Sam Warburton names his revised back-row to dominate the Springboks

Monday, 10 May 2021 at 07:09

byRugby Rucker

Sam Warburton, writing in The Times, has been forced to revise his predicted Lions XV after FOUR of his starters failed to make the squad.

“I must admit that I did show my surprise to the television in front of me on at least one occasion,” Warburton said.

“I think it must have been a close call between Conan and Josh Navidi (who can play anywhere across the back row including number eight), and Conan’s greater game-time of late must have held sway because I know how much Gatland rates Navidi.

“Sam Underhill must be another affected because of his lack of game-time. I’m pretty sure that if they had been fully fit throughout this year, and especially the Six Nations, Gatland would have loved to have them in his squad.

SAM WARBURTON'S LIONS XV:

BACK-THREE

15. Stuart Hogg (Scotland)
14. Anthony Watson (England)
11. Louis Rees-Zammit (Wales) -
Was Jonny May

DID YOU KNOW? Hogg comes from a talented rugby family in the Borders. His father, John, played as a championship winning full-back for Hawick before becoming a rugby referee. His brother, Graham, has played for Scotland in the IRB Sevens World Series as well as representing his country at under-18, under-19 and under-20

CENTRES:

13. Robbie Henshaw (Ireland)
12. Chris Harris (Scotland)

DID YOU KNOW? Henshaw plays the accordion, fiddle, guitar and piano. His musical and sporting versatility have earned him the nickname "One Man Band" and "Old Man Bob Henshaw" amongst his teammates

HALFBACKS:

10. Owen Farrell (England) - Way Johnny Sexton
9. Gareth Davies (Wales)

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DID YOU KNOW? Farrell held the record of youngest player ever to appear in English professional rugby union after playing for Saracens 11 days after his 17th birthday

FRONT-ROW:

1. Wyn Jones (Wales)
2. Ken Owens (Wales)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Ireland)

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DID YOU KNOW? Furlong comes from a farming family in the parish of Horeswood in County Wexford

SECOND-ROW:

4. Maro Itoje (England)
5. Alun Wyn Jones (Wales) - Was James Ryan

WARBURTON SAID: ""I know people will think [Itoje] is under-cooked, and hasn't played much, and gave away a load of penalties [in the Six Nations], but he still had a big influence on those games.

DID YOU KNOW? He is one of a small group of Welsh players to have won three Grand Slams including Gerald Davies, Gareth Edwards, JPR Williams, Ryan Jones, Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins

BACK-ROW:

6. Tom Curry (England)
7. Hamish Watson (Scotland) - Was Sam Underhill
8. Taulupe Faletau (Wales)

WARBURTON SAID: "I think Toby right now is the number one front-runner for the number 8. Toby’s in the same breath as the Kieran Reid, Sergio Parisse, those three for me ar the best number 8s in world rugby in the past decade."

"If I were picking a back row now it would probably be Curry, Watson and Faletau, but we all know that form is everything on a Lions tour."

DID YOU KNOW? Curry is the twin brother of Sale Sharks flanker Ben Curry, son of Bishop Heber High School Head Teacher David Curry and nephew of former England hooker John Olver and cousin of former Northampton Saints and current Ealing Trailfinders fly-half Sam Olver