Liverpool FC Forum

[GYBS]

O'Connell handed Lions captaincy 



Ireland's Paul O'Connell has been confirmed as British and Irish Lions captain for the three-Test summer tour to South Africa.

The second row was one of 14 Ireland players included in head coach Ian McGeechan's 37-man squad on Tuesday.

England second row Simon Shaw, 36, was also among the names, but there were no places for Wales captain Ryan Jones or team-mates Gavin Henson and James Hook.

England captain Steve Borthwick and Scotland's Mike Blair were omitted.

The omission means only Brian O'Driscoll, who led Ireland to only their second Six Nations Grand Slam, is the only captain from the four home nations to make McGeechan's squad.

Leicester and England loose forward Tom Croft, widely tipped to be included, misses out, but there are surprise call-ups for Munster and Ireland pair Keith Earls and Alan Quinlan.

The 14-strong Irish contingent are joined by 13 Welsh players, eight from England and two from Scotland, prop Euan Murray and lock Nathan Hines.

The Lions depart on 24 May and play Test matches in Durban, Pretoria and Johannesburg.

More to follow.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tour 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




Full squad will be announced soon .

Hopefully the guys can get a win over there , loved watching the 1997 games and then the living with lions dvd which came out afterwards

[bunglemark2]

He's a legend, O'Connell....a horse of a man.....I bet he shytes standing up 'n all

[GYBS]

O'Connell to skipper Lions
Irish flanker confirmed as captain for South Africa tour




Paul O'Connell has been named as captain of the British and Irish Lions squad to tour South Africa this summer.

The 29-year-old edged Ireland's Grand Slam-winning captain Brian O'Driscoll in the race for the most prestigious job in British and Irish rugby.

O'Driscoll has also been named in the 37-man touring party which leaves for South Africa next month.

But there is no place in the party for three RBS 6 Nations captains - Ryan Jones, Steve Borthwick and Mike Blair.

Other absentees include Jonny Wilkinson, Danny Cipriani, Gavin Henson and James Hook, plus the shock omission of England flanker Tom Croft. There are surprise call-ups for the likes of Munster pair Keith Earls and Alan Quinlan.

Ireland will provide 14 players, Wales 13, England eight and Scotland just two - prop Euan Murray and lock Nathan Hines.

Munster second row O'Connell is the 10th Irishman to lead a Lions tour and is Europe's most feared second row with his style inviting comparisons with former England skipper Martin Johnson.

He has led Ireland on four occasions, each time deputising for O'Driscoll, and was at the helm when Munster were crowned Heineken Cup champions last year.

Lions' 37-man squad
Backs: Lee Byrne, Rob Kearney, Shane Williams, Leigh Halfpenny, Ugo Monye, Luke Fitzgerald, Tommy Bowe, Tom Shanklin, Jamie Roberts, Brian O'Driscoll, Keith Earls, Riki Flutey, Ronan O'Gara, Stephen Jones, Mike Phillips, Harry Ellis, Tomas O'Leary.

Forwards: Jamie Heaslip, Andy Powell, David Wallace, Stephen Ferris, Alan Quinlan, Joe Worsley, Martyn Williams, Alun Wyn-Jones, Paul O'Connell (capt), Donncha O'Callaghan, Simon Shaw, Nathan Hines, Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones, Andrew Sheridan, Phil Vickery, Euan Murray, Jerry Flannery, Lee Mears, Matthew Rees.