Comparison of 2017 Lions squad as compared to previous tours

by The TRU Team Thursday 20 April 2017

Sam Warburton previously captained the Lions in 2013

©PA

Head coach Warren Gatland announced a 41-man squad for the British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand that kicks-off in June.

The squad comprises of 16 players from England, 12 from Wales, 11 from Ireland and two from Scotland. We analyse the recent squad in comparison with the ones picked for the previous Lions tours.

2013

Opposition: Australia

Captain: Sam Warburton (Wales)

Coach: Warren Gatland (Wales coach, nationality New Zealand)

Original squad (refers to players initially selected - replacement players not included): England 10 players, Ireland 9, Scotland 3, Wales 15.

Test selection: England 20 appearances/9 starts, Ireland 14/11, Scotland 1/0, Wales 29/25.

Wales' back-to-back Six Nations champions - Grand Slam winners in 2012 - provided 15 of the 37-man squad and more than half of the players in the starting line-ups under their established coach and captain. Full-back Leigh Halfpenny was the chief inspiration for a 2-1 series win and a record 41 points in the deciding third Test. Coach Gatland and captain Warburton remain in charge for 2017.

2009

Opposition: South Africa

Captain: Paul O'Connell (Ireland)

Coach: Sir Ian McGeechan (Scotland)

Original squad: England 8, Ireland 14, Scotland 2, Wales 13.

Test selection: England 15 appearances/12 starts, Ireland 21/16, Scotland 1/0, Wales 24/17.

Ireland had won the Six Nations Grand Slam, matching the feat of Wales the previous year, and both nations were well represented as England slipped to third in the pecking order. South Africa won the series 2-1, with Morne Steyn's match-winning penalty from his own half in injury time of the second Test ultimately proving decisive.

2005

Opposition: New Zealand

Captain: Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland)

Coach: Sir Clive Woodward (England)

Original squad: England 20*, Ireland 11, Scotland 3, Wales 10.

Test selection: England 28 appearances/19 starts, Ireland 16/11, Scotland 1/0, Wales 18/15.

Woodward kept faith with many of his 2003 World Cup winners, but suffered a 3-0 series whitewash. Wales' Gareth Thomas took over the captaincy after O'Driscoll was controversially spear-tackled out of the tour two minutes into the first Test.

* Jonny Wilkinson was added to the squad as a 21st England selection, having initially been included on a list of players to join the squad subject to proving their fitness.

2001

Opposition: Australia

Captain: Martin Johnson (England)

Coach: Graham Henry (Wales coach, nationality New Zealand)

Original squad: England 18, Ireland 6, Scotland 3, Wales 10.

Test selection: England 32 appearances/25 starts, Ireland 9/9, Scotland 4/3, Wales 12/8.

England's back-to-back Grand Slam winners dominated the team-sheet, led by captain Johnson two years before he marshalled his country to global success. He was the first man to captain the Lions twice, an achievement now matched by Warburton. Prop Tom Smith was the last Scot to start a Lions Test, making the XV in all three games in a series won 2-1 by Australia.

1997

Opposition: South Africa

Captain: Martin Johnson (England)

Coach: Sir Ian McGeechan (Scotland)

Original squad: England 18, Ireland 4, Scotland 5, Wales 8

Test selection: England 27 appearances/22 starts, Ireland 9/8, Scotland 8/8, Wales 8/7

The last time Scotland were not the nation least represented - they had five players to Ireland's four and eight starts to Wales' seven. The Lions won the series 2-1, largely thanks to the kicking of Neil Jenkins - a member of the 2013 and 2017 coaching staffs.

1993

Opposition: New Zealand

Captain: Gavin Hastings (Scotland)

Coach: Sir Ian McGeechan (Scotland)

Original squad: England 16, Ireland 2, Scotland 7, Wales 5

Test selection: England 32 appearances/31 starts, Ireland 3/3, Scotland 6/6, Wales 5/5

Rory Underwood's try helped the tourists win the second Test but they lost the series 2-1. Eleven players started all three matches, with Mike Teague in the second Test the only Lions replacement used.