What do you mean it’s not a team of CJ Standers?
The Six Nations is over, we’re a week out from celebrating the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising and it’s less than a fortnight till the clocks go forward, so obviously it is time to pick the 2017 Lions squad.
Stephen Jones has had a go at picking his 35-man travelling party in the Sunday Times and, unsurprisingly, it includes a few interesting selections.
If Jones picked a squad everyone agreed with this would be an exercise in futility.
So, no Johnny Sexton, no Conor Murray, no Brian O’Driscoll, no Paul O’Connell and no Garry Ringrose.
Outrageous.
On the other hand the renowned rugby correspondent would bring Ultan Dillane and Iain Henderson to face the mighty All Blacks in New Zealand next summer.
The other Irish included are Dave Kearney, Robbie Henshaw and Jack McGrath. So, just five Irishmen compared to 13 from the Grand Slam winning English team, a dozen Welsh men and six Scots.
The identity of the Irish players selected by Jones is a sign of the times and the changing of the Irish guard, at least in the eyes of those on the outside looking in.
Stephen Jones’ 2017 Lions squad
Fullback: Stuart Hogg (Scotland), Mike Brown (England) and Leigh Halfpenny (Wales).
Wing: George North (Wales), Anthony Watson (England) and Dave Kearney (Ireland).
Centre: Jamie Roberts (Wales), Jonathan Davies (Wales), Robbie Henshaw (Ireland) and Elliot Daly (England).
Out-half: Owen Farrell (England), Finn Russell (Scotland) and Dan Biggar (Wales).
Scrum-half: Rhys Webb (Wales), Ben Youngs (England) and Greig Laidlaw (Scotland).
Prop: Jack McGrath (Ireland), WP Nel (Scotland), Samson Lee (Wales), Mako Vunipola (England) and Jake Cooper-Woolley (England).
Hooker: Dylan Hartley (England), Jamie George (England) and Richard Hibbard (Wales).
Second Row: Luke Charteris (Wales), Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), Ultan Dillane (Ireland), Jonny Gray (Scotland) and George Kruis (England).
Back Row: Sam Warburton (Wales), John Hardie (Scotland), Iain Henderson (Ireland), Maro Itoje (England), James Haskell (England), Billy Vunipola (England) and Toby Faletau (Wales).
