British and Irish Lions squad to tour South Africa (from the BBC):
Full-back
Lee Byrne (28) Ospreys and Wales
Rob Kearney (23) Leinster and Ireland
Wing
Shane Williams (32) Ospreys and Wales
Leigh Halfpenny (20) Cardiff Blues and Wales
Ugo Monye (26) Harlequins and England
Luke Fitzgerald (21) Leinster and Ireland
Tommy Bowe (25) Ospreys and Ireland
Centres
Tom Shanklin (29) Cardiff Blues and Wales
Jamie Roberts (22) Cardiff Blues and Wales
Brian O'Driscoll (30) Leinster and Ireland
Keith Earls (21) Munster and Ireland
Riki Flutey (29) Wasps and England
Fly-half
Stephen Jones (31) Llanelli Scarlets and Wales
Ronan O'Gara (32) Munster and Ireland
Scrum-half
Mike Phillips (26) Ospreys and Wales
Harry Ellis (26) Leicester and England
Tomas O'Leary (25) Munster and Ireland
Prop
Gethin Jenkins (28) Cardiff Blues and Wales
Adam Jones (28) Ospreys and Wales
Andrew Sheridan(29) Sale and England
Phil Vickery (33) Wasps and England
Euan Murray (28) Northampton and Scotland
Hooker
Jerry Flannery (30) Munster and Ireland
Lee Mears (30) Bath and England
Matthew Rees (28) Llanelli Scarlets and Wales
Lock
Paul O'Connell, capt (29) Munster and Ireland
Alun Wyn Jones (23) Ospreys and Wales
Donncha O'Callaghan (30) Munster and Ireland
Nathan Hines (32) Perpignan and Scotland
Simon Shaw (35) Wasps and England
Back-row
Andy Powell (27) Cardiff Blues and Wales
Jamie Heaslip (25) Leinster and Ireland
Alan Quinlan (34) Munster and Ireland
Martyn Williams (33) Cardiff Blues and Wales
David Wallace (32) Munster and Ireland
Joe Worsley (31) Wasps and England
Stephen Ferris (23) Ulster and Ireland
So there we are: 14 Irishmen, 13 Welshmen, 8 Englishmen and 2 Scots.
Some big shocks there. Only 2 stand-offs. Only one 6 Nations captain (Brian O'Driscoll) makes it. There's no place for Ryan Jones or Tom Croft - both of whom would have been ahead of Andy Powell for me. Ugo Monje pips Paul Sackey for a spot on the wing, Keith Earls is a suprise choice at centre and Delon Armitage is wondering why he's been left behind. Harry Ellis looks like he may start at 9 after both him and Tomas O'Leary are selected ahead of Mike Blair. And then there's some huge guys in the pack - Powell, Quinlan and Worsley make it ahead of Jones, Croft and Taylor (who, in fairness, was my wild card pick!). I can't believe Simon Shaw is touring again - the only survivor from 1997 - while Mathew Rees pips Ross Ford and Rory Best for the third hookers spot and Adam Jones goes as an extra prop.
For me, the size of some of these guys provides evidence of how McGeechan wants the side to play. The pack will try to front up against what will be a huge South African pack, while even some of the backs (Jamie Roberts) are huge guys. I think the idea is to beef up the back to allow both Shane and Martyn Williams either to start or to come off the bench to provide a wee bit of flair - something that is considerably missing from this squad. The fact that only two 10s (Jones & O'Gara) are going suggests a conservative gameplan - though that might well come unstuck when the provincial sides target them. Expect we'll have to call up a replacement 10 at some point - Jonny Wilkinson, Danny Cipriani and James Hook should be sitting by their phone.
Prediction - South Africa to win. 3-0. Based on that squad, I don't think we have what it takes. I've been wrong before. Quite often in fact. Maybe I'll be wrong again.
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