Lions boss: Warren Gatland
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British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland will travel to Australia next year buoyed by high Anglo-Irish hopes following the recent Test matches.
At the same time as Kurtley Beale crossed for the late try that condemned Wales to a seventh consecutive defeat, and the third pool of IRB seeds for the 2015 World Cup draw, England were putting New Zealand to the sword.
The English team's stunning 38-21 win over the All Blacks, teamed with Ireland's 46-22 thrashing of Argentina, were the stand-out results of the November Test window, according to Gatland.
"There's no one pencilled in. There are some people we've been keeping an eye on," Gatland said after seeing his team lose 14-12 in Cardiff.
"England winning (against the All Blacks) was a great result for them. We'll need a good look at the game.
"And I thought the Ireland performance against Argentina was excellent last week. A few players put their hands up from that."
But Gatland, a former Connacht, Wasps and Ireland coach, warned that there was a lot of rugby still to play before any selections were made for the 35-man squad for the four-yearly tour, the last of which was lost 2-1 in South Africa in 2009.
"The autumn is just an indication and then you see what happens in the next couple of months and the Six Nations becomes very important," he said.
The showcase tournament for Europe's leading six countries was crucial "not just for players performing but also from a confidence level, and players coming from teams that are doing well in key positions. That will have a bearing on selection".
Australia's Kiwi coach Robbie Deans was in no doubt that Gatland, a former club rugby adversary when playing in New Zealand, would be up for the Lions.
"He was part of the coaching group in 2009 when the Lions toured South Africa, so he has got some runs on the board," Deans said of Gatland, a former Waikato hooker who played 17 times for the All Blacks but never in a Test.
"He understands the importance and the history of the Lions - it is a role he will take very seriously and he will want to be successful.
"We will prepare and focus on what we need to do, to come together and perform as best we can, but I am sure you will see a really united group arriving on these shores - it's going to be a fantastic series."
Deans added: "The Lions series is going to be huge. These blokes will have some respite, a good break, but I'm sure that in the back of their minds it's looming."
Next year's Lions tour to Australia is nothing but gruelling, the 35-strong squad expected to come together in a short space of time before playing six games and three Tests.
The tour actually kicks off in Hong Kong on June 1 against the Barbarians, before the Lions head to Australia, 2-1 victors over the last touring party from the home unions in 2001 but defeated 1-2 in 1989.
Gatland will take a back seat from his main Wales coaching job during the Six Nations in a bid to scout for potential players to fill the highly cosseted red Lions jersey.
Having already fired out warnings to his own squad of Welsh players about aptitude and fitness, Gatland seems sure to prove a hard taskmaster but likely to pick confident players who boss the game in winning teams.
Deans said that the fact Australia had now played Wales six times in a year would not affect the Lions tour.
"It's a totally different team and a totally different coaching team," he said. "They'll hatch fresh plans and throw everything at us, as we will them."
Comments
jonesy2 says...
haha
Posted 14:38 04th December 2012
gingergenius says...
@ daveyboyo - interesting how Tom Youngs misses out on your team for not enough experience at the top level, only to see you give the 2 jersey to Strauss (a man with one less cap!).
Not that it matters anyway. The problem with this autumn is that any optimism the Lions have is based on one single good performance from England, and one from Ireland.
Based on that, we really have to see this 6N how things go and that is a massive lottery.
At the moment, we'd have to say that any Northern Hemisphere side that succeeds does so on the basis of dominance up front - Wales won their grand slam on the back of a great pack, and the key elements that are injured/ past it/ off form is the main reason why Wales look so ordinary now.
This being said, the best pack by quite a country mile at the moment is England's so you'd have to say that the majority of forwards you'd expect to be English, with a few outstanding Celts or even a bolter like Steffon Armitage.
The backs are a different kettle of fish, because even players like Preistland who look poor behind a beaten pack are capable of looking quality when on the front foot.
Thus far, you'd have to say that fullback will be hotly contested and filled with a class act (probably Halfpenny or Kearney); they've got to find a place for Tuilagi; at the moment Cuthbert and Gilroy look like the form wingers. But this could all change.
Posted 14:32 03rd December 2012
TVaddict says...
@Norm, @daveyboyo
Ok, I don't think you guys understood me. This was a team I picked on Autumn performance alone. As if the last three or four games were the only time you'd even seen these players play. This was not me saying this should be the lions team, it was just a bit of fun about who has played well this autumn. So obvious those who were injured (i.e. Ferris) or those who didn't play well (i.e. Warburton) were not in the team. So on that note, norm, calm down! :)
Posted 10:47 03rd December 2012
NHsaints says...
I don't think people should get too carried away with that England win, we've still got alot of building to do but at the minute the Lions XV looks something like this on form (I'm including club and recent returns from injury) 1. Healey 2.Hartley 3.Cole 4.Launchberry/Lawes 5.Ryan 6.Wood 7.Rennie(?) 8.Morgan 9.Youngs 10.Sexton 11.Gilroy 12.Roberts 13.Tuilagi 14.Cuthberts/Ashton 15.Halfpenny/Goode. Now personally I'd include a couple of scottish players in the 23 (just to keep them happy) hence the Rennie selection, the problem is a quality 7, yes I know Robshaw is good but A: we've got to have balance and B: we can surely fit one of the irish back row in there with a bit of a shuffle (when returning from injury we want Ferris in but Wood is too good to go so I'd move Wood to 7, Ferris to 6.)
Posted 07:22 03rd December 2012
Norm says...
England fans great win the other day truly, but how many times are you going to make the mistake you have been repeating since 2003, that one good performance doesnt a resurgent England make!
Lucky for you I dont think Lancaster will make the same mistake and he will keep his feet on the ground.
And TV addict, Tom Youngs is so far away from even being in the queue for the plane to Oz I am not sure his passport application is even signed yet.
Posted 01:07 03rd December 2012
ABlack says...
Pick 5 or 6 England forwards, Philipps, Sexton and a couple of English backs and you will have a good chance in winning series against Aus. Will also depend on who Aus can get on the field for each of the 3 tests.
Posted 23:05 02nd December 2012
Startledwombat says...
All these kiwis congratulating England (and rightly so)
Well said Mr Gatland!
Posted 21:19 02nd December 2012
runnrugby says...
@ben7 That England side already lost to a weakened Aussie side this November. Not a good idea
Posted 19:48 02nd December 2012
daveyboyo says...
@TVaddict, I think your not far off with that team, but I dont think Launchbury or Youngs have enough experience yet at the top level...
Healy
Strauss
Cole
Gray
Ryan
Ferris
Robshaw
Faletau
Youngs
Sexton
North
Roberts
Tuilagi
Bowe
Halfpenny
Best
Ross
Corbisiero
AWJ/Charteris
O'Brien
Reddan
Jackson
Gilroy
Posted 18:04 02nd December 2012
Stugur says...
After Scotland's two in a row win, you could easily put the whole team in there!
Posted 15:18 02nd December 2012
passtheball says...
He could hardly hail Wales, could he?
Posted 14:55 02nd December 2012
Chubbylugs says...
The advantage that the welsh players will have is being used to the playing structure that gatland has employed with the welsh and wasps. My worry about this is that everyone has figured it out. Wales cannot play outside of this structure and once Roberts north etc are targeted, they end up only going sideways. It looks pretty, but can be ineffectual. I hope gatland is rethinking his approach and tactics because the Aussies are great at pulling together a strategy and being effective. the England game prime example
Posted 14:28 02nd December 2012
hollywoodhoppy says...
People keep on going on about Welsh players ,give thema break ,they haven't got alot of depth in welsh rugby and all the injuries to key players hasn't helped,if we had a pack like England and had quick ball our backs would break most defences,most of the key players will probably make the lions tour as you can lose form but not class as they say.Look at England yesterday ,came out with confidence and beat the best side in the world,bet no 1 though that would have happend after the Australia game ,but there's a lot of happy english men at the minute i hate to say lol
Posted 14:05 02nd December 2012
paddy91317 says...
@Ben7
Here we go condesending english man
Your just adding to this stereotype buddy
Posted 12:19 02nd December 2012
TVaddict says...
Cole and Tuilagi must be favourites for their positions for the lions tour. Plus Launchbury, Wood, Robshaw, Farrell, Corbasiero, Youngs (both) really made a statement for their inclusion as well. Brown was brilliant, but I still think he should be playing at 15 to be considered.
Based only on this Autumn alone and mostly inspired by the magnificent forward effort of England yesterday, I'd go for:
1) Healy
2) Youngs
3) Cole
4) Launchbury
5) Ryan
6) Wood
7) Robshaw
8) Morgan
9) Youngs
10) Sexton
11) Gilroy
12) Roberts
13) Tuilagi
14) Cuthbert
15) Halfpenny
Posted 11:42 02nd December 2012
dannyboy says...
@ben7 - A great win yesterday but let's just see how England does in the 6 nations.
The last thing the lions need is a team full of arrogance like the mess that was the England world cup squad. Midget tossing, boat jumping, and the various other activities the English got up to would turn stomachs, and not lead to a good atmosphere.
Already we saw the return of the repellant Ash Splash, and with Tuilagi calling the NZers losers, how quickly the worst of England comes to the surface!
Posted 11:13 02nd December 2012
ciaran1792 says...
After England's win over an all blacks team struck down with a virus. Only England could get such luck as the get the abs when they were sick lol. And November means nothing its performance in the six nations that matters.
Posted 10:47 02nd December 2012
Sincero says...
In fairness, though, I heard Sammy Warburton was distracted before the match because in the week leading up to the test he failed his driving test, which he's been trying to pass for ages.
Apparently the trouble started when the instructor asked if thought he were capable of making a U-turn, and Sammy became indignant and replied 'turn, look you?? I'm captain of Wales, boyo! I could make her bloody toes curl!!!...'
Posted 10:36 02nd December 2012
Sincero says...
Every single Welsh player who they were touting as definite Lions has now got to be in serious doubt of making the plane, let alone making the test XV. Philips, Roberts and Halfpenny descend right down the rankings in their positions. However, North and Warburton, the new young guns who were 'nailed on' for the jersey, have destroyed any reputations they had been building and hushed the taff hype fest. Terrible season to date for them with club and psuedo-country. At this stage we'll be taking perhaps one token taff, but only so we can tell the repertoire of Welshie jokes on the tour bus.
Posted 10:30 02nd December 2012
ben7 says...
After Englands win you could easily put the entire England team in there
Posted 09:58 02nd December 2012