The 2013 British & Irish Lions tour party to Australia has just been announced. As expected, Welsh Richie McCaw wannabe, Sam Warburton, has been named captain and there is no place for the etheral Jonny Wilkinson or England captain, Chris Robshaw and experienced Lions campaigner, Rory Best.
The full squad is as follows -
Backs: Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), Stuart Hogg (Scotland), Rob Kearney (Ireland), Tommy Bowe (Ireland), Alex Cuthbert (Wales), Sean Maitland (Scotland), George North (Wales), Jonathan Davies (Wales), Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland), Jamie Roberts (Wales), Manu Tuilagi (England), Owen Farrell (England), Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), Conor Murray (Ireland), Mike Phillips (Wales), Ben Youngs (England).
Forwards: Dan Cole (England), Cian Healy (Ireland), Gethin Jenkins (Wales), Adam Jones (Wales), Matt Stevens (England), Mako Vunipola (England), Dylan Hartley (England), Richard Hibbard (Wales), Tom Youngs (England), Ian Evans (Wales), Richie Gray (Scotland), Alun-Wyn Jones (Wales), Paul O'Connell (Ireland), Geoff Parling (England), Tom Croft (England), Toby Faletau (Wales), Jamie Heaslip (Ireland), Dan Lydiate (Wales), Sean O'Brien (Ireland), Justin Tipuric (Wales), Sam Warburton (Wales, captain)
Coach: Warren Gatland
Here's to an exciting series down under and it should be a competitive one given the form of the Australians in Super Rugby this year. One interesting selection is that of Sean Maitland of course who will be the one player the Aussies would be familiar with through his time with the Crusaders.
