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Historic selection: Riki Flutey,
who joins Brive this summer
Photo: Michael Paler |
Perpignan’s Nathan Hines and future Brive player Riki Flutey
were both named in the British and Irish Lions’ squad to
tour South Africa this summer.
Flutey’s historic inclusion will create history as the
former New Zealand Maori becomes the first individual to
both play for and against the Lions - the 29-year-old faced
the touring Lions in 2005 during their trip to New Zealand.
Since
then he emigrated to England to play club rugby for London
Irish and qualified for the Red Rose on residency grounds
before going on to make his international debut this year.
Now,
the eight-capped centre has been selected for the Lions and
he acknowledged his inclusion was “a huge honour” and “the
pinnacle of my career” following confirmation of the squad
on Tuesday.
“A lot
of players have been putting their hands up for selection in
this Lions squad and I am sure that the guys who have not
been selected will obviously be very disappointed, but for
us guys that have been selected it a huge honour. The Lions
is an amazing sporting event and is so exciting to be a part
of,” said the Wasps star who is heading for Brive this
summer.
Flutey,
one of only eight England players picked, paid tribute to
the Lions’ Irish captain Paul O’Connell – “a very strong
character and he is a player that leads by example” – and
said he felt privileged to be “playing alongside some of the
best players in the world”.
The
Lions have named a huge forward pack to take on the
formidable Springboks and Flutey said he believed South
Africa were there for the taking.
“It all
comes down to whether we can come together quickly and gel
as a team and put in good and winning performances out on
the field,” he added.
The
versatile back will be among familiar faces with the Lions
as two of its coaching set up – Ian McGeechan and Shaun
Edwards – perform the same job with Flutey’s current club
London Wasps. The third member of the coaching team is Wales
boss Warren Gatland.
Perpignan’s Hines, meanwhile, is one of only two Scots in
the 37-man squad, which otherwise has a strong Irish (14)
and Welsh (13) flavour.
The
32-year-old had feared that his limited Six Nations
appearances – he came on as sub in the last two games after
knee surgery had earlier ruled him out – would count against
him.
But the
Australian-born lock is part of the muscular pack that
Edwards, Gatland and McGeechan have put together in an
effort to counter the South Africans’ power.
Hines
was watching a delayed broadcast of the squad announcement
at his home in France when he began getting text messages
from friends congratulating him on selection.
“It’s
still sinking in. I’m pretty happy,” he said. “South Africa
are the toughest team to play against physically, in my
experience, and that’s a challenge I’m really looking
forward to.”
Defence
coach Edwards confirmed the Lions’ thinking when he told
reporters: “We have picked beasts for this tour. It is going
to be a physical tour. South Africa have probably the
biggest pack on the planet and they can play as well. I
think our selection reflects that and we have picked some
big guys in there to meet the challenge,” he said.
One of
those “beasts” is veteran England lock Simon Shaw, 36 – a
surprise choice – while among those omitted is Wales captain
Ryan Jones, England captain Steve Borthwick and Scotland
captain Mike Blair.
As
expected there was no place for the injured duo of Jonny
Wilkinson and Gavin Henson.
Lions
Squad:
Full-backs
Lee Byrne (28) Ospreys and
Wales
Rob Kearney (23) Leinster and
Ireland
Wingers
Shane Williams (32) Ospreys and
Wales
Leigh Halfpenny (20) Cardiff Blues and
Wales
Ugo Monye (26) Harlequins and
England
Luke Fitzgerald (21) Leinster and Ireland
Tommy Bowe (25) Ospreys and
Ireland
Centres
Tom Shanklin (29) Cardiff Blues and
Wales
Jamie Roberts (22) Cardiff Blues and
Wales
Brian O'Driscoll (30) Leinster and
Ireland
Keith Earls (21) Munster and
Ireland
Riki Flutey (29) Wasps and
England
Fly-halves
Ronan O'Gara (32) Munster and
Ireland
Stephen Jones (31) Llanelli Scarlets and
Wales
Scrum-halves
Mike Phillips (26) Ospreys and
Wales
Harry Ellis (26) Leicester and
England
Tomas O'Leary (25) Munster and
Ireland
Props
Gethin Jenkins (28) Cardiff Blues and
Wales
Adam Jones (28) Ospreys and
Wales
Andrew Sheridan (29) Sale and
England
Phil Vickery (33) Wasps and
England
Euan Murray (28) Northampton and
Scotland
Hookers
Jerry Flannery (30) Munster and
Ireland
Lee Mears (30) Bath and
England
Matthew Rees (28) Llanelli Scarlets and
Wales
Locks
Paul O'Connell, capt (29) Munster and
Ireland
Alun Wyn Jones (23) Ospreys and
Wales
Donncha O'Callaghan (30) Munster and
Ireland
Nathan Hines (32) Perpignan and
Scotland
Simon Shaw (35) Wasps and
England
Back-row
David Wallace (32) Munster and
Ireland
Stephen Ferris (23) Ulster and
Ireland
Alan Quinlan (34) Munster and
Ireland
Joe Worsley (31) Wasps and
England
Martyn Williams (33) Cardiff Blues and
Wales
Jamie Heaslip (25) Leinster and
Ireland
Andy Powell (27) Cardiff Blues and
Wales
Fixtures:
30 May: Highveld XV; Royal Bafokeng, Rustenburg
3 June: Golden Lions; Ellis Park, Johannesburg
6 June: Cheetahs; Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
10 June: Sharks; ABSA Park, Durban
13 June: Western Province; Newlands, Cape Town
16/17 June: Coastal XV; Port Elizabeth (Venue to be
confirmed)
20 June: South Africa(first Test) ; ABSA Park, Durban
23 June: Emerging Springboks; Newlands, Cape Town
27 June: South Africa (second Test) ; Loftus Versfeld,
Pretoria
4 July: South Africa (third Test) ; Ellis Park, Johannesburg
