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Tuilagi named in Scrum V's 36-man Lions squad
By Josh Raisey
England’s Manu Tuilagi has made Scrum V’s 36-man British and Irish Lions squad despite still being out with an Achilles injury.
The 2013 tourist has been out of action since September, but made the squad on the BBC Scrum V Rugby podcast selected by 2009 and 2013 tourists Tommy Bowe and Adam Jones, as well as former Wales fly-half Nick Robinson and presenters Gareth Rhys Owen and Lauren Jenkins.
Bowe and Jones are best remembered for their exploits on the 2009 Lions tour in South Africa, where the Irishman was one of the standout players on the tour and the Welshman was tasked with repressing Tendai ‘The Beast’ Mtawarira. However, they both played alongside Tuilagi four years later in Australia.
In the absence of George North in the centres, who recently sustained an ACL injury, there will be no lessening of physicality in the midfield with the addition of the Sale Sharks man. Though he is still yet to return, he is expected to be fit for the Lions tour and has proved over his ten-year Test career how devastating he can be when fully fit.
Elsewhere in the back line, there is no room for Finn Russell, who misses out on Scrum V’s squad, with Owen Farrell, Johnny Sexton and Dan Biggar being picked ahead of the Scot.
Though Farrell can be deployed in the centres, the reality is that one of these No10s could miss out in this slimline squad being selected by Warren Gatland, and it is Russell in this situation.
The squad is set to be announced next Thursday.
Scrum V’s Lions squad:
Forwards: Ken Owens, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Jamie George, Rory Sutherland, Wyn Jones, Mako Vunipola, Tadhg Furlong, Kyle Sinckler, Tomas Francis, Alun Wyn Jones, Maro Itoje, James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne, Iain Henderson, Tom Curry, Justin Tipuric, Hamish Watson, CJ Stander, Taulupe Faletau, Billy Vunipola.
Backs: Conor Murray, Gareth Davies, Tomos Williams, Dan Biggar, Owen Farrell, Johnny Sexton, Robbie Henshaw, Jonathan Davies, Garry Ringrose, Manu Tuilagi, Josh Adams, Anthony Watson, Duhan van der Merwe, Louis Rees-Zammit, Stuart Hogg, Liam Williams.
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Latest Comments
That is not what is selected.
Go to commentsABs by 4……
IF
The Razor gang has given the AB’s a game plan A, B, C & etc (unlike so many AB games since 2016). &
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AB’s play 80+ minutes. &
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ABs do their individual & team jobs error free (‘ish) (unlike so many AB team since 2016). &
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All the ‘critical V Ireland’ AB form mobile forwards stay on field for the 80min S.Barrett, Sititi, Savea, and Vaa’i swap with Cane when he tires & Tuipulotu comes on. Finau back up. &
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The 10's get a better ‘cunning game plan’ than BB, ie his kicky, kicky, kicky, kicky, kicky, kicky, kicky, ETC! (& MacK does have a better game plan). &
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Aumua can throw to lineouts . &
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The AB’s can remember their lineout calls (unlike too many V England games 1, 2 & 3). &
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Williams can be coached to stop being sucked into experienced tactics to drop him to the ground. &
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The AB coaches, teach all ABs some ‘soccer like’ drama queen fouling acting skills to make clear to the ref 1 of the most common Irish tactics ie obstruction by ‘stray’ decoy attackers around contact zone (tackle, ruck, maul). &
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The ABs have their arm out away if not tackling any, again, decoy attackers (or defenders) that run into them to try milk penalties as England did (eg penalty against Cane the worst). &
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S.Barrett can change & captain with assertiveness & presence to even be noticed by the ref (way to passive). &
IF
There's no food poisoning.
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