British & Irish Lions Test Team Announced - 2nd TEST MATCH
British and Irish Lions team
R Kearney (Leinster and Ireland);
T Bowe (Ospreys and Ireland),
B O'Driscoll (Leinster and Ireland),
J Roberts (Cardiff Blues and Wales),
L Fitzgerald (Leinster and Ireland);
S Jones (Scarlets and Wales),
M Phillips (Ospreys and Wales);
G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues and Wales),
M Rees (Scarlets and Wales),
A Jones (Ospreys and Wales),
S Shaw (Wasps and England),
P O'Connell (Munster and Ireland, capt),
T Croft (Leicester and England),
D Wallace (Munster and Ireland),
J Heaslip (Leinster and Ireland).
Replacements:
R Ford (Edinburgh and Scotland),
A Sheridan (Sale Sharks and England),
A-W Jones (Ospreys and Wales),
M Williams (Cardiff Blues and Wales),
H Ellis (Leicester and England),
R O'Gara (Munster and Ireland),
S Williams (Ospreys and Wales).
British & Irish Lions Test Team Announced - 1st TEST MATCH
The team to play the SpringBok on Saturday 20th June, in Durban has been formally announced by Ian McGeechan. For match times and fixtures listing click here
Paul O'Connell will have the honour of leading out the 2009 British & Irish Lions test team.
Here it is!! Compare to our fantasy team selection below:
British Lions Test Team
1. Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
2. Lee Mears (Bath/England)
3. Phil Vickery (London Wasps/England)
4. Alun-Wyn Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
5. Paul O'Connell (Munster/Ireland) Captain
6. Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers/England)
7. David Wallace (Munster/Ireland)
8. Jamie Heaslip (Leinster/Ireland)
9. Mike Phillips (Ospreys/Wales)
10. Stephen Jones (Scarlets/Wales)
11. Ugo Monye (Harlequins/England)
12. Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
13. Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster/Ireland)
14. Tommy Bowe (Ospreys/Ireland)
15. Lee Byrne (Ospreys/Wales)
Replacements
16. Matthew Rees (Scarlets/Wales)
17. Adam Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
18. Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster/Ireland)
19. Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
20. Harry Ellis (Leicester Tigers/England)
21. Ronan O'Gara (Munster/Ireland)
22. Rob Kearney (Leinster/Ireland)
South Afica Test Team Announced!
South Africa Coach, Peter de Villiers has announced his test team to play the British & Irish Lions on Saturday at Durban.
The Springbok team for the first Test against the British & Irish Lions is (Test caps in brackets):
15. Frans Steyn (27)
14. JP Pietersen (24)
13. Adi Jacobs (21)
12. Jean de Villiers (46)
11. Bryan Habana (46)
10. Ruan Pienaar (27)
9. Fourie du Preez (43)
8. Pierre Spies (19)
7. Juan Smith (54)
6. Heinrich Brüssow (1)
5. Victor Matfield (80)
4. Bakkies Botha (55)
3. John Smit (81) – captain
2. Bismarck du Plessis (21)
1. Tendai Mtawarira (10)
Replacements:
16. Gurthrö Steenkamp (20)
17. Deon Carstens (7)
18. Andries Bekker (13)
19. Danie Rossouw (36)
20. Ricky Januarie (34)
21. Jaque Fourie (42)
22. Morné Steyn (uncapped)
OUR test team selection has been made
We have seen all the games to date, and have pick our Lions Test team base on performance and flare!
1. Sheridan
2. Lee Mears
3. Phil Vickery
4. Paul O'Connell (Captain)
5. Alun-Wyn Jones
6. David Wallace
7. Tom Croft
8. Jamie Heaslip
9. Mike Phillips
10. Stephen Jones
11. Ugo Monye
12. Jamie Roberts
13. Brian O'Driscoll
14. Tommey Bowe
15. Lee Byrne
Even though we think O'Dricscoll should be captain, we guess the big fella will get given the title.
Double Blow for Lions. Ferris & Halfpenny out!
One of the best players of the tour so far, Stephen Ferris has been injured in training and ruled out for the rest of the tour. His replacement has been called up and is on his way to join the Lions. Welsh back row, Ryan Jones has been selected to back up the Lions team, and will arrive on Thursday with the newly selected Lions kicking coach, Neil Jenkins.
Jones, brings a lot of experience, with him, and was left out of the Lions squad after a weak performance over the past year, however a well respected player he will slot in very easily at the Lions camp.
Ferris who has had a stormer of a tour so far, one of our favourite players, ruptured a knee ligament on Monday training with the Lions and will be out for 4-6 weeks. We wish him a quick recovery, but he will be one to watch for the future.
The second blow Leigh Halfpenny, the 20 year old back, has also been ruled out for the rest of the tour and is on his way back home with Ferris. The Cardiff Blue's youngster, was delayed on joining the Lions tour due to a thigh injury and finally got a run out against the Cheetahs. However the thigh problem flared up again in the game and training has ruled Halfpenny out for the rest of the tour.
We're sure he has a few Lions tours left in him yet, and wish him a quick recovery.
D'arcy called up for the Lions -3rd June2009
With injury concerns in the Lions back line, Ireland centre Gordon D'Arcy has been called up from reserves to join the squad.
Injuury concerns include: Riki Flutey has a knee ligament strain, Keith Earls sustained a minor shoulder injury against the Royal XV while Luke Fitzgerald has a chest infection.
McGeechan has said: "Gordon's partnership with Brian O'Driscoll is a proven one and can only benefit the Lions' squad here in South Africa.
"Gordon showed in the European Cup final (when Leinster beat Leicester 19-16) and the recent Barbarians match against England (when they won 33-26) that he is back to his best.
British Lions Squad Rapidly Changing - 21st May 2009
The British & Irish Lions Squad is being hit by injuries on a big scale. With the original 37 man squad no more, Ian McGeehcan has decided to reduce it down to his planned 36 man squad, however this is changing yet again.
So who is in an and who is out?
OUT: Tom Shanklin - Injured Shoulder IN: No replacement to be made
OUT: Leigh Halfpenny - Injured thigh IN: To be decided
OUT: Tomas O'Leary - Injured ankle IN: Mike Blair
OUT: Alan Quinlan - Banned IN: Tom Croft
OUT: Jerry Flannery - Injured elbow IN: To be decided
Delon Armitage or even Josh Lewsey could be called up to replace Leigh Halfpenny, however the young welsh player will only miss the start of the tour, so any replacement might only get the Lions jersey for a few games. Halfpenny who was playing semi-pro rugby only a year ago is hoping for a quick recovery.
Jerry Flannery chipped his bone in his elbow in training on Wednesday, ruling the Irish hooker out for the tour. Flannery is a big blow to the Lions, performing brilliantly in the 6 nations of 2009. Either Rory Best or Ross Ford are on to replace him before the end of this week.
The Lions squad due to fly out end of this week with the opening game on the 30th May, so lets hope there aren't any more changes or injuries!
Irish Out, Scottish In - 11th May 2009
Irish scrum half, Tomas O'Leary is out of the Lions tour after breaking his ankle against the Scarlets on 24th April. The Munster player suffered a horrific injury which will rule him out of competitive rugby for at least a year, we wish him all the best and quick recovery and British Lions.com.
The Scottish captain has beaten rivals to replace O'Leary, fending off Dwayne Peel and Peter Stringer.
I'm really pleased to have been given the opportunity to tour, it is a massive honour," he said.
"Mike is an excellent addition to the squad," head coach Ian McGeechan added.
"As a national captain he is well respected by his peers and a very capable and experienced scrum-half."
Shanklin Not To Be Replaced 8th may 2009
Tom Shanklin will not be replaced for the British & Irish Lions Tour this summer. The Welsh and Cardiff centre, dislocated his shoulder and has been ruled out of action for six weeks.
Surprisingly, Ian McGeechan has said Shanklin will not be replaced, and the 36 -strong squad is perfect for the tour.
"When we selected the extra player back in April we were really trying to cover all our bases regarding the Heineken Cup final, where we could have been without 16 players," McGeechan told a news conference .
"As it's transpired, for the first two tour games we can cover the squad and really we want to give the opportunity and the responsibility to the players who are there to try to fill that role.
Going back to 36 just gives us the chance to give players and combinations a bit more game time which is so important with so little time before the first test."
