Former British and Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton raised a few eyebrows today when he revealed a selection from the Lions XV that included just two English players. Rugby enthusiasts can book British lions 2021 tickets on our website at exclusively discounted prices.
Despite winning both the Guinness Six Nations and the Autumn
Nations Cup, Warburton did not see fit to reward them in this team selection,
instead choosing an Irish team to face the Springboks in South Africa in 2021.
Warburton, who headlined the 2017 tour of New Zealand,
revealed his selection on Twitter, writing: “What a game England. Look at my
Lion XV. What you think?”
In fairness to Warburton, although he did not specify it in
his Tweet, his selection was made in the context of his current form of the
weekend's Fall Nations Cup final, where England did not shoot, barely leaving
the line against a third party. French costume choice.
XV
LIONS OF SAM WARBURTON
1. Cyan Healy
2. Luke Cowan-Dickie
3. Andrew Porter
4. Maro Itoje
5. James Ryan
6. Justin Tipuric
7. Peter O'Mahoney
8. Taulupe Faletau
9. Conor Murray
10. Jonny Sexton
11. Keith Earls
12. Bundee Aki
13. Robbie Henshaw
14. Duhan van der Merwe
15. Jacob Stockdale
The Welshman's last rugby match was the Lions' test draw
against the All Blacks in June 2017. After the series in New Zealand, he underwent
neck surgery due to an ongoing injury followed by surgery for a proactive knee
in early 2018. Tried to get back in top shape. But he was unable to reach the
heights he desired and so he made the heartbreaking decision to retire at just
29 years old.
England head coach Eddie Jones has specified that he wants
20 English players to make the tour, an effort he believes will keep the
players going ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup. There will be a big chance of
that if Gatland chooses a team like Warburton's.
