtures cited as reasons for why they should or shouldn't be picked now which I fundamentally disagree with as a line of reasoning.

Obviously there's the old cliche of 'form is temporary, class is permanent', but temporary periods of bad form can still last weeks or months and I can't remember many players who flick a switch and suddenly start performing really well again. If they fight their way out of a slump it's usually a gradual build back up to their normal levels/previous high point.

For something as compressed and specific as a Lions tour I wouldn't want to be taking anyone who's not in top form. They shouldn't need to be played in.

[Biffer]

Wouldn't be a huge surprise on Daly. He will be lucky, but probably gets in the conversation on versatility in the small squad.

Although- due to time differences- my viewing of the recent 6N was severely curtailed, I think he's a quality player and, as you say, his versatility will be a substantial benefit given the smaller squad.

He also has the benefit of being selected and playing well in 3 tests on the last tour!

So did Sean O'Brien and I don't hear any clamour for him to go.

[Margin__Walker]

Are any players vaccinated? Or are they worried about complications afterwards?

Coaching staff maybe, but none of the players are old enough to have been jabbed yet and I'd be surprised if any of them had the kind of underlying conditions that allow one to jump the queue.

Slade is Type 1 Diabetic if he makes it.

[Chrysoprase]

If anyone's interested, the team announcement is going to be live-streamed, starts at 11:45 ish

[Begbie]

This build up stuff is shite. Get on with it.

[Margin__Walker]

This build up stuff is shite. Get on with it.

Always the way. I refuse to start the stream until 12:29

[Jock42]

Extra player in the squad is the most exciting part so far.

[Big D]

Congrats to AWJ.

Huge honour and well deserved.

[tc27]

Well done AWJ - the obvious and best choice.

[Paddington Bear]

Hard to argue with

[Paddington Bear]

Great player but not exactly a blockbuster TV personality is he? Get on with it.

[Margin__Walker]

FFS it's half 12 now. No need for a chat with Warbs

[Yr Alban]

Hard to argue with

Reckon the only way he wasn’t going to be captain was if they had thought he wasn’t guaranteed to start the Test matches. So I guess that clears that one up.

[tc27]

Fuck all this padding.

[Paddington Bear]

Why are they padding this? Surely use the time after to debrief on the squad?

[tc27]

Gavin Hastings "Lions special etc etc etc"

"Sam would you echo that?"

Do we really need this?

[tc27]

Jase listing the sponsors - fair enough got to pay the bills.

[assfly]

Before they announce the squad, I'd like to hear from more former players what it means to be a Lion.

[salanya]

AWJ should have been Lions captain 4 years ago really.

Congrats to him.

[tc27]

Sam Simmonds...Sam Simmonds.!!!

[Margin__Walker]

Some guys in there that barely got a mention pre announcement.

[Jock42]

Harris, Hogg, Price, Russell, VDM, Fagerson, Sutherland, Watson

Happy with that.

[Paddington Bear]

Not sure what I was expecting but feel a bit underwhelmed by that.

[And 1 guest]

Bundee Aki?