Lewis Moody's Lions view
Lewis Moody's British and Irish Lions starting test XV
©TRU
Former England captain Lewis Moody believes that the selectors for the British and Irish Lions decided not to pick Joe Launchbury because ‘he wasn’t the character they were looking for.’
Launchbury was nominated as one of the players of the Six Nations earlier in the year, but the second-row was the notable absentee from Warren Gatland’s 41-man squad for the summer trip to New Zealand.
Along with Launchbury, fellow England international Dylan Hartley also didn’t make the cut when Gatland announced his squad last Wednesday.
“When I was listening to the press conference, I heard nearly all of the coaches talk about needing tough, physical and resilient characters and I wonder if they felt that Launchbury wasn’t that character,” said Moody.
“Maybe he wasn’t the big, bruising rugby head they were looking for like Alun Wyn Jones, Courtney Lawes and George Kruis.”
Moody also added that injuries will occur before the Lions’ 1st Test against New Zealand on 24th June and he stated that the likes of Launchbury, Hartley and others may still have an impact on this tour.
“The attrition rate will be high especially when you have got a 10 match series,” said Moody who was speaking on behalf of NatWest Rugby Force, a programme that helps grassroots clubs across the country attract new members and become more sustainable for the future.
“They have three days between each game and 41 players who are coming into this series off the back of a very hard season so for the players that have missed out, there will be opportunities to get in.
“During the warm-up games, I can’t see any of the All Blacks playing in those Super Rugby matches, so they will go out of their way to take pieces out of the Lions side. It is a tough place to go and play rugby and New Zealand, as a nation, are all about going out and winning.”
Head coach Gatland, who led the Lions to a series win in Australia four years ago, has included 16 England players in his side as well as 12 members of his Wales squad, 11 Irish players and just two Scots.
Moody, who was part of the last Lions side to tour New Zealand in 2005, is not surprised that Gatland has selected just two Scotland players after their performance against England at Twickenham in this year’s Six Nations
“I think the Lions selectors were looking for people that can deliver under pressure and I think what hindered Scotland was that England game,” the former Leicester Tigers player told TRU. “They just crumbled.”
“You look at the likes of Finn Russell and the Grays (Jonny and Richie) who were touted to deliver in that game, but they didn’t do that. You can say it is harsh on Scotland because they played some of their best rugby in decades, but ultimately when you go to New Zealand, you have to be able to cope with that pressure and Scotland just didn’t do that against England.”
Gatland has insisted player nationalities did not have any bearing on his squad selection, but Moody feels that the New Zealander’s call to select tried and tested units is a good choice.
When asked to pick his Lions XV to start the 1st Test if it was this week, Moody added: “The reason I have picked the side I have is because we of course, haven’t seen the Lions play yet.
It is good to have the tried and test units together so the likes of Farrell and Joseph, Warburton and Tipuric as well as the Irish front-row, but I am sure my predication will change after a few of the warm-up games!”
Lewis Moody’s Current Starting XV Lions 1st Test
Hogg, North, Joseph, Farrell, L Williams, Sexton, Murray, McGrath, Best, Furlong, Kruis, Wyn Jones, Warburton, Tipuric, B Vunipola.
Lewis Moody is a member of The NatWest RugbyForce, bringing his playing and coaching experience to help grassroots clubs improve their coaching expertise. To register for a chance to have Lewis join your rugby club, visit www.englandrugby.com/natwestrugbyforce.
