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Fans' poll picks Lions Test team featuring 5 English, 4 Welsh, 3 Irish and 3 Scottish while Billy Vunipola doesn't even make the plane

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

A poll of more than 13,000 rugby fans via the official Lions app believes that Alun Wyn Jones will skipper Warren Gatland’s tourists in South Africa and reckon there will be no selection in the squad for England trio Billy Vunipola, George Ford and Elliot Daly.

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Part of the Lions’ Vodafone app has included an XV Selector where fans from across England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales have been making their voices heard and highlights from the fans’ selections include:

Alun Wyn Jones selected as captain with 40 per cent of the vote over Maro Itoje (22 per cent), Stuart Hogg (20 per cent) and Owen Farrell (10 per cent);

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2017 Lions pick Jack Nowell guests on RugbyPass Offload with Simon Zebo and Jamie Roberts

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2017 Lions pick Jack Nowell guests on RugbyPass Offload with Simon Zebo and Jamie Roberts

Owen Farrell (45 per cent) misses out on the starting XV with Finn Russell (69 per cent) the fans’ pick at fly-half and Robbie Henshaw preferred at No12;

Louis Rees-Zammit (56 per cent) is the favourite to start on the wing, with Anthony Watson (40 per cent) currently edging out Jonny May (37 per cent) on the other flank;

Billy Vunipola misses out on the Lions squad entirely, despite being the first choice to start at No8 before the tournament (14 per cent down from 44 per cent); Tadhg Beirne books a place on the plane with 20 per cent of the vote, despite not a single fan picking him for the squad pre-tournament;

Stuart Hogg (81 per cent) was the most picked player by Lions fans, just ahead of Itoje (77 per cent), with the two stars selected in the starting XV;

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While the Lions poll doesn’t make good reading for Vunipola, English trio Manu Tuilagi, Sam Simmonds and Sam Underhill haven’t lost out with the fans despite not making Eddie Jones’ Six Nations squads– all three have received enough votes so far to make the plane even though Tuilagi has been injured since September.

“The fans have built a strong team, no doubt about it, and one I’m confident would have a great chance at going toe-to-toe with South Africa,” said Jeremy Guscott, the 1997 Lions Test series winner and Vodafone ambassador.

“Louis Rees-Zammit has really impressed this season and deserves a seat on the plane, if not the starting Test team. I personally would have Maro Itoje playing second row and Tadhg Beirne or Taulupe Faletau as our blindside flanker, but agree with the fans that Anthony Watson would deliver a good performance on the right wing.”

LIONS STARTING XV (and bench)
1. Mako Vunipola (29%)
2. Jamie George (39%)
3. Tadhg Furlong (47%)
4. Maro Itoje (77%)
5. Alun Wyn Jones (capt) (50%)
6. Tom Curry (50%)
7. Hamish Watson (42%)
8. Taulupe Faletau (46%)
9. Conor Murray (31%)
10. Finn Russell (69%)
11. Louis Rees-Zammit (56%)
12. Robbie Henshaw (38%)
13. Jonathan Davies (35%)
14. Anthony Watson (40%)
15. Stuart Hogg (81%)
Replacements
16. Ken Owens (34%)
17. Cian Healy (16%)
18. Kyle Sinckler (39%)
19. James Ryan (30%)
20. CJ Stander (43%)
21. Ali Price (22%)
22. Owen Farrell (45%)
23. Jonny May (37%)

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WHO HAS MADE THE PLANE?
FORWARDS (22)
Hookers (3): Jamie George (39%), Luke Cowan-Dickie (27%), Ken Owens (34%);
Looseheads (3): Mako Vunipola (29%), Cian Healy (16%), Rory Sutherland (15%);
Tightheads (3): Tadhg Furlong (47%), Kyle Sinckler (38%), Andrew Porter (12%);
Second rows (5): Maro Itoje (77%), James Ryan (49%), Alun Wyn Jones (50%), Jonny Gray (29%), Tadhg Beirne (21%);
Back rows (8): CJ Stander (43%), Tom Curry (50%), Sam Underhill (23%), Justin Tipuric (41%), Taulupe Faletau (46%), Josh Navidi (11%), Sam Simmonds (16%), Hamish Watson (42%)

BACKS (17)
Scrum-halves (3): Conor Murray (31%), Ali Price (22%), Gareth Davies (16%)
Out-halves (3): Owen Farrell (45%), Finn Russell (69%), Jonathan Sexton (10%), Centres (5): Manu Tuilagi (26%), Jonathan Davies (35%), Garry Ringrose (33%), Henry Slade (22%), Robbie Henshaw (38%)
Wingers (3): Jonny May (37%), Louis Rees-Zammit (56%), Duhan van der Merwe (30%)
Full-backs (3): Stuart Hogg (81%), Liam Williams (24%), Anthony Watson (40%)

 

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J
JPM 1 hour ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

Unfortunately you don't know anything about French rugby, coaches and players but still making a lot of assumptions and judgements to push your prefabricated and simplistic point of view that Dupont is manipulating everything and is a bad guy. I am not a NZ rugby specialist and wouldn't dare make such theories about what is going on within the ABs team. Therefore my advice to you is to do like Dupont and stay humble when you don't know all the background of the issues !!!


Firstly if you knew a bit of Galthié, he is not the type of coach who is going to ask advice to his players and even his captain about team selection. He is as stubborn as you...


Second Ramos has played a lot of times as 10 with Toulouse and therefore Dupont (in particular when Ntamack is injured and unfortunately it has often happened recently and for long periods). He even played 10 during the last 3 games of the 2024 6N and this was far better performance than the first two games with Jalibert as 10.


Thirdly Jalibert lacked of respect to a La Rochelle player so your theory is once again out.


Fourth as I explained to you Galthié went for a 6-2 bench and Jalibert can only play 10 which doesn't fit that plan. Furthermore as 15 Buros is better under high balls than Ramos and everybody is prepared for a tactical kicking game.


So you can blame Galthié for a lot of things (as you clearly enjoy doing at the end of your post and you should be very happy as an AB fan) but certainly not Dupont. Sorry once more for your conspiracy theory.


And don't worry about potential disharmony in the French team; they are excellent mates around their captain. Jalibert is well known in the French rugby circles to have not a strong character (and we saw that in the WC quarter finals as he is very nervous in any decisive international game unlike Ntamack and Ramos as for his late penalty kick vs England this year).


In conclusion enjoy the game tmrw night. It is good that the ABs are very upset; we should watch a great game of rugby. I hope for running rugby and not too much kicking. With 5 key players injured on our side (Ntamack, Baille, Atonio, Cros and Penaud) and 2 on your side I and various French fans see you as favourites. I obviously hope for another result.


If you are interested you can read a good article in the Guardian on the subject of France-NZ games.

92 Go to comments
K
KB 1 hour ago
The 'one difference' between Boks and the back-to-back All Blacks

Consistency hasnt been there they have many great players SA were also not unbeaten in the 2023 WC - NZ were in 2015 WC McCaw and Carter Nonu and Smith - SA did not have those Marque players in those postions in 2019 or 2023 - I wouldnt rank them ahead of the 20I5 ABs - They clocked up 60 points against France in the QF - Furthermore I do not believe for one moment SA won 2023 fairly no way - they were so favoured it became obvious that behind the scenes SA the nation bought the title - Their last 3 matches were won by a solitary point there were many contentious decisions that went their way that it became obvious it wasnt coincidence - Sport has been hijacked by a satanic cult just as is Politics

Some players coaches officials and sponsors are involved - they know who they are - its called Freemasonry - any sport that allows betting is corrupt - its not all about money either for these parasites its also about control - Lots of American NFL players have spoken openly about games being scripted - Football is also rigged Referees have been caught on film showing freemason hand signs - The 95 RWC final ranks as the highest and most obvious attempt at cheating There was no way SA were going to allow NZ to gate crash Nelson Mandelas reunification party - NZ were so good they had to posion almost the entire team to get a 3 point win - a Hollywood Movie ( theres your Red Flag ) was made about SAs triumph called Invictus


William Henley wrote a poem called Invictus


It starts


Out of the night that covers me BLACK ( All Blacks ) as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever GODS maybe for my unconquerable Soul ...( Olan says INVICTUS is an evil Malevolent entity who corrupted the Titans ... this is Mandelas double meaning speech ( hes a fraud ) - of thanks for helping overcome SA's adversary NZ - There is only ONE true God Yahuah - Only a false god would be complicit in Cheating Corruption and Harming others to win a RWC for a sick and sinful Nation ) the poem ends with


I am the CAPTAIN of my soul


SA will forever bear the stain of guilt and disgrace over their involvement in poisoning the ABs a day before the 95 RWC Final

12 Go to comments
C
CO 1 hour ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

I cannot believe that you don't think the French rugby team coach and captain are not discussing putting Jalibert on the bench in favour of Duponts club teammate that doesn't even play at 10.


This is a terrible, massive insult to a 10 and I'm sure Dupont would also be very enraged if benched for a player that doesn't even play halfback.


A good captain would've insisted to the coach that it was an idea of madness and either select Jalibert or replace him with another 10 if you want him to be reserve.


Jalibert may not be the world's finest tacklers but that's often not a tens main strength that the loose forwards and second five cover. An intercept pass is never great but they happen.


When any player is playing for his club then it's club first, respect doesn't need to be shown to opposition players simply because they're internationals.


Who exactly are you claiming Jalibert hasn't respected? If it's Toulouse international players then it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this bench demotion out.


The outcome of selecting Jalibert to the bench and he then throwing his croissants out the window of the team bus immediately prior to playing the Allblacks is a disaster that will be team disharmony as any team mates of Jalibert are in a state of anger and revolt so a performance that will be sub optimal against a team that is thirsting for revenge against France.


I don't know about you but the Allblacks are very upset they've lost twice in a row to France and want to put out a statement performance so this preparation by Galthie of creating havoc looks to me like a coach that is clueless.

92 Go to comments
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