RICHARD HILL IS A Grand Slam, World Cup and Lions Series winner. When he speaks rugby, people usually listen.
It will come as a boost, then, for Irish rugby supporters to learn that the English flanker has been undeterred by our poor run of form in the Six Nations.
Hill, 71 times capped with England and a British & Irish Lions victor in South Africa, has named seven Irishmen in his Starting XV to start against Australia in Brisbane this summer.
The 39-year-old named four Irish backs [Rob Kearney, Simon Zebo, Brian O'Driscoll, Jonathan Sexton] and three forwards [Rory Best, Sean O'Brien, Jamie Heaslip] in the side he hopes Warren Gatland selects to take on the Wallabies in the First Test.
Hill declares that Brian O’Driscoll, a player he toured with as a Lion in 2001 and 2005, should captain the side.
Here is Hill’s line-up:
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Hill was asked for this line-up just before the final round of Six Nations games, when Wales demolished England, France beat Scotland and Ireland succumbed to Italy in Rome.
One suspects that Hill may have selected at least two or three Welshman if he could have predicted such a set of results.
Richard Hill’s Lions XV: Kearney; Zebo, Tuilagi, O’Driscoll, North; Sexton, Care; Vunipola, Best, Cole; Launchbury, Gray; O’Brien, Robshaw, Heaslip.
What do you think of Hill’s selections?
