Don’t break him Warren! Then Gatland replaced him with Faletau. Weight: 117kg 18st 5lbs). Clermont agree, prising him away from Gloucester where he’ll probably understudy for the great (and younger) Morgan Parra. This name will appear beside any comments you post. A heavyweight scrum battle with Joe Moody awaits. All hail Maro. Lions coach Warren Gatland has picked three players from his homeland – with Kiwi-born players outnumbering those born in Scotland in this year’s touring squad. Read about our approach to external linking. Weight: 103kg (16st 3lbs). Ospreys and Wales. Height: 1.90m (6’3”). Presumably, Gatland, who spent his entire career waiting in vain for Sean Fitzpatrick to pull up, recognises the mental toughness needed to provide added value from the reserves. Weight: 115kg (18st 1lbs). Harlequins and England. DOB: 1/6/1988. 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Height: 1.98m (6’6”). Displays similar defensive concerns as Hogg – Savea or Fekitoa can run over them – and while his form for Toulon has stuttered this season he remains one of Gatland’s boys so that guarantees scope to prove his worth. A damaged O’Brien got up instantly. Brilliant in the air, he’s in a three-way shootout with Watson and North for that 14 jersey. Also, playing inside centre early on tour, to sync with Sexton’s rhythm, runs the risk of Farrell featuring only once as the starting 10 in an international fixture since the 2015 World Cup (versus the Wallabies last summer). Height: 1.98m (6’6’’). Height: 1.83m (6’0”). DOB: 17/9/1989. "Our back-three is as good as any in the championship with Hogg, Seymour and Sean Maitland, who has worked with Gatland before - there's a mutual respect there and he's playing for one of the top sides in Europe, which I think will help him.". Although Vern Cotter's side were dealt a shellacking by England, Smith, who won 61 international caps, hopes their performances this season can swell the Scottish contingent in Gatland's squad. A strike rate of 11 tries in 23 tests is reinforced by some impressive defensive trairts. The best outhalf must start every Saturday. Seventeen of his 20 Ireland caps have been at 13 until a lacerated kidney forced a clearing for Garry Ringrose, who Gatland didn’t feel was good enough to tour, but maybe the fact Payne’s a Kiwi, and possesses an innate ability where to be, in attack and defence, was enough to create the ultimate dirt tracker. Pull the pin and let fly. You should receive instructions for resetting your password. Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA Wire. "He doesn't fit the mould of a standard back-row. Gatland stuck to his word and his selection is a far cry from the 2017 Lions tour when he picked just two Scots – Hogg and Tommy Seymour – in his original squad for the trip to New Zealand. Still only 25, he has amassed phenomenal numbers with 32 tries in 71 tests. "Sometimes it doesn't add up," he said. A bone shuddering enforcer (he made 70 tackles during the Six Nations), he will soften up any All Black Steve Hansen releases to the Super Rugby sides for the early fixtures. Glasgow Warriors and Scotland. Height: 1.88m (6’ 2’’). – Ulster reject, Lions tourist, loves an intercept. Weight: 118kg (18st 8lbs). – Many moons from now, after what hopefully proves the epic career of Tadhg Furlong, Reeling In The Years will have to show the rampaging son of Campile bumping Brodie Retallick (twice) and Owen Franks before slamming All Black captain Kieran Read on his arse for the greatest three-metre gain in the history of Irish rugby. By The42 Team Tuesday 20 Jun 2017, 1:12 PM "I think Jonny Gray is the sort of player that will develop and really come on in a tour and environment like that. – At the zenith of his formidable powers. "Glasgow winning at Leicester and getting through to the quarter-finals of the European Champions Cup must count for something.". Height: 1.85m (6’ 1’’). Exeter Chiefs and England. That’s the power of leadership. So effective that Saracens have snatched him away from the Scarlets as an upgrade on Toulon-bound Chris Ashton. DOB: 14/11/1992. "Tommy Seymour's a really good player who week in, week out delivers high-quality performances. Granted, he carries that 19 stone frame around like it’s no trouble at all and has serious pace but, realistically, no team can afford to enter a test series against the All Blacks with a pair of 24-year-old tightheads with 24 caps between them. Is your workplace ready for a hybrid future? "Finn Russell, again, it's a really, really tough position, but you just hope he might squeeze on and be given the chance to show what he's got. Weight: 108kg (17st). – “Seánie, we need you. – The choirmaster on tour, this may help drown out the neverending yelps and gurgling from the haka jukebox. Munster and Ireland. The flanker, who had already captained Ireland and Munster, deputised for the injured Sam Warburton at … Weight: 86kg (13st 7lbs). Wasps and England. I'm hopeful more so than optimistic. Height: 1.83m (6’0”). Scotland players can advance their case for a place on the 2017 Lions tour with a good showing against Australia, says attack coach Jason O'Halloran. But here he is, deservedly. Height: 1.92m (6’ 4’’). The Maoris are a huge test - pretty close to the All Blacks - and every single side will want to be the side that knocks you over. Height: 1.80m (5’11”). Weight: 120kg (18st 12lbs). Weight: 121kg (19st). Of course he’s susceptible to a relapse but, so long as the hamstrings stay tuned and his creaking upper body isn’t unhinged, at least one test match can come under his spell. – Any anorak, from the southern or northern hemisphere, wants to see Te’o and Sonny Bill Williams discard rugby union etiquette. Height: 1.89m (6’2”). Patella tendinitis almost derailed his ascent from rugby obscurity but corrective surgery allows him step off either foot (England capped him when he could only dance off his right). Toulon and Wales. Gloucester and Wales. Walker Cup: How to watch on TV? "You can build up a head of steam, you're winning most if not all of your games, then you get to the Test matches with fewer injuries, your squad in better shape and everyone's had a good run-out. "Unfortunately, second-row is such a competitive area this year, but I'd certainly have my fingers crossed for him, brother Richie, or both. Bath (free agent) and England. Height: 1.86m (6’ 1’’). Warburton only hit 78 (seven clean turnovers). DOB: 8/10/1992. Having watched the damage Saracens inflicted on Munster and then Clermont in the closing stages of Europe, the pair of them seem like essential inclusions if the Lions are to negate the influence of Reatllick and Sam Whitelock. He’s bigger than both Munster men. Last updated on 18 April 201718 April 2017.From the section Scottish Rugby. – The constant joker, seemingly, he likes the occasional nude pose. – The impression, at this moment, is that Gatland will keep faith with the man he backed four years ago when dropping Brian O’Driscoll. – One of nine returning Welshmen from the 3-0 series thumping in New Zealand last summer. The oldest tourist is desperate to atone for his dodgy throwing in 2013, that being the only obvious stain in the latter part of this fine 12 year international innings that has seen him become one of the most successful Ireland captains ever (beating all three southern hemisphere nations in 2016 secures that accolade even if they lost the Springbok series 2-1 and New Zealand brutalised his team into submission in Dublin). There’s a misconception out there that the former Leinster midfielder is attempting a Sam Burgess-type code cross. Beware the show and go. Itoje has already shown glimpses of being Brodie Retallick’s equal, of curtailing Sam Cane’s breakdown supremacy, of denying Kieran Read’s uncanny ability to steal back restarts, and he might tweak the timing of late tackles – as seen in Dublin – to obliterate Beauden Barrett. DOB: 11/7/1985. The probability of Sexton staying healthy is unlikely. DOB: 30/3/1993. "The difference with New Zealand is they'll try and knock the tour over before the Tests," he said. Watch and learn the Official Tour songs to help show your support when cheering on the Lions. Smith insists there is sufficient quality across the home nations to win a series there for the first time since 1971 but warns that tackling the world's best team on their own patch will present huge and unique challenges. Former Scottish and Lions player reveals that he is suffering with motor neurone disease Doddie Weir earned 61 Scotland caps during an illustrious career. Height: 1.84m (6’ 0’’). Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, a Glaswegian mother allowed him further his career with Scotland after he failed to make the cut in Belfast. Defensively relentless enough to make the 12 jersey his own every Saturday on tour. Deserving tourist, nothing more. Height: 1.84m (6’0)”. Not really. Height: 1.80m (5’ 11’’). It could be the influence of Andy Farrell (or Stuart Lancaster) but Sexton’s tackle technique seems less kamikaze. The effervescent flanker has shone in an Edinburgh side swamped by malaise. Decent hands and punchy ball carrier, George has won every possible club and national honour in the northern hemisphere. Weight: 87kg (13st 9lbs). Detroit Lions Roster: View the most up to date roster from the Detroit Lions – A babe in propping years and experience with all eight England caps coming this season off the bench. No mean feat that. – Passed out in the English pecking order by Vunipola, he showed enough during the Six Nations, while his Saracens rival was injured, to send Healy on tour of US and Japan. After missing the Six Nations through injury, Gatland knew to include the 27-year-old in his touring party at the expense of Joe Launchbury despite the starting Wasps lock outstanding form. Weight: 103kg 16st 3lbs). Scarlets and Wales. 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