Ireland forward to train with Lions as Gatland confirms 26-man island training squad
British & Irish Lions boss Warren Gatland has confirmed his 26-man training squad for Jersey.
The 26 includes Ireland forward Ronan Kelleher who will train with the squad, but who will not be added to squad.
The Ireland and Leinster hooker will be filling in for Saracens' Jamie George, who will be absent alongside Mako Vunipola, Maro Itoje, Owen Farrell and Elliot Daly while they compete in the two-legged Greene King IPA Championship play-off final against Ealing Trailfinders.
Kelleher started in Leinster's final game of the season on Friday at the RDS, a 38-7 win over the Dragons in the Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup.
A statement reads: "26 players have assembled in Jersey to begin preparations for The Vodafone Lions 1888 Cup game versus Japan on Saturday 26 June (kick off, 3pm). Please note that Ronan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby) will train with the squad this week, but has not been formally added to the 37-man touring squad.
“I’m delighted to welcome Ronan to train with the squad this week while we wait for Jamie George to complete his domestic season with Saracens next weekend,” said Warren Gatland.
BACKS (12):
Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby, Wales)
Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby, Ireland)
Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints, Wales)
Gareth Davies (Scarlets, Wales)
Chris Harris (Gloucester Rugby, Scotland)
Robbie Henshaw (Leinster Rugby, Ireland)
Conor Murray (Munster Rugby, Ireland)
Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland)
Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester Rugby, Wales)
Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, England)
Liam Williams (Scarlets, Wales)
FORWARDS (14):
Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby, Ireland)
Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby, Ireland)
Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland)
Taulupe Faletau (Bath Rugby, Wales)
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby, Ireland)
Iain Henderson (Ulster Rugby, Ireland)
Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys, Wales)
Wyn Jones (Scarlets, Wales)
Ronan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby, Ireland)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, England)
Ken Owens (Scarlets, Wales)
Rory Sutherland (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland)
Justin Tipuric (Ospreys, Wales)
Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland)
Latest Comments
> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
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