“From a Lions perspective, it couldn’t have gone worse for Ireland.”
Every four years, we say we’ll get behind the British & Irish Lions but we pine for as many our own players as possible. Going into this year’s Six Nations, it looked as though Ireland – conquerors of the All Blacks in Chicago – and England would make up the bulk of the Lions squad.
With one game to go, as few as five Irish players are “nailed on” to tour New Zealand this summer.
That is the opinion of former Ireland internationals Donncha O’Callaghan and Kevin McLaughlin on The Hard Yards rugby podcast [from 45:30 below]. O’Callaghan, who toured twice with the Lions, and McLaughlin feels Warren Gatland may side with his own Welsh players over Irish if it comes to a 50/50 call and believe this weekend’s game against England is make or break.
https://soundcloud.com/thehardyardssportsjoe/episode-6-the-cardiff-post-mortem-stopping-englands-march-lions-places-and-sharks
Losing 22-9 to Wales, last Friday, has done some serious damage to Irish Lions hopefuls. The result, O’Callaghan believes, has shot Sam Warburton up as a potential Lions captain [he led them in 2013] and has booked a seat on the plane for Alun Wyn Jones.
When it comes to Ireland’s guaranteed tourists, O’Callaghan agrees that Conor Murray, Johnny Sexton, Jack McGrath and Tadhg Furlong are “nailed-on” while McLaughlin feels Rory Best is a certainty to travel.
But what of our much vaunted back row of CJ Stander, Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip? McLaughlin says:
“On paper, who are the three back rows you want? You want Heaslip, Stander and O’Brien every time but the fact is Warburton came in and had his best game for a long time. He always seems to peak in Lions seasons.
“This weekend is huge and it adds another layer of spice onto the game… If Ireland lose and they lose comprehensively, a lot of guys who were in the mix for the Lions are going to come out, and it will make Gatland’s job a lot easier.”
Stopping the English Grand Slam, clinching a top seeding for the 2019 World Cup and booking a flight to New Zealand – three massive reasons for Ireland to get revved up for this Saturday’s game.
All those and pride too.
