British & Irish Lions
• British & Irish Lions tour Australia in 2013
Ireland Rugby
No Preliminary Lions Squad
Ian McGeechan will not name an extended preliminary squad for the tour in South Africa later this year.
McGeechan said:
‘Instead of selecting and announcing a preliminary squad this month, we have decided that we should instead work closely with each of the four Home Union coaches in the lead-up and during the Six Nations to determine which players are showing the form and application that will make them suitable tourists.
‘Becoming a Lion is the pinnacle of a player’s career – it is a unique experience and nothing compares to it.
‘We want to ensure that all players continue to see they have a chance of playing themselves into contention for the final squad that we will be announcing in April, as planned.
‘Selection of the tour party is the most important element of the tour, as far as I am concerned.
‘I want to ensure that we have every opportunity to make the best selection decisions and that we utilise expertise from outside the group, such as the national coaches of the home nations, to select the final group of players that will represent Britain and Ireland in South Africa.’
All players in the English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish national squads – plus selected other players will receive draft Lions contracts. These contracts will be activated if the player makes it into the selection in April.