Post by earl on Apr 21, 2009 17:03:43 GMT
Paul O’Connell has been confirmed as captain of the British and Irish Lions for their tour of South Africa, with Keith Earls a surprise addition to the squad.
The announcement of the British & Irish Lions squad was made in London by tour manager Gerald Davies and head coach Ian McGeechan. The tour party has a record 14 representatives from Ireland - including 8 from Munster - 13 from Wales, eight from England and two from Scotland.
O’Connell edged team-mate and Ireland’s Grand Slam-winning skipper Brian O’Driscoll for the most prestigious job in British and Irish rugby.
O'Driscoll, Ronan O'Gara, Rob Kearney, Luke Fitzgerald, Tomás O'Leary, Jamie Heaslip, David Wallace, Stephen Ferris, Tommy Bowe, Alan Quinlan, Donncha O'Callaghan and Jerry Flannery were other Irish players also selected for the tour.
Three RBS 6 Nations captains – Wales’ Ryan Jones, England’s Steve Borthwick and Scotland’s Mike Blair – failed to be selected.
O'Connell described his captaincy as a "fabulous honour".
"It's a fabulous honour," he said. "This was never something I aspired to do but to be selected is a great honour.
“I looked at the squad last night and it will be a privilege to lead them. It’s a great honour considering the captains that have gone before me, some of them legends of the game.
“Brian (O’Driscoll) gave me a ring the other day after we had spoken to Ian and was great about it.
“The main thing will be leaning on the experience of the coaches and leaders within the squad.
“It needs to be a big squad effort. That will be the secret to any success. The more people who have input the better.”
The 29-year-old Limerick man won three Lions caps against New Zealand in 2005 and was one of only two tourists to play in every minute of each Test, except for a spell in the sin-bin.
Since making a try-scoring debut against Wales in 2002 he has amassed 62 caps and become one of the northern hemisphere’s most respected players.
A destructive ball-carrying lock, he plays with an intensity and controlled aggression that has invited comparisons with Martin Johnson, who led the successful 1997 Lions tour to South Africa.
As Ireland’s go-to man up front the Munster captain, who was at the helm for last year’s Heineken Cup triumph, offers a formidable presence at the coalface.
McGeechan said: “Paul has proved himself with Munster and Ireland.
“He drives a forward pack with his character and it was important to have that focus in the forwards.
“We need that impetus up front and Paul is a very special character.”
He will be the 10th Irishman to lead the British & Irish Lions on tour succeeding O'Driscoll, who captained the 2005 British & Irish to New Zealand.
"Paul O'Connell has shown over his career that he is a natural leader both on and off the field. He leads from the front on the field and as a quality international has the respect of his fellow players all over the world," added McGeechan.
O'Connell added: "The tour to South Africa represents a huge challenge for the touring party as we will be playing against the world champions.
“However, I’m confident we have the talent and attitude to represent the famous shirt to the best of our ability and to be successful.”
O’Connell was outstanding throughout the RBS 6 Nations and was favourite to become Lions captain for much of the tournament.
He was supplanted in the betting by O’Driscoll after the thrilling climax against Wales in Cardiff and support for Ireland’s captain gathered momentum.
It was feared O’Connell may have damaged his chances when he criticised Warren Gatland immediately after Ireland had prevailed at the Millennium Stadium last month.
He told Gatland to keep his ego in check in response to inflammatory comments made by the Wales and Lions assistant coach in the build up to the game.
But far from riling Gatland, O’Connell’s honesty and belligerence may ultimately have convinced McGeechan he is the right person to spearhead the challenge against the physical Springboks.
Gatland said: “I’m very much looking forward to working with a player of Paul’s quality. Best of all is that we’re all in the same team.”
Any remaining competition for the position evaporated in recent weeks, with Wales skipper Ryan Jones suffering a collapse in form that has even led to his omission from the squad.
O'Connell is among a record 14 Irishmen selected for the trip, which starts against a High Veld XV in Rustenburg on May 30.
The eight-strong Munster contingent also equals the Lions record for one team, jointly held by Newport (1910) and Leicester (2005), when then Lions boss Clive Woodward took an inflated squad.
Four players, meanwhile, make their third Lions trip – centre Brian O’Driscoll, fly-half Ronan O’Gara, lock Simon Shaw and flanker Martyn Williams.
Shaw is the only survivor from the Lions’ 1997 South African expedition, and will be the oldest tourists at 35.
Cardiff Blues speedster Halfpenny, in contrast, is the youngest Lion of 2009 at 20.
The Lions’ shock omission of Croft and Armitage plus McGeechan’s decision to overlook Borthwick means England have their smallest representation since 1977.
England will head into their Test series against Argentina with a stronger than expected squad.
Team manager Martin Johnson said: “There will be some disappointed players who haven’t been chosen, including those from the England senior elite player squad but we now know who is available for the Barbarians match on May 30 and a very tough two-Test series against Argentina and I plan to announce the 2009 summer tour squad on May 18.”
2009 British & Irish Lions squad:
Fullback:
Lee Byrne (Wales)
Rob Kearney (Ireland)
Wing:
Shane Williams (Wales)
Leigh Halfpenny (Wales)
Ugo Moyne (England)
Luke Fitzgerald (Ireland)
Tommy Bowe (Ireland)
Centre:
Tom Shanklin (Wales)
Jamie Roberts (Wales)
Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland)
Keith Earls (Ireland)
Riki Flutey (England)
Fly-Half:
Ronan O'Gara (Ireland)
Stephen Jones (Wales)
Scrum-Half:
Mike Phillips (Wales)
Harry Ellis (England)
Tomás O'Leary (Ireland)
No 8:
Jamie Heaslip (Ireland)
Andy Powell (Wales)
Flanker:
David Wallace (Ireland)
Stephen Ferris (Ireland)
Alan Quinlan (Ireland)
Joe Worsley (England)
Martyn Williams (Wales)
Lock:
Alun-Wyn Jones (Wales)
Paul O'Connell (Ireland)
Donncha O'Callaghan (Ireland)
Simon Shaw (England)
Nathan Hines (Scotland)
Prop:
Gethin Jenkins (Wales)
Adam Jones (Wales)
Andrew Sheridan (England)
Phil Vickery (England)
Euan Murray (Scotland)
Hooker:
Jerry Flannery (Ireland)
Lee Mears (England)
The announcement of the British & Irish Lions squad was made in London by tour manager Gerald Davies and head coach Ian McGeechan. The tour party has a record 14 representatives from Ireland - including 8 from Munster - 13 from Wales, eight from England and two from Scotland.
O’Connell edged team-mate and Ireland’s Grand Slam-winning skipper Brian O’Driscoll for the most prestigious job in British and Irish rugby.
O'Driscoll, Ronan O'Gara, Rob Kearney, Luke Fitzgerald, Tomás O'Leary, Jamie Heaslip, David Wallace, Stephen Ferris, Tommy Bowe, Alan Quinlan, Donncha O'Callaghan and Jerry Flannery were other Irish players also selected for the tour.
Three RBS 6 Nations captains – Wales’ Ryan Jones, England’s Steve Borthwick and Scotland’s Mike Blair – failed to be selected.
O'Connell described his captaincy as a "fabulous honour".
"It's a fabulous honour," he said. "This was never something I aspired to do but to be selected is a great honour.
“I looked at the squad last night and it will be a privilege to lead them. It’s a great honour considering the captains that have gone before me, some of them legends of the game.
“Brian (O’Driscoll) gave me a ring the other day after we had spoken to Ian and was great about it.
“The main thing will be leaning on the experience of the coaches and leaders within the squad.
“It needs to be a big squad effort. That will be the secret to any success. The more people who have input the better.”
The 29-year-old Limerick man won three Lions caps against New Zealand in 2005 and was one of only two tourists to play in every minute of each Test, except for a spell in the sin-bin.
Since making a try-scoring debut against Wales in 2002 he has amassed 62 caps and become one of the northern hemisphere’s most respected players.
A destructive ball-carrying lock, he plays with an intensity and controlled aggression that has invited comparisons with Martin Johnson, who led the successful 1997 Lions tour to South Africa.
As Ireland’s go-to man up front the Munster captain, who was at the helm for last year’s Heineken Cup triumph, offers a formidable presence at the coalface.
McGeechan said: “Paul has proved himself with Munster and Ireland.
“He drives a forward pack with his character and it was important to have that focus in the forwards.
“We need that impetus up front and Paul is a very special character.”
He will be the 10th Irishman to lead the British & Irish Lions on tour succeeding O'Driscoll, who captained the 2005 British & Irish to New Zealand.
"Paul O'Connell has shown over his career that he is a natural leader both on and off the field. He leads from the front on the field and as a quality international has the respect of his fellow players all over the world," added McGeechan.
O'Connell added: "The tour to South Africa represents a huge challenge for the touring party as we will be playing against the world champions.
“However, I’m confident we have the talent and attitude to represent the famous shirt to the best of our ability and to be successful.”
O’Connell was outstanding throughout the RBS 6 Nations and was favourite to become Lions captain for much of the tournament.
He was supplanted in the betting by O’Driscoll after the thrilling climax against Wales in Cardiff and support for Ireland’s captain gathered momentum.
It was feared O’Connell may have damaged his chances when he criticised Warren Gatland immediately after Ireland had prevailed at the Millennium Stadium last month.
He told Gatland to keep his ego in check in response to inflammatory comments made by the Wales and Lions assistant coach in the build up to the game.
But far from riling Gatland, O’Connell’s honesty and belligerence may ultimately have convinced McGeechan he is the right person to spearhead the challenge against the physical Springboks.
Gatland said: “I’m very much looking forward to working with a player of Paul’s quality. Best of all is that we’re all in the same team.”
Any remaining competition for the position evaporated in recent weeks, with Wales skipper Ryan Jones suffering a collapse in form that has even led to his omission from the squad.
O'Connell is among a record 14 Irishmen selected for the trip, which starts against a High Veld XV in Rustenburg on May 30.
The eight-strong Munster contingent also equals the Lions record for one team, jointly held by Newport (1910) and Leicester (2005), when then Lions boss Clive Woodward took an inflated squad.
Four players, meanwhile, make their third Lions trip – centre Brian O’Driscoll, fly-half Ronan O’Gara, lock Simon Shaw and flanker Martyn Williams.
Shaw is the only survivor from the Lions’ 1997 South African expedition, and will be the oldest tourists at 35.
Cardiff Blues speedster Halfpenny, in contrast, is the youngest Lion of 2009 at 20.
The Lions’ shock omission of Croft and Armitage plus McGeechan’s decision to overlook Borthwick means England have their smallest representation since 1977.
England will head into their Test series against Argentina with a stronger than expected squad.
Team manager Martin Johnson said: “There will be some disappointed players who haven’t been chosen, including those from the England senior elite player squad but we now know who is available for the Barbarians match on May 30 and a very tough two-Test series against Argentina and I plan to announce the 2009 summer tour squad on May 18.”
2009 British & Irish Lions squad:
Fullback:
Lee Byrne (Wales)
Rob Kearney (Ireland)
Wing:
Shane Williams (Wales)
Leigh Halfpenny (Wales)
Ugo Moyne (England)
Luke Fitzgerald (Ireland)
Tommy Bowe (Ireland)
Centre:
Tom Shanklin (Wales)
Jamie Roberts (Wales)
Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland)
Keith Earls (Ireland)
Riki Flutey (England)
Fly-Half:
Ronan O'Gara (Ireland)
Stephen Jones (Wales)
Scrum-Half:
Mike Phillips (Wales)
Harry Ellis (England)
Tomás O'Leary (Ireland)
No 8:
Jamie Heaslip (Ireland)
Andy Powell (Wales)
Flanker:
David Wallace (Ireland)
Stephen Ferris (Ireland)
Alan Quinlan (Ireland)
Joe Worsley (England)
Martyn Williams (Wales)
Lock:
Alun-Wyn Jones (Wales)
Paul O'Connell (Ireland)
Donncha O'Callaghan (Ireland)
Simon Shaw (England)
Nathan Hines (Scotland)
Prop:
Gethin Jenkins (Wales)
Adam Jones (Wales)
Andrew Sheridan (England)
Phil Vickery (England)
Euan Murray (Scotland)
Hooker:
Jerry Flannery (Ireland)
Lee Mears (England)