British and Irish Lions 2017- ‘Selection is always subjective’

British and Irish Lions 2017

 

‘Selection is always subjective’

 

After the smoke and mirrors, rumours and innuendo of the last 24 hours, the British and Irish Lions touring party has been announced at last and the speculation can end. The strength of interest in the Lions has been amply shown by the meltdown on social media that the announcement caused. Gatland and his coaching team have partly shown their hand but, until the group arrive in NZ intact, how they will play is not certain. The chosen team members now have to get through some of their most challenging games of the season with the various cup finals and league finales ahead. Everyone concerned will be crossing their fingers over the coming weeks that they emerge unscathed.

The appointment of Sam Warburton had been well trailed and, in most areas, welcomed. In Australia 2013, Warburton cut an impressive figure handicapping any attempts a hostile Australian media made to get the Australian public to turn on the tourists. The rabid NZ media will, no doubt, try their best to rattle him and the group but Warburton is a fine player and quality human being. Indeed, to most NZ parents he would their ideal choice as son-in-law, only just behind Richie Macaw. More pertinently, his form in the 6 Nations makes him a certain pick for the test side either at 6 or 7 and this versatility will augment the Lions test side. Becoming a Lions captain for a second time does not yet elevate Warburton to greatness, that is decided at the end of a career, but it is a supreme accolade and one that he is superbly equipped to succeed at again.

Much will be made over the omission of several players, Dylan Harley, Jamie Heaslip and several Scots are obvious but selection is not objective, it is a subjective exercise, and, inevitably, not everyone will agree. Gatland knows this and he will be judged by how his team plays. Players who have been left out should not be too aggrieved; Lions selection is not a right and it is certainly not based simply on your team’s performance. It is down to the qualities and playing skills of the individual player, how he will fit into the strategy and how will he react to being one of many superb players. Personality and a  positive supportive attitude will be vital; to be considered as elite means that a player has to be special, one that makes things happen rather than living off the efforts of his team mates and knows that the hard work starts now. Being selected is not enough to make you a Lion.

The selection does not show how the Lions will play; there are so many gifted players at Gatland’s disposal that he can choose his approach from a position of strength. The media will talk about ‘Warrenball’ as if it is a negative, on the other hand, what if it wins the series? It was ‘Warrenball’ that blew the Wallabies away in the third test where the Lions were relentless and irresistible; it is rugby played with pace, power and precision. Very much like the AB’s like to play. NZ will react pragmatically to the composition of the touring party as they will expect to win whoever has been picked. The first objective of a sell-out tour has already been achieved and their sole aim from now on will be to achieve a 3-0 series win. There is no-one coming to NZ that they fear. They respect the Lions, yes, but their expectation will be for a total victory.

When it comes down to the individual selections the choice of Kruis after such a long layoff could be a gamble but he is the best line-out caller in the 6 Nations and he adds real power to the scrum.  If he is fit, Launchbury will not start in the England team as Eddie Jones has shown. It probably came down to Lawes and Launchbury, and Lawes has massively improved his ball carrying while being considerably better at the line-out and restarts than Launchbury. Moriarty deserves his place on the plane; the quality of his performances could not be denied and his versatility will be critical on a tour where injuries are bound to happen. The omission of Dylan Hartley will take up some column inches tomorrow but his performance in the 6 Nations was disappointing and at no time did he look as good as any of the three players chosen ahead of him. George Ford, Finn Russell and Ringrose will get their chances again. They are not complete players yet, prone to errors and the occasional lapse in concentration, a weakness that would be ruthlessly highlighted in NZ. The Scots could complain about such paltry representation and argue that the team’s improvement in the 6 Nations deserved more recognition but the hammering at Twickenham exposed the lack of sustainable quality and lack of depth in a developing side.

So, after all the speculation can the Lions win? The answer is yes, as Gatland has said, ‘You wouldn’t get on the plane otherwise.’

The squad is packed with excellent players, the forwards will not shy away from the confrontation and the backs have pace to burn. The half backs can all bring something to the party and the competition between Webb and Murray at scrum half could well decide how the Lions will look to play. Murray box kicks and controls well but he was hustled out of his rhythm in Edinburgh and Cardiff .Webb is a real box of tricks, a constant threat that, if he controls his enthusiasm, can turn a game in an instant. His service is fast and the turn of pace he showed against the Irish was a revelation.  The Lions can win if they can match the AB’s physically and, provided they stick to their game plan and not be drawn into playing as NZ want, then they can snuff out what the AB’s thrive upon - loose ball and control where the game is played. The Lions will have to accept that the AB’s will score tries and they will be looking to run the ball when they are confident but they can be knocked out of their stride and that will be have been the key to Gatland’s selection. He wants players that will stand up to the men in black and never give up. Only time will tell if he has chosen the right men to do this.