Lions 2013 - England Lions =10 -Lancaster congratulates them
By RFU Press Office
April 30 2013
STUART LANCASTER today congratulated the 10 England players selected in this summer’s British & Irish Lions touring party.
Backs Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), Owen Farrell (Saracens) Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers), and forwards Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Matt Stevens (Saracens), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers), Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers) Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers) All have been named in the 37-man squad for the tour to Hong Kong and Australia which includes three Tests against the Wallabies. England Head Coach Lancaster said: “Being selected by the British & Irish Lions is a major honour and I know the England players named in the squad today will do the jersey proud. “I’m sure they will contribute a great deal to the tour and coming into a new environment with the best players from Ireland, Scotland and Wales will only enhance their development as players and people. “Taking on Australia away from home in three Tests is a great challenge but one I know they will relish. Everyone involved in England Rugby will be cheering them on.” The 10-match tour opens against the Barbarians in Hong Kong on June 1 with Tests against Australia on June 22 (Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane), June 29 (Etihad Stadium, Melbourne) July 6 (ANZ Stadium, Sydney). |
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Unhappiness, where's when I was young
And we didn't give a damn
'Cause we were raised
To see life as a fun and take it if we can
Struggling a bit to get me head around WG fretting about selecting so many Englishmen a few months ago yet so comfortable selecting so many Welshmen based on seemingly one game and the skipper could have been anyone TBF ............... yet he opted for one on the verge of mental meltdown in the AI's.
We should really do the Aussies but if we don't, WG will be mercilessly hung in the papers after doing a SCW.
Matty Stevens ................ a bit of a risk eh.
A Bad day for the ethos of the lions which has always been to pick the best players irrespective of country and coach them into a world class team.
Coaching staff clearly don't think they can do that so they've picked players who know their coaching styles .
As for Warburton, he wouldn't even stand up to captain the 6nations decider. Some leader he is. But he's Gatland's man. Lets face it Paul O'Connell wouldn't allow himself to become a puppy dog like that.
Having said that I cannot for the life of me see how Matt Stevens can be selected with any justification. He's not played at the highest standard this year because I believe he made himself unavailable for England.
The Irish and Paul O'Connel in particular must feel mightily aggrieved about the captaincy.
I'm English so I will not dispute the English players apart from saying I wish that the Lions were going down under without a single member of our squad. We have some serious work to do in Argentina and it will be difficult enough without Andy Farrell and Graham Rowntree.
Good luck Lions but I sincerely hope this is your last hurrah.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:05:02:13:50:41 by Timberline.