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Lions 2013: Gatland selections are right ones - Woodward

Last updated on .From the section Rugby Unioncomments306

Warren Gatland

Sir Clive Woodward has praised Warren Gatland's choice of starting XV for the British and Irish Lions in the first Test against Australia on Saturday.

Gatland picked England prop Alex Corbisiero, who was not in the original touring party but was called up to replace injured Irishman Cian Healy.

"A fit Corbisiero is the right call," said Woodward, who coached the Lions in New Zealand in 2005.

"It's an excellent selection. I think it's a great Lions team."

Woodward, who led England to their 2003 World Cup triumph in Australia, agrees with Gatland's view that Corbisiero's superior scrummaging skills earned him a place in the team ahead of England's Mako Vunipola.

He told BBC Radio 5 live, "Rugby is still a fairly straightforward game in terms of scrums and line-outs, and I think Corbisiero is ahead of Vunipola."

Woodward also had sympathy for the back-row players omitted from the 23 named for the match in Brisbane.

Wales' Dan Lydiate is preferred as back-row cover to Toby Faletau and Sean O'Brien, as Tom Croft, Jamie Heaslip and captain Sam Warburton renew their combination from last Saturday's 47-17 win over the Waratahs.

"The guys who started against the Waratahs played exceptionally well. The balance looked great, but it's tough not to pick O'Brien especially, but they've not played in the big games and not had a chance to show.

"It's a great backline, George North getting through fitness-wise is a massive fillip to everybody.

"Jonathan Davies against the Waratahs was one of the best displays I've seen since Will Greenwood at his best. In a star-studded backline I think Davies has been the star of the trip so far, I just hope he can have a great game on Saturday night."

Centre Davies and open-side flanker Tom Croft both sat out training on Friday ahead of the first Test, but Lions assistant coach Andy Farrell insists both will be fit to play in Brisbane..

Farrell explained that the squad had a double training session on Thursday, meaning some players were not being pushed with only 24 hours to go until the Test series begins.

Croft has "a little inflammation in his toe" and Davies "stiffness" but Farrell says both will be "absolutely fine".

British & Irish Lions starting XV: Leigh Halfpenny (Wales); Alex Cuthbert (Wales), Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland), Jonathan Davies (Wales), George North (Wales); Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), Mike Phillips (Wales); Alex Corbisiero (England), Tom Youngs (England), Adam Jones (Wales), Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), Paul O'Connell (Ireland), Tom Croft (England), Sam Warburton (Wales, capt), Jamie Heaslip (Ireland).

Replacements: Richard Hibbard (Wales), Mako Vunipola (England), Dan Cole (England), Geoff Parling (England), Dan Lydiate (Wales), Ben Youngs (England), Owen Farrell (England), Sean Maitland (Scotland).

Australia starting XV: Berrick Barnes (NSW Waratahs); Israel Folau (NSW), Adam Ashley-Cooper (NSW), Christian Leali'ifano (ACT Brumbies), Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds); James O'Connor (Melbourne Rebels), Will Genia (Reds); Benn Robinson (NSW), Stephen Moore (ACT), Ben Alexander (ACT), James Horwill (Reds - capt), Kane Douglas (NSW), Ben Mowen (ACT), Michael Hooper (NSW), Wycliff Palu (NSW).

Replacements: Saia Fainga'a (Reds), James Slipper (Reds), S Kepu (NSW), Rob Simmons (Reds), Liam Gill (Reds) Nick Phipps (Rebels), Pat McCabe (ACT), Kurtley Beale (Rebels).

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306 comments

  • Comment posted by User0391197234, at 07:08 21 Jun 2013

    Don't be so hard on Woodward. That Lions team from 05 was outclassed by a great ABs team that saw Dan Carter at his peak. Any other coach would've fared the same and you know it!

  • Comment posted by Smashman, at 07:07 21 Jun 2013

    Winning a World Cup, especially against the Wallabies in Australia entitles you to an opinion.

    Some of the players from that tour have openly reported that they did not buy into his Lions team philosophy after the series defeat. Perhaps they felt that a winning philosophy doesn't work for them. I watched that series the other day, full of missed opportunities, squandered chances.

  • Comment posted by User0198970675, at 07:01 21 Jun 2013

    Woodward is a BBC pundit, so it's not unreasonable to see him commenting on Rugby on the BBC in the same way Guscott and Jiffy do for BBC sport or Barnes, Greenwood and co.. do on SKY.

    I suggest those who don't like reading his comments don't bother reading them... Pretty simple really.

  • Comment posted by User0684592762, at 09:48 21 Jun 2013

    The 2005 Lions tour of New Zeland was an absolute drubbing by the vastly superior All Blacks. He could have chosen any 15 players in the world to play that all blacks team and it would have still been picked apart by Dan Carter and Umanga. What Clive did for England was immense. I'm Welsh and couldn't care less what he thinks but his credentials are unquestionable.

  • Comment posted by User0747193559, at 11:43 21 Jun 2013

    @127. Horrace123

    You're either a WUM or deluded. Ashton couldn't score in a brothel lately, Barritt shouldn't even be playing for England let alone the Lions (36 is far better and offers more), I am of the opinion Robshaw was unlucky to miss out on the tour but he would have been up against some very stiff competition to make the test team.

    Farrell needs to get on the pitch first.

  • Comment posted by An Honest Rucker, at 12:56 21 Jun 2013

    It does seem a little disingenous to slate a coach who won 14 matches on the bounce to Southern Hemisphere opposition, won a world cup and grand slam.

    ....... Anyway back to the Lions
    Pleased for Jonathan Davies, he is a superb player i just hope Sexton unleashes him early we could put the Aussies away in the first half that would be great.

  • Comment posted by Dragonborn, at 07:28 21 Jun 2013

    I don' get the aggro about Woodward. His achievements warranted a crack at a Lions tour. 2 World Cup winning coaches have coached the Lions and failed. More flops than victories in our History so what's so special about 05. The 05 ABs were awesome and would comfortably beat the ABs that won the World Cup imo. PoC had a full head of hair on that tour and look at him now! Better luck tomorrow!

  • Comment posted by User0933349600, at 06:33 21 Jun 2013

    So everyone here is entitled to an opinion and to state it, have never made mistakes, and have all coached a side to a world cup win?
    A pity that more people on here weren't as balanced in their comments as Sir Clive has just been to Warren Gatland and the Lions team!

  • Comment posted by Oliver, at 15:47 21 Jun 2013

    I too would have gone for Hogg on the bench, and SOB also.

    However, I think it's a fundamental truth of international rugby team selection that if your complaints are limited to a couple of the reserves, you're not doing too bad!

  • Comment posted by dazzlingdublinblue, at 11:55 21 Jun 2013

    It's judgement day tomorrow. If the Lions win then Gatland got his selection right.

    If they lose, fans and journalists will dissect the selection and ask where it all went wrong.

    Personally, apart from O'Brien's omission, I think he's called it right so hopefully Gatland will be vindicated with a Lions victory tomorrow.

  • Comment posted by Blues Fan, at 09:53 21 Jun 2013

    It's a great side but so is the Wallabies. It will come down to the intensity that can be applied.

  • Comment posted by User0967342041, at 07:50 22 Jun 2013

    Does WG need any confirmation of his selection from Woodward ,, who has such a magnificent record in control of the Lions ? delboy

  • Comment posted by User0099682623, at 07:04 21 Jun 2013

    @9+10.
    totally agree whilst his lions tour in charge was an epic failure.
    this guy has done so much in the rugby world.
    his England side's were always near impossible for us welsh to beat. he was a top coach and now people are having a go cause he's lending his support to gatlands choice's. show a little respect.
    also c'mon lions for tomorrow

  • Comment posted by Cuzzer, at 12:08 21 Jun 2013

    I've no qualms with the starting XV - I think most selected themselves. Some very odd calls on the bench though. Maitland has had an awful tour and shouldn't be anywhere near it, while Lydiate is very lucky to be involved ahead of O'Brien or Faletau. Still; I think we're strong enough and have good impact players in Mako, Hibbard & Youngs.

  • Comment posted by Good Citizen, at 12:37 21 Jun 2013

    If you're discussing the Lions in the pub or in the stands (I wish) it would be normal objective and respectfull discussion of each others players. Put everyone on an internet forum and its instant bad feeling. Give me a game to watch and a face to talk to any day, on the internet everyone just chats rubbish, brings out the worst in people.

  • Comment posted by tonep, at 07:10 21 Jun 2013

    List all northern hemisphere winners of the World Cup...I'll go first.

    1) Sir Clive Woodward

    Ok, next?

  • Comment posted by Navycaptain, at 01:15 22 Jun 2013

    More boring pointless journalism from BBC! Who cares what SCW thinks..... The majority of his WC wining side have stated he was a clown as the England head coach and he was shown up with Lions!!!!!!

    SCW needs to stay buried in the past!

    Before any of u other English posters start - I'm English so no racism or anti English bias in my comments!!!!

  • Comment posted by Sgt_Apone, at 07:44 21 Jun 2013

    @16 doesn't look like preaching to me, more like full endorsement and praise. Good grief some people.

    I'll always respect his views even if I disagree. As an individual he was never very popular but that character made him a winner.

  • Comment posted by User0063785443, at 08:10 21 Jun 2013

    Im Welsh and have no problem with Sir Clive either making comments like every other pundit or by what he did in 05. As said previously no coach or Lions side would compete with the All Blacks of that era. So he tried something different and it didnt come off.

  • Comment posted by Thistledubhme, at 06:53 21 Jun 2013

    @9 agree with your comments. Sir Clive Woodward knows more about rugby than any of us. He has played for and coached successful international rugby sides, which is more than any of us here.
    Let's get behind the team, regardless whose chosen.

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