British and Irish Lions 2017 squad announcement live: Sam Warburton named captain as Warren Gatland reveals squad
Follow the latest updates as Warren Gatland names his Lions squad to face New Zealand
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Your support makes all the difference.Warren Gatland has named his squad for the 2017 British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand as the famous Northern Hemisphere side bid to secure a first series victory over the All Blacks since 1971, having not won a match against them in 24 years. Follow the latest news here.
- Warren Gatland names 41-man squad
- Sam Warburton named captain for the second successive tour
- Jonathan Joseph and Ben Te'o included but no Dylan Hartley
- Tommy Seymour and Ross Moriarty also surprise inclusions
- Squad split into 19 backs and 22 forwards
Follow the live action below...
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Tour schedule
3 June: New Zealand Provincial Barbarians (Toll Stadium, Whangarei)
7 June: Blues (Eden Park, Auckland)
10 June: Crusaders (AMI Stadium, Christchurch)
13 June: Highlanders (Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin)
17 June: Maori All Blacks (Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua)
20 June: Chiefs (FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton)
24 June: New Zealand – First Test (Eden Park, Auckland)
27 June: Hurricanes (Westpac Stadium, Wellington)
1 July: New Zealand – Second Test (Westpac Stadium, Wellington)
8 July: New Zealand – Third Test (Eden Park, Auckland)
Good morning and welcome to The Independent's live coverage of today's British and Irish Lions squad announcement, where we'll discover the full squad to tour New Zealand this summer, as well as who Warren Garland has selected as captain.We'll also find out who misses out on the squad, and from the early tumours here at Syon Park in London, there's a few very big names.The announcement is due to get underway in about 20 minutes time, but we'll bring you up to speed on what's already happened this morning.
It would appear that the cat is already out of the bag when it comes to the 2017 Lions captain. None of the players are due to be here today apart from the captain, and a certain Welsh flanker has been spotted arriving here already this morning.It would appear that those of you who tipped Sam Warburton were right to do so!
So here's how the afternoon will go:First up, Warren Gatland will tease us a little with a short Q+A about the squad.Next, John Spencer will reveal the full squad, as well as the captain.Then Garland will talk is through the squad along with the captain, who will be welcomed up on stage.Not long now...
So what's the rumour mill saying? Well...First it started yesterday that Jamie Roberts had made the cut from nowhere, but that now looks to be a false rumour, which is extremely hard on the Welsh centre and veteran of two Lions tours already.Then came the revelation the Ben Te'o was in, ahead of England teammate Jonathan Joseph.Over in Ireland, it emerged that Keith Earls might be in, but a rumour is just circulating now through the media that it could be Jared Payne, his Irish colleague, who has been selected.And all the while it looks like Dylan Hartley will miss out.Anyway, it's time to end the rumours, here we go!
We kick the announcement off with a British and Irish Lions montage, a walk back through the history of the team and what it means to be selected for the Lions.
Here comes the Lions contingent, Warren Gatland, John Spencer, Steve Borthwick, Andy Farrell and Graham Rowntree, along with Neil Jenkins and Rob Howley.
Warren Gatland:"It's the hardest one we've had but it's the strongest squad we've had"
Backs: Dan BiggarElliot DalyJonathan DaviesOwen FarrellLeigh HalfpennyRobbie HenshawStuart HoggJonathan JosephConor MurrayGeorge NorthJack NowellJared PayneJonathan SextonTommy SeymourBen Te'oAnthony WatsonRhys WebbLiam WilliamsBen Youngs
Forwards:Rory Best Dan ColeTaulupe FaletauTadhg FurlongJamie GeorgeIain HendersonMaro ItojeAlun Wyn JonesGeorge KruisCourtney LawesJoe MarlerJack McGrathRoss MoriartySean O'BrienPeter O'MahonyKen OwensKyle SincklerCJ StanderJustin TipuricMako Vunipola Billy VunipolaSam Warburton
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