Five Lions omissions that could have turned the series

With the series over and the Springboks claiming a 2-1 triumph, features writer James While discusses which players could have altered the result.

Selection, particularly during a Lions tour, is always a huge debate but there were several surprising omissions as South Africa edged to a 19-16 victory in the third and deciding Test.

Joe Marler (England)

A staggering omission considering the mighty Quin wasn’t even consulted on his availability, which he confirmed on his own twitter feed. Marler has developed from an angry man with a point to prove to arguably the most effective scrummager on the loosehead in the world. Not only that, but he’s a stomach for confrontation and in a series where all three Lions looseheads predictably struggled to exert themselves at scrum-time, leaving him at home in Brighton was perplexing in the extreme.

Marler and Warren Gatland have a bit of history, with the outspoken Joe considered a disruptive influence on the 2017 New Zealand tour, but since then, the colourful prop has opened up about his own mental health issues and become a man liberated by his own honesty and openness. He stopped the scrummage rot in the 2019 World Cup final and it’s criminal he wasn’t allowed another shot at the big prize on this tour, as there’s no doubt he was the best loosehead available to the Lions.

Johnny Sexton (Ireland)

Sure, he has a lot of fitness issues, but he also has a lot of experience. It was ironic that the more the Test series panned out, the more the aerial battle and the kicking dual took centre stage. When it comes to getting sides going forward with the boot and Garryowen, there’s none better than the veteran Irishman and, looking back, the Lions were possibly one forward heavy and one back light in their selection options.

His leadership, calmness and organisational skills were sorely missed too and, in a series where margins were so tight, his ability to gain metres and to drop bombs of atomic proportions would have seen him prosper. His omission was marginal on all accounts, but then again, so was the series.

Billy Vunipola (England)

When the tour schedule was announced, the split was two Tests on the Highveld at altitude and one in Cape Town at sea level. Both venues require a different skill set and perhaps it was concerns over the game time in Vunipola’s legs, combined with an average season by his high standards, that saw him left alone.

But the number eight is a tractor – a four wheel drive mud plugger of power, physicality and momentum – and ironically, the series was played on something resembling a ploughed field at sea level, conditions in which Vunipola reigns supreme. He might not have quite the athletic ability of others selected but, in series defined by gain line physicality, there’s no doubt he would have contributed to an environment absolutely made for his own style of short, close quarter power and offered Warren Gatland a point of difference in the back-row.

Jonathan Davies (Wales)

OK, the Fox is coming to the end of his magnificent career and isn’t even sure of a starting berth in a Welsh side fused with the running ambitions of head coach Wayne Pivac. However, there’s method in our madness here; Davies is a master controller of match situations in times of chaos. He’s a brilliant cleaner-up of scraps and bouncing balls, and a formidable opponent at 6’2” in the aerial kicking cacophony.

Add to that his sheer experience in big game situations and his knowledge of working with players like Robbie Henshaw and Dan Biggar on tour and you will see that his leadership, organisational skills and ability to ignite attacks off scraps were sorely missed. They say form is temporary but, in the case of the Fox, class is permanent.

Danny Care (England)

You could honestly put this selection down as somewhat ‘Care-less’, both physically and metaphorically. Apparently Care was on the plane until an hour or so before the selection was announced when there was a bit of a turnaround in opinion and Gareth Davies got the nod. He might not be Eddie Jones’ favourite person and seemingly, his love of the simple pleasures of the occasional cigarette and the odd pint has caused serious issues in terms of Jones’ perception of the brilliant scrum-half, but in a series where no half-back distinguished himself, ignoring Care’s amazing form at the end of the Premiership season was quite remarkable.

His kicking game is refined, his passing perfect for the close quarter game we saw in South Africa and we are pretty sure if Warren Gatland had his time over again, Care would be one player sure of making the cut.

By James While