Fans Rank The Top 5 Players To Never Be Called Up by Lions

There are a number of reasons a good player may never win a cap for the famous men in red, from the strength of competition in their position to unfortunately timed injuries, but some seemingly cannot be explained.

All of the players on this list, whether it be on the grounds of their ability or achievements can be considered very unlucky to never be capped be capped by the Lions.

Here's how fans ranked the top five players who were never capped by the Lions.

Lions boss Warren Gatland was criticised for the “mystifying” omission of Launchbury in 2017 after revealing the Wasps captain had lost out to England team-mate Courtney Lawes for the final second-row place in the Lions squad. The Lions coach’s desire for a hard edge to take on New Zealand persuaded him to turn to Lawes and overlook England’s player of the 2017 Six Nations. Gatland admitted Launchbury was “very, very unlucky

“There was a long discussion about second rows, and the depth and the quality that we’ve got in those positions,” he said.

“We weren’t going to leave out Alun Wyn Jones or Maro Itoje – they were nailed on for us – and Iain Henderson has done an exceptional job for Ireland. We just discussed the differences between Courtney and Joe and they are different players.”

DID YOU KNOW? After Harlequins failed to offer him a professional contract aged 18, he left the club and joined then National League 2 South side Worthing for the 2009–10 season

Making his debut in 2000, Stringer went on to become an Ireland fan favourite, winning 98 caps in the process.

He played at the 2003 and 2007 Rugby World Cup’s and was a key figure in the sides that won the Six Nations Triple Crown in 2004, 2006, and 2007.

It remains baffling how Clive Woodward chose not to take him in 2005 when they had four scrum halves in the squad (Dwayne Peel, Chris Cusiter, Gareth Cooper and Matt Dawson).

DID YOU KNOW? On 12 August 2000, Stringer played for the Barbarians against Germany

Arguably one of England’s most consistent performers of his era, Tindall was a key member of the side that captured the Rugby World Cup crown in 2003.

But during his career, which was at times a stop-start affair due to injury, he was never able to go on tour with the Lions.

DID YOU KNOW? Tindall was named a replacement for the Barbarians against the British and Irish Lions as part of their 2013 tour to Australia.

A national treasure, he is Scotland’s most capped player with 109 test appearances but was never even selected for a Lions tour.

A victim of the underperforming national sides he played in, registering only solitary victories against Italy in the 2005 and 2009 Six Nations Championships.

Blessed with pace and consistency of form, he could have offered the Lions fantastic versatility. Equally adept with the boot, the 43-year-old scored 809 test points thanks to his pinpoint goal kicking..

DID YOU KNOW? Paterson was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2012 New Year Honours for services to Scottish rugby

The Welsh Wizard is widely regarded as one of the finest and most skilful players ever to grace a rugby field.

Once called the ‘Maradona of Rugby’ by Jacques Fouroux, the France captain at the time, he was blessed with flair and poise few others have possessed.

Unfortunately he earned his first cap in 1985 and had left union for the riches of league by the time the Lions toured Australia in 1989.

An enormous talent, he surely would have flourished given the chance in a backline possessing Jeremy Guscott, Gavin Hastings and Ieuan Evans.

DID YOU KNOW? Davies has since become a television commentator for both codes and media personality, in both the Welsh and English languages