Lions 2021

[big mervyn]

In Wynn-Jones' absence, he has leadership qualities that are notably lacking in some of the other 2nd row candidates.

[Dave]

James Ryan has a groin strain but that didn't stop the whinging about his non-selection. Well it did when said whingers were fact checked.

[jean valjean]

Ita a pity Ryan is injured as it would have been interesting to see gatlands choice. I think he would have gone for beard anyway.

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[Dave]

Covid in the boks camp. Entire camp in isolation.

[Dublin4]

Murray has been living off his reputation for years as folk here well know. Simply can't remember a good performance from him since 2018. How will we ever get rid of him from the Ireland team if he is captain of the Lions?

[Dave]

A strange choice. It forces Gatland's hand for selection at 9. I haven't seen much of CM as captain before either. It's not something he appears to known for, is it?

[big mervyn]

A strange choice. It forces Gatland's hand for selection at 9. I haven't seen much of CM as captain before either. It's not something he appears to known for, is it?

Indeed. Davies must have fancied his chances of starting before that announcement.

[Hans Indaruck]

A strange choice. It forces Gatland's hand for selection at 9. I haven't seen much of CM as captain before either. It's not something he appears to known for, is it?

Indeed. Davies must have fancied his chances of starting before that announcement.

So Gats clearly sees Murray as a nailed on starter! The corollary of this is that he doesn’t see Farrell as a nailed on starter (he was, apparently, the players choice as leader) or even Itoje (who was the press choice). Gats certainly is his own man and doesn’t do ‘popularity’!!
Interesting!!

[Lurgan Lad]

A strange choice. It forces Gatland's hand for selection at 9. I haven't seen much of CM as captain before either. It's not something he appears to known for, is it?

Indeed. Davies must have fancied his chances of starting before that announcement.

So Gats clearly sees Murray as a nailed on starter! The corollary of this is that he doesn’t see Farrell as a nailed on starter (he was, apparently, the players choice as leader) or even Itoje (who was the press choice). Gats certainly is his own man and doesn’t do ‘popularity’!!
Interesting!!

Not saying it is the reason, but both Farrell and Itoje can be penalty machines with how they play the game. Murray does seem calm under pressure although he does have minimal captaincy experience.

[Bobbievee]

If you are going to have a warm up friendly, would you pick Japan? Not sure "friendly" translates into Japanese . So Lions lose their captain and Tipuric.
Silly

[Bobbievee]

So Roman Poite " finally admits he got it wrong " in the draw in the final series decider in 2017 with the accidental offside decision against Ken Owens.
?????
But NZ captain Keiran Reid was yards in front of the kicker at the restart and should never have been in a position to compete for the ball with Liam Williams......who arguably was hit in the air.
He was wrong......but should have been a Lions scrum on halfway.

[rumncoke]

Not every player embraces the English and an English captain strikes a discordant note at times and given Gatland love of all players welsh he had to avoid a Welsh Captain . The only natural Captain second row is Henderson who would not be Gatlands natural first choice at the moment as a starter Gatland likes Henderson on the bench in big games.

Murray is a surprise because Murray's kicking game against Japan was not the best -- he has a tendency to get too much length which could be dangerous given the quality of the SA back 3.

[mea97mb]

The tour captain and test captain are not necessarily the same thing, in the last tour Gatland did not start tour captain Warburton in the first test and O'Mahony led them in that match.

[Snipe Watson]

The tour captain and test captain are not necessarily the same thing, in the last tour Gatland did not start tour captain Warburton in the first test and O'Mahony led them in that match.

afaik Warburton was injured. Tour captain is usually the test captain.

[justinr73]

He wasn’t 100% and started on the bench.

Murray will clearly play, if available.