Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Gatland muddies Lions captain speculation by naming a whopping 17 players as possible 2021 skipper

(Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Eight months out from the assembly of the Lions squad in Wales to commence preparations for their 2021 tour to South Africa, Warren Gatland has muddied the conversation as to who might captain the tourists for their three-Test trip to the home of the world champions.    

ADVERTISEMENT

Gatland’s Lions will play Japan in Scotland on June 26 before commencing their tour in Cape Town on July 3 with the Test matches against the Springboks commencing three weeks after that. Already there has been much speculation as to who will captain the Lions. Gatland’s 2013 and 2017 skipper Sam Warburton has retired, paving the way for a new appointment. 

However, while names such as Maro Itoje, Alun Wyn Jones and Owen Farrell have regularly been linked with the position, Gatland has now hugely muddied the waters by naming 17 players off the top of his head who could potential captain the tour party. 

Video Spacer

Lions boss Warren Gatland guests on All Access, the RugbyPass interview series

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
      Video Spacer

      Lions boss Warren Gatland guests on All Access, the RugbyPass interview series

      Asked about the credentials of England lock Itoje to step forward and lead the Lions, Gatland kicked for touch and left no one listening to him any wiser as to who might succeed Warburton as captain after the drawn 2017 Test series in New Zealand. 

      “To be honest, that decision is made incredibly late in terms of picking a captain,” he said. “You look at lots of factors. You look at the strength in depth in certain positions, you want the captain, if their form is good enough – there is never any guarantee, to be one of the players in your Test team. 

      “For some positions, there is so much strength in depth that there is going to be a real battle for Test spots, but you have that honest conversation with the captain to say that you have been selected as captain for the tour but there is no guarantee you’re going to be selected in the Test side. 

      “Everyone knows that so that gives everyone potentially a bit of hope in terms of playing well. I don’t know whether I could rattle off a name. Potential captains? Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Ken Owens, Alun Wyn Jones, Maro Itoje, James Ryan, Justin Tipuric, Conor Murray, Johnny Sexton, Owen Farrell, George Ford, Jonathan Davies, Stuart Hogg, Stuart McInally, Fraser Brown – I don’t know. 

      ADVERTISEMENT

      “I haven’t even thought of those things. That selection will be made very late in the piece after we have picked the squad and then we decide as a collective group of coaches who we think is the best person to do the job on tour. 

      He [Itoje] is maturing as a player. When he first burst onto the scene he was into everything and he was probably overplaying and using up energy that he didn’t need to be, hitting rucks that were lost causes and those sort of things. 

      “Look, he has matured as a player. He is obviously an outstanding player but that is one of the positions you’re talking about – like I said you have got Alun Wyn Jones, James Ryan, Jonny Gray, there’s huge amount of strength and depth in that position. Joe Launchbury, he’s another one that could potentially captain the side as well, he’s doing that for Wasps. Joe Simmonds is another one, what he has done with Exeter. 

      “Yeah, I just see that maturity in Maro as a player. He is a very articulate young man, carries himself incredibly well, proud of his roots and his upbringing, what he has achieved. He is one of many that could potentially be a candidate but the bottom line is staying injury-free and making sure form is good enough. 

      ADVERTISEMENT

      “That’s the message and again, I don’t want to reiterate, in a position with so much strength and depth you want to make sure that (captain) person is hopefully a player that you are confident the form is going to be good enough to get a starting position.”

      – Warren Gatland was speaking on behalf of Canterbury at the launch of the British and Irish Lions Pro jersey,  available at Canterbury.com

      ADVERTISEMENT

      Kubota Spears vs Tokyo Sungoliath | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Quarter Final Replay

      Australia vs USA | Pacific Four Series 2025 | Full Match Replay

      New Zealand vs Canada | Pacific Four Series 2025 | Full Match Replay

      South Africa vs New Zealand | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

      Argentina vs Australia | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

      The Game that Made Jonah Lomu

      The gruelling reality behind one of the fastest sports in the world | The Report

      Boks Office | Episode 40 | The Steven Kitshoff Special

      Trending on RugbyPass

      Comments

      0 Comments
      Be the first to comment...

      Join free and tell us what you really think!

      Sign up for free
      ADVERTISEMENT

      Latest Features

      Comments on RugbyPass

      S
      Solenn Bonnet 9 days ago
      Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

      My name is Solenn Bonnet, and I am a single mother navigating the challenges of raising my two-year-old child while trying to make ends meet. I came across a trading platform that promised astonishing daily profits of 18%. The allure of such a high return on investment was too tempting to resist, and I found myself drawn into cryptocurrency trading. Excited by the prospect of financial freedom, I invested a significant amount of my savings, totaling over 5.7 BTC. However, what started as a hopeful venture quickly turned into a nightmare. The platform was a scam, and I lost everything I had invested. The emotional toll of this loss was immense; I felt devastated and helpless, struggling to provide for my child and keep up with my bills. In my desperate attempt to recover my funds, I sought help from various recovery experts. Unfortunately, I encountered numerous fraudulent individuals who claimed they could help me retrieve my lost money. Each time I reached out, I was met with disappointment and further scams, which only deepened my despair. Last year was one of the most challenging periods of my life, filled with anxiety and uncertainty about my financial future. Feeling overwhelmed and at a loss, I confided in a close friend from church about my situation. She listened compassionately and shared her own experiences with financial difficulties. Understanding my plight, she introduced me to Tech Cyber Force Recovery, a group of skilled hackers known for their expertise in recovering lost funds. Skeptical yet hopeful, I decided to reach out to them as a last resort. Their services came at a higher cost, but my friend generously offered to help me with a partial payment. I was amazed by how quickly they responded and began the recovery process. Their team was professional, efficient, and incredibly supportive throughout the entire ordeal. To my relief, they successfully recovered more than I had lost to those heartless scammers. This was truly transformative, and I felt a sense of relief and gratitude that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I strongly encourage anyone who has faced similar challenges or fallen victim to scams to reach out to Tech Cyber Force Recovery. If you’ve invested in a fraudulent platform like I did, they are highly capable of helping you reclaim your hard-earned money. Don’t lose hope; there is a way to recover what you’ve lost.

      CONSULT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY

      EMAIL.. support@techyforcecyberretrieval.com

      WhatsApp.. +15617263697

      website.. https://techyforcecyberretrieval.com

      Telegram.. +15617263697

      0 Go to comments
      LONG READ
      LONG READ Opportunity knocks for 'new warriors' in Springboks squad Opportunity knocks for 'new warriors' in Springboks squad
      Search