Three Huge Players That Could Be Left Out Of The Lions Squad Next Year
There aren’t many bigger accolades for players from the United Kingdom and Ireland than being named in the British & Irish Lions squad.
Every four years the Lions embark on a huge tour to take on one of the powerhouses of rugby union, with tests series’ often being played against New Zealand, South Africa or Australia.
Many fans will still remember the gripping 2017 series against the All Blacks, as the Lions fought hard to secure a 1-1 series draw against the reigning world champions at the time.
The Lions will be back in action next year as they travel to South Africa to once again take on the reigning world champions under the stewardship of former Wales head coach Warren Gatland.
Nonetheless, Gatland has already dropped a bombshell on potential squad members for the Lions team, as he admitted that he would be taking a small squad to South Africa, with a reported 35-man team expected.
That will mean that a few huge names will be left out of the squad next year, but which three players could be shockingly omitted?
Jonathan Davies
Jonathan Davies was a huge player for the Welsh throughout the Gatland reign, but he could be one of the players that are omitted from the squad for the upcoming tour.
It would be extremely harsh on the 32-year-old who was undoubtedly one of the standout performers in the tour three years ago. He was named as the player of the series by his teammates, but his performances over the last couple of years have been underwhelming.
However, there is no doubt that if he is able to get back to his best, then he will be back in contention. That looks unlikely given the struggles that Wales have had over the past 12 months since their fourth-place finish at the World Cup.
Wales finished fifth in the Six Nations and have only recently ended a six-game losing run against Georgia.
Taulupe Faletau
Another Welshman that could be struggling for a place in Gatland’s Lions squad could be another pivotal member of the all-conquering Welsh team. Taulupe Faletau was a pivotal player for Wales throughout the Gatland era, as he was part of the team that won the Grand Slam in 2012.
He has already been a part of a Lions team during his career so far, as he played in the 2012 series against Australia and the 2017 tour against New Zealand.
However, injuries have begun to take their toll on the Welshman, and his place for the upcoming series looks to be in doubt.
His performances haven’t been at the same intensity as they were before his injury, and there are already a number of players that could be in line to take his spot in the squad in the form of CJ Stander and Caelan Doris.
Hamish Watson
This one may seem a bit harsh, and that’s because it will be harsh on the Scot. Hamish Watson has been excellent over the past couple of years, but Gatland’s condensed squad and the fact that he will likely only opt for two open sides means that there will be fierce competition in these positions.
Watson will face competition in the form of Sam Underhill and Jack Willis among others, and when it comes to Lions squads, it’s nearly always the fact that Scottish players don’t make the grade.
It will be extremely harsh, as Scotland have come a long way in a short amount of time, and their fourth-place finish in the Six Nations does highlight progression, but Watson will still likely be the player to miss out.
Final Thoughts
Equally to the preparatory races that jockeys have to go through before the TwinSpires.com Kentucky Derby, this series against South Africa will be an important test to Wales ambitions.
If they expect to perform well in next year’s Six Nations, which occurs between February and March, they will need to be at their best against the Springboks.
The South Africans won the World Cup in 2019 and will be a tough test for the Welsh to prepare next year’s competition calendar.
