"A total joke" - What happened to Warren Gatland's infamous 'Geography Six' Lions
Rugby NewsFriday, 14 May 2021 at 14:11
There was outrage when Warren Gatland drafted in players from Wales and Scotland as temporary cover during the Lions tour of New Zealand four years ago.
#1. CORY HILL - Wales
Lions legend Brian O’Driscoll, who captained the 2005 tourists in New Zealand and went on four tours, had highlighted the strength of feeling towards Gatland’s call-ups back in 2017.
“I wasn’t even aware who Cory Hill was to be honest with you. I’m a pundit and I’m meant to know these things,” he had rapped.
O’Driscoll later apologised to Hill after he captained Wales to victory against England, but following injury problems the forward was never really in contention to make the 2021 squad.
#2. KRISTIAN DACEY - Wales
The Cardiff Blues player hadn’t even been one of Wales’ top two hookers during the 2017 Six Nations, so the outcry to his call-up was expected, particularly as then England captain Dylan Hartley had been ignored. Injuries at the wrong time have since hampered his international opportunities.
#3. ALLAN DELL - Scotland
The Scotland prop got 10 minutes for the Lions against the Chiefs in Hamilton following the early sin-binning of Joe Marler for a reckless shoulder hit. Struggling to get near the Scotland XV in recent times, he was always on the very fringe of the selection debate for the 2021 squad.
#4. GARETH DAVIES - Wales
He was Wales’ first-choice scrum-half under Gatland after Rhys Webb became ineligible following a move into exile with French club Toulon. Against the odds, managed to beat Wales teammate Tomos Williams to a place in the 2021 squad.
#5. TOMAS FRANCIS - Wales
Almost got on for the Lions against the Hurricanes for a flagging Dan Cole, stripping to his playing kit and prowling a touchline, but it wasn’t to be as the England prop saw out the game. Francis’ Wales career trajectory rocketed afterwards, but injury ruined any chance of the 130kg prop making the 2021 squad. t
#6. FINN RUSSELL - Scotland
Russell made a brief five-minute appearance for the Lions against the Hurricanes while Biggar was undergoing a head injury assessment. The mercurial playmaker was the player who came closest of the six to making Gatland’s original party for the trip to New Zealand, but he's right in the mix this year after beating Johnny Sexton to a place in the 2021 squad.
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- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
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