Shades of the 2005 Lions Tour to New Zealand.
Clive Woodward thought he had a pretty decent squad to take on the All Blacks back then. After the First Test he had lost Brian O’Driscoll, Lawrence Dallaglio, Richard Hill, Iain Balshaw, Richard Grewcock and Malcolm O’Kelly.
This time around, there are claims that the British & Irish Lions have put together the strongest squad of rugby’s professional era. That will be put to the test once the injuries start rolling in.
Before the Lions even set off for New Zealand, they may have to call on a replacement for Welsh captain Alun Wyn Jones. The lock was named in his third Lions squad, on April 19, but is currently out of action with a shoulder injury.
Wyn Jones damaged his shoulder in the Six Nations finalé against France on March 18. Two days later, the Welsh Rugby Union released a statement confirming that ‘following scans and orthopaedic consultation, he will undergo an initial six week period of rehabilitation’.
Wyn Jones’ shoulder was reassessed late lask week and SportsJOE understands his chances of making the Lions Tour are receding. At best, he is rated at 50/50 to make the six-week tour.
Despite making a graduated return to training, he is not likely to feature again for Ospreys. The final call won’t come until mid May, though, and not until medical staff, and the player himself, sees how the shoulder responds to full contact. Until then, Jones will continue to visit a hyperbaric chamber at the South Wales Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre to help with his rehab and muscle repair.
It is for this reason that Gatland, having spoken with Wyn Jones in late March, began to come around to the idea of Sam Warburton getting the Lions captaincy for the second tour running. Warburton will not play Cardiff again this season but he is expected to recover in time from his knee injury to make the start of the tour, possibly featuring against Auckland Blues on June 7.
Gatland acknowledges that calling up reserves will be necessary on, and even before, the tour to New Zealand. While many would assume Joe Launchbury is the next lock likely to be called up, Gatland and assistant coach Steve Borthwick have two other men in mind.
George Kruis went from Lions outsider to squad member and now, due to his experience with England and close working relationship with Borthwick, may now be destined for the starting XV. If Wyn Jones does not prove his fitness in time, the Lions will need a second lineout leader.
To that end, the two men in contention are Donnacha Ryan [Ireland] and Luke Charteris [Wales].
Ryan is coming to the end of his final season at Munster – he is signing with Racing 92 this summer – and it is his best season yet. He started both Ireland games against New Zealand, last November, at lock and called their lineout in a dominant win over England.
Charteris may have himself struggled with Racing 92 but he is tried and trusted with both Gatland and Rob Howley’s Wales. The 34-year-old has done well for Bath this season and should be party of a Wales summer party that will spend its time in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.
While many in Ireland will feel Ryan would be the favourite here, this is the same Warren Gatland that has included 12 Welshmen in his squad and who called up Shane Williams from international retirement as a replacement on the 2013 Lions Tour.
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