Okay, there are 11 Irish players in the British & Irish Lions squad but we want more.
The Lions Tour to New Zealand is a mere five weeks away and pundits, fans and former players are already selecting their starting XVs for the First Test, on June 24.
The Hard Yards rugby podcast asked Ronan O’Gara, Kevin McLaughlin and Fionn Carr to agree on their Lions XV and this is what we got:
Eight Irishmen is just about as biased as you can get but the Lions Tour will be as testing as they come. Form on the ground will be crucial so each of those eight players mentioned [above] have a chance of starting against the All Blacks.
Over in The Telegraph, former England and Lions centre Will Greenwood has run his eye over the 41-man squad and offered his take on their Test chances. Greenwood has a host of complimentary things to say about the Irish contingent but reserves his highest praise for two men.
As for one of the first names on the Lions team-sheet, Greenwood believes Tadhg Furlong is ‘pretty certain’ to get the red No.3 jersey. He writes:
‘Respected by all and a rock when Ireland beat all three southern hemisphere teams… Unlike most tighthead props on the planet, he’s comfortable to receive the ball in his hands and contributes around the field.’
He certainly bloody well does.
Just freak power from Tadhg Furlong #SitDownLads #IREvNZL pic.twitter.com/lssi6Df8Cm
— Three Red Kings (@threeredkings) November 19, 2016
There are glowing words for the likes of Jonathan Sexton, CJ Stander and Conor Murray but his respect for Munster captain Peter O’Mahony is clear.
Back in 2015, when Ireland reclaimed their Six Nations title, Greenwood named him in his team of the tournament and came out with one hell of a quote:
“If all the wild horsemen of the apocalypse came around the corner O’Mahony would charge straight back at them.”
We wouldn’t put it past the lad.
In his Lions run-down, Greenwood is equally effusive about the Cork native. Describing O’Mahony as a defensive menace who also has the ability to join attacks in the right place at the right time, he adds:
‘I just love watching O’Mahony play.
‘Could come back from New Zealand a legend – he is a man born to be a great Lion.’
Love it, Will. Love it.
Greenwood also likens Iain Henderson to fellow Ulsterman Jeremy Davidson as a player that made the tour ‘under the radar’ and who could, like Davidson did in 1997, star in the Test Series.
The former centre, and World Cup winner, got his Devin Toner for the Lions prediction wrong but we don’t think Furlong will let him, or the Lions, down.
