The 2017 Lions squad has assembled.
Four nations have come together under the British & Irish Lions banner and they all know the end goal – defeat New Zealand in a Test Series for the first time in 46 years.
Warren Gatland and his coaching staff set a gentle enough agenda at Syon House, on Monday, before releasing the Lions back to their clubs and provinces. The first seeds were planted about the enormity of the task at hand. They also doled out some great Lions stash:
What a bloody stash! https://t.co/i6gprEQscH
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) May 9, 2017
Gatland and his backroom team convened in a large meeting room at Syon to get the introductions out of the way.
Sam Warburton, captain for the second tour in succession, also shared some thoughts on the challenges, and adventures, that lie ahead. There were few smiles but the Lions players appeared to be hanging on each word.
Almost as many members of the backroom staff as players. If you want to know where the Scots crew is, Greig Laidlaw, Stuart Hogg and Tommy Seymour are planted in the back row.
Former England international Kyran Bracken was not the only one to notice the national divides in the room.
Anyone else notice all English players to the right? Welsh to the left? Won't be long before they mix! #AllForOne pic.twitter.com/lvTr5mp28H
— Kyran Bracken (@KyranBracken) May 8, 2017
Bracken is not wrong. Our crude graphics show how players from each our the four ‘home’ nations were grouped together.
However, knowing how Gatland and his staff handled the matter of four countries, one team last time out, there is a simple explanation for the divide.
Players from each country were directed towards the seats before, when the meeting commenced, being told that this would be the final time they would be looked upon as Irish, Scottish, Welsh and English.
Following Warburton’s speech, the squad were told they were now one unit and that pulling together for one cause was the goal, and the mind-set that would see the Lions through in New Zealand.
Once that wrapped, and the photo-call was announced, the players were immediately mingling.
Conor Murray, Jack McGrath and Dan Biggar (©INPHO/Dan Sheridan)Words are words but it will take each and every player to embrace the concept over the coming weeks if the Lions are to stand any chance of pulling off a shock series win.
