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Nine 2021 Lions who've fallen down the Test pecking order

Hamish Watson of The British & Irish Lions during the Castle Lager Lions Series match at the Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg, South Africa. Picture date: Wednesday July 7, 2021. (Photo by Steve Haag/PA Images via Getty Images)

When a player is selected for the British & Irish Lions tour, it’s generally a given that they are a Test starter for their home nation.

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Sam Simmonds broke that mould in 2021 when selected by Warren Gatland despite being out of favour with Eddie Jones’ England. The Exeter Chief represents a small group of players that have proved exceptions to the rule down through the years.

Eighteen months on from the Lions’ 2-1 tour loss to the Springboks, we take a look at the not-insignificant cabal of players who have fallen down their respective national pecking orders in that time, despite being seen as among the best in the business just a year and a half ago.

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ALUN WYN JONES
There was a time not so very long ago when leaving Alun Wyn Jones out a starting Wales team would have been nigh on unthinkable. Following a mediocre showing in the opening round loss to Ireland, the 37-year-old Test cap record holder has now faced the ignominy of being dropped from the 23 altogether. You imagine the Welsh and Lions legend has his eye set on a spot on the Rugby World Cup plane, but it looks far from guaranteed.

JONNY HILL
One of the finds of the tour, Hill is yet to feature in Steve Borthwick’s matchday plans. A mixed-bag tour of Australia in 2022 maybe didn’t help his cause. The Sale Shark hasn’t featured for England since playing against New Zealand in the Autumn Nations Series draw.

Autumn Nations Series
Marcus Smith and Jonny Hill – PA

CHRIS HARRIS
The hard-running, hard-tackling Gloucester and Scotland centre was a little bit of a surprise selection from Warren Gatland but he proved his worth, starting at 13 in the second Test against the Springboks. In 2023 Huw Jones has successfully wrestled his Scotland jersey off him and he’s had to make do with a place on the replacements bench.

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HAMISH WATSON
The back row star of the 2021 Guinness Six Nations for Scotland is on the comeback trail after a spate of injuries. Watson has gone from the Lions’ Test replacement bench to being surplus to requirements for Scotland in the first two rounds of the 2023 Six Nations. Gregor Townsend has preferred the more physically substantial Luke Crosbie, Watson’s teammate at Edinburgh, of late. Still, it feels very odd not seeing Watson working his magic in the blue of Scotland having been one of the first names on the teamsheet so recently. He was released to play for Edinburgh this weekend.

MAKO VUNIPOLA
Vunipola has done well to fight his way back into the England reckoning after Eddie Jones dumped him following the Lions tour, in which he started in the second Test. He’s back in the reckoning but only featuring from the replacements bench, with Borthwick favouring Bristol’s in-form Ellis Genge.

GARETH DAVIES
The now 32-year-old didn’t feature during the Tests in SA and has fallen out of favour at Wales, where he hasn’t featured since the last year’s humiliating loss to Italy in Cardiff. The scrumhalf started for Scarlets this weekend in their win over Edinburgh.

World Rugby
Gareth Davies prior to the the put in at the scrum
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RORY SUTHERLAND
When Worcester collapsed Sutherland was one of the first to find a new gig, with Ulster in the URC. The Lions loosehead started the first Test against the Boks in 2021 but this weekend had to content himself with a spot on the replacements bench for Ulster. He part of Gregor Townsend’s Six Nations squad but he’s yet to feature on a match day 23.

JACK CONAN
Maybe his inclusion in this list is a little harsh given injury hiccups has played a role in his ceding the Ireland No.8 jersey to Caelen Doris. Conan was the standout back row on the Lions tour and is still an important part of Andy Farrell’s Ireland designs, becoming something of a super-sub in this year’s Guinness Six Nations.

ANTHONY WATSON
Returned from injury straight back into Steve Borthwick’s England Six Nations squad, Watson is another player on the list for whom injuries had played a significant role over the last 18 months. There was a time when Watson was a sure pick when fit, but the arrival of a new generation of England wingers threatens that.  Featured off the bench against Scotland and at 28, will feel he still has much to offer this England team if he can remain fit.

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T
TT 23 minutes ago
'No, it’s not, that’s the truth' - Andy Farrell rubbishes Ireland subplot

ABs 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). &


IF

AB’s play 80+ minutes. &


IF

ABs do their individual & team jobs error free (‘ish)  (unlike so many AB team since 2016). &


IF

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. &


IF

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). &


IF

Aumua can throw to lineouts . &


IF

The AB’s can remember their lineout calls (unlike too many V England games 1, 2 & 3). &


IF

Williams can be coached to stop being sucked into experienced tactics to drop him to the ground. &


IF

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). &


IF

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). &


IF

S.Barrett can change & captain with assertiveness & presence to even be noticed by the ref (way to passive). &


IF

There's no food poisoning.

7 Go to comments
J
JW 29 minutes ago
How can Scott Robertson revive the All Blacks’ playmaking ‘triple threat’?

HAHA don't ask me that! You tell me, if McMillian was the AB coach would he be selecting Dmac over Mo'unga!?!


Look, Dmac is clearly first choice. Razor said BB was a selection "just for this game", Dmac was always leading the two big ones. They rotated BB and Mounga the same way in 22.


Firstly, I'm a fan of BB when he's not gun shy. Do I think he's a first five? Of course not, he can hardly pass the ball 5 meters. Do I think he's likely to play again after being concussed? No, end of discussion.


Do I hate Mo'unga? No, of course not. He was the only reason we got within cooee of SA, him finding his footing at International level was their main reason for success. Do I think that resulted in him being a game orchestra or having played well in black the years prior to that? Of course not. Maybe you were just on the end of the better AB performances fran, outside of those games I'd suggest he wasn't as influential as you think. He has a good kicking game for sure, but it's certainly not up there with Carter or even some current 10s, and it's certainly not much better than DMac's (understand you own opinion still won't say that) despite him having a lot more development and experience.


He would obviously get a great opportunity from Razor if he came back, and DMac would possibly find he can be a good fullback or bench player under Razors guidance, but if you're wrong and Dmac actually performed better than Richie running the show, then he'll having Damien as his 10 come RWC time.


TLDR, JWH is a Cantab, Richie is one of my favourite players, we just think you've got the wrong context in this article and I think you're way off the mark on Richies strengths.

44 Go to comments
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