WITH THEIR PRE-tour camp in Jersey getting now in full swing, Warren Gatland and his Lions coaching staff will continue to mull over the selection options in their 37-man squad ahead of the tour to South Africa.
The Lions’ first game against Japan in Edinburgh is in just 10 days’ time, so we at The42 will use the coming days to work through Gatland’s squad in four positional groupings – front rows, locks and back rows, halfbacks, and centres and back threes.
The format listed below is [age, national team Test caps, Lions Test caps].
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Loosehead props
Mako Vunipola [30, 67, 6]
Wyn Jones [29, 35, 0]
Rory Sutherland [28, 16, 0]
Rory Sutherland at the Lions’ golf and beach day in Jersey today. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO
Mako Vunipola is the Lions incumbent here, having played in all six of the Test games on the last two tours to Australia and New Zealand. His most recent international form with England hasn’t been compelling but he has huge credit in the bank with Gatland.
At his best, Vunipola is a relentlessly effective tackler and very capable of winning collisions with ball in hand. He is very comfortable as a link passer too. The Lions coaches will, however, be cognisant of the fact that Vunipola was part of the English pack that was savaged by the Springboks’ scrum in the 2019 World Cup final. Vunipola is the heaviest of the loosehead options at 121kg to Jones’ 118kg and Sutherland’s 113kg.
Jones is the form option in terms of international rugby, having excelled in Wales’ Six Nations success this year. He hasn’t always been a standout at Test level – he still has more replacement appearances than starts – but has really matured recently.
One of Jones’ strengths is his competitiveness at the defensive breakdown, while he also has good handling skills.
Sutherland is the dark horse of the loosehead trio and another relatively late developer, having previously been crippled by injuries. He has played just 16 Tests for Scotland but his form in recent seasons has been superb.
The Edinburgh man is an excellent tackler, bringing devastating impact to many of his hits, while he brings an aggressive edge to his ball-carrying.
Sutherland conceded just two penalties [one at the scrum] in his five Six Nations appearances this year, whereas Jones gave up nine [five at the scrum] and Vunipola conceded 10 [five at the scrum].
Sutherland dislocated his shoulder in the final game of the Six Nations and hasn’t played since, but is expected to be fit in time for the start of the Lions’ tour.
Jones is the form selection at loosehead but Sutherland could well grab his opportunity and enjoy a rise to play Tests, although one senses that Gatland would dearly love to see the experienced Vunipola deliver his world-class best over the coming weeks.
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Hookers
Jamie George [30, 59, 3]
Ken Owens [34, 82, 2]
Luke Cowan-Dickie [27, 31, 0]
Ken Owens during altitude training this week. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO
Jamie George started all three Tests last time around for the Lions in New Zealand but, again, it’s a Welshman who carries the best Test form into this series. Ken Owens is 34 now but was excellent in Wales’ Six Nations success this year.
George, who was been playing in the Championship with Saracens this season alongside Vunipola, only started two of England’s five games in the Six Nations, with Exeter man Luke Cowan-Dickie preferred to start in the other three.
Cowan-Dickie’s form for Exeter has been excellent for a long time and he was effective for England in the recent championship, nailing his 32 lineout throws at a 100% success rate – which compares favourably with Owens’ 56 throws for 89% and George’s 23 for 87%, even if we know these success rates are down to collective efforts.
Cowan-Dickie is a very consistent chop tackler and also the strongest breakdown jackal of the three hookers, although Owens and George are very tough defenders as well.
George is a dynamic attacking hooker and his average gain of 4.09 metres per carry in the Six Nations stacks up well against Cowan-Dickie’s 2.37 metres and Owens’ 1.38. George does tend to make more of his carries out in the 15-metre channel, however, and is very comfortable at playing a wide forward role in his team’s attacking shape.
Owens has the most miles on the clock and has Lions Test experience from 2017, when he made two replacement appearances, while he is considered a strong leader and a very positive influence on team-mates.
Gatland will value his touring qualities but Owens, who is the heaviest of the three hooker options, will rightly be targeting a first Test start.
Cowan-Dickie might be considered a strong bench impact player as Gatland looks to counter the Springboks’ ‘Bomb Squad,’ while George will be determined to keep his place as first-choice Lions hooker.