Wales’ Cory Hill, Kristian Dacey, Gareth Davies and Tomas Francis will join the squad following their Test against Tonga in Auckland.
Gatland said: “We have said all along that we need to give ourselves the best chance of winning the Test series and that could potentially involve calling up players. Bringing in these players from an identical time zone, who can hit the ground running and step straight in rather than having to adjust following long-haul travel will help us manage players before the 1st Test, give us quality training numbers to prepare properly as well as offering us options for selection for the Chiefs match.”
Alan Dell and Finn Russell are due to be announced later today apparently. “There will be a further announcement regarding call-ups following the conclusion of other Home Union Tests this weekend.”
What do you think of these call-ups?
In other news, Ross Moriarty has been ruled out of the tour through injury. Any predictions for which player will replace him?
The word farce springs to mind. You could argue for Gareth Davies & Finn Russell being included. But the others? WTF! Cheapens the whole notion of the Lions. This is supposed to be the cream of the crop of British & Irish Rugby. Cory Hill, Kristian Dacey are probably around 4th choice in their position for Wales, so how their selection can be justified completely baffles me.
I’m cross. Cheap and not showing class or respect to the next order of players…. Cory Hill or Joe launch bury ffs?
WTF!! Finn Russell makes sense as cover for Farrell but Gareth Davies? I don’t remember ever seeing Cory Hill or Kristian Dacey even playing for Wales before this tour so to have them earning Lions caps ahead of Jonny Gray, Joe Launchbury etc is infuriating. Seems to me that Gatlands plan all along was to ensure Wales were touring in the same time zone so he could get as many Welsh Lions capped as possible, no matter if they’re second third or even fourth choice.
This absolute bonkers, Thomas Francis has great potential but surely someone like Cian Healy is a better option, the time thing about England players is a load of bullocks, last time Gatland had no problem calling up English players from Argentina, Gray and Launchbury over this Hill surely, and Finn Russell and George Ford over Davies surely, Allan Dell well I would have WP Nel instead surely, replacement for Ross Moriarty either Robshaw, Hamish Watson, Heaslip, Barclay
Surely, even the most staunch Welsh supporter can’t be so blinkered to see some (apparent) evidence of WG picking players on nationality rather than merit. Before people start bashing on about ‘It’s because they’re in the same area 1) what about the Scots and 2) We knew days ago the best part of half a dozen players would be called up so why not have had a couple of English players, IF WG FELT THEY MERITED IT, there from Wednesday – they’d be perfectly ready to for Tuesday?
This is B&I Lions, not your local 2s needing a bloke to play on the wing!
And yes, I know Wade (just one player, and an English one) was called up as emergency cover 4 years ago!
Oh dear Gatland you tool. This is ridiculous. Finn Russell yes, Gareth Davies poss. The others ridiculous. If he’s picking Scottish players, what about J Gray! And I’m English. I have just heard these players will leave the tour after the Canes game though.
Thanks Warren. You have just turned the whole concept into a total farce.
Makes a mockery of the ‘tour’ concept of the non-test games count for nothing (won or lose), as they seemingly do by the selection policy. WG obviously has his test team(s) picked and feels either 1) The team are looking sharp and cohesive OR 2) Cohesion is so lacking, there’s no chance of improving it before the tests
So Gatland has turned the Lions into a Welsh development exercise. Nice.
As for a Moriarty replacement it should be Robshaw but I very much doubt it will be. Any other fifth choice Welsh players he can call up?
PS – if the time zone excuse is really a factor then he should be calling up Hamish Watson for Moriarty
Also Kieran Darcy? Why not Fraser brown?
I understand gatlands desire to split into two squads. In the professional era it is impossible for players to do mid week games and test matches, if they hope to be competitive, but if you want to be competitive don’t start picking 4th choice Welsh players!!!
“Cory Hill: British and Irish Lion” sounds as right as “Donald Trump: US President”. Gatland really is shameless.
This is ridiculous, before I was unsure about supporting the NZ teams or the Lions, due to the type of rugby that the teams wanted to play. However this makes a mockery of the LIons and I for one will now be whole-heartedly supporting the AB’s.
In terms of the Call ups these are some players I think are drastically better alternatives
K Dacey: D Hartley, F Brown, S Cronin, (R Ford)
T Francis: WP Nel, Z Fagerson,
C Hill: J Launchberry, J Gray, D.Toner, (B Toolis)
G Davies: D Care, A Price
A Dell: C Healy
However Finn Russell definitly deserves his place, IMO he should of been no 2 fly half from the start. He is the second most exciting 10 in the world behind Barrett, and he orchestrates the 2nd/3rd best attacking international side in the world.
Is it April’s Fools Day in New Zealand. Joe Launchbury has now the legitimate right to shoot Warren Gatland in the face. at this rate Tom Croft will be Moriarty’s replacement ??
Don’t be ridiculous Croft is English it will be James King
News flash: Gatland to call up Andy Powell from retirement as injury cover for Mroiarty!!
New news flash:
Moriarty remains in the squad……………. Paul Moriarty . I think I speak for all (or most when I say that many fans’ disaffection over the actions of WG in no way affects the fact we’re still passionate, hopeful and rooting for the Lions regardless of who they pick/put out
It certainly won’t stop me supporting the Lions, but it decreases my opinion of Gatland and his management of the Lions squad.
All I will say is that the result this morning was due to the forwards dominance, and how many of his beloved Welsh players were in that pack? 1, Faletau. Not sure how bringing two more underperforming Welsh forwards who have a total of 10 Welsh caps between them is going to help?
No, SF you don´t speak for all. I have followed the Lions for nearly 60 years. It should be the highest honour to which any British or Irish player can aspire. Gatland´s call up of players that don´t deserve the shirt instead of ones that do has completely devalued the tour and the concept as far as I am concerned. How convenient for him that Wales just happened to be in NZ so that he could give promising young Welsh players some invaluable experience at the highest level before he goes back to the day job and attempts to raise them above fifth in the Six Nations, whereas more deserving Irish and English players are deprived of the opportunity. If I were EJ or Schmidt there are certain names I would have inked into my teams for the Wales game next year already, secure in the knowledge that they would be rightfully angry. His pathetic explanation about time zones holds no water. By all accounts he has been planning to call for re-inforcements for months, and if he had chosen to do so a week earlier they would have had time to acclimatise. I care far less about whether the Lions win now than I did a week ago, and if he picks North, AWJ and Warburton in his squad for the first test despite there clearly being better or more in-form players available I probably won´t even watch it.
I do wonder what the likes of Farrell and Borthwick think of these selections?
As a passionate Welsh man and avid Rugby fan, I am irked by Gatland’s call up of certain ‘Welsh’ players to the Lions squad. But I was also somewhat mystified but some of the selections made in the original 41 squad, eg, wound’t have Liam Williams, gifted player, anywhere near the squad as he is more likely to lose you a match than win it.. We as, using my son’s terminology, ‘keyboard coaches’ blog our opinions and dissatisfaction with select and management of a squad. However if Gatland’s master plan works by being able to rest as many of his 1st team choices and achieve a series win in New Zealand I for one will be a Very, Very happy NH rugby fan.
Put the knives away for now.