FOR THE FIRST time since Warren Gatland named his 37-man squad to tour Australia has a stand-by player been revealed. Unsurprisingly, that player is England captain Chris Robshaw.
Lions forwards coach Graham Rowntree told TheScore.ie that he has spoken to Robshaw and told him he will be the first port of call if any of the five flankers are injured.
The Harlequins forward, described by former England outhalf Stuart Barnes as ‘the unluckiest man in Britain and Ireland’ when Warren Gatland named his squad on 30 April, has been rested from England’s tour to Argentina next month. Danny Care and Chris Ashton, two other close calls for the Lions squad, have also been excused from international duty.
The coaching staff has an idea of its stand-by players, says Rowntree. He held four fingers out to represent the players selected and another four to show the unlucky few that were just below the line. He said, “Those guys form the stand-by list. We haven’t named one officially but we have a group of players, in our mind, that we feel we will go to. There’s nothing set in stone. There’s form, fitness, who is available.
What we have said to those guys — people like Chris Robshaw — if they don’t go on their national tours, like Chris isn’t going to Argentina, it will not take him out of the reckoning for selection.”
Whilst admitting, on Sunday, he was not privvy to any official Lions list of stand-by players, Ireland interim coach Les Kiss told TheScore.ie, “If the Lions called him up tomorrow, he could play.”
Winger Craig Gilroy was not named as an officially ‘injured’ player by the IRFU ahead of the tour of North America but Ulster Rugby issued a statement about an ongoing groin injury that needed time to properly heel.
Rowntree said, “I’ve no idea about Craig’s injury; it’s one for the medics. He is certainly a guy we’ve spoken about in selection [meetings].”
“You’d have to speak to the medics to see where he is, fitness wise,” added the forwards coach.
Asked if Ryan Jones, who captained Wales for three games in this year’s Six Nations, was on the list of stand-by players, Rowntree replied “potentially”.
