Warren Gatland reveals the player most likely to captain his Lions

Tuesday, 15 September 2020 at 11:24

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 2215803-14.jpg

bySteven Smith

According to reports in different London-based newspapers, Warren Gatland feels Maro Itoje has the credentials required to lead his Britihs & Irish Lions into battle against the Springboks.

The Kiwi is set to take charge of the Lions for the third time, having beaten Australia 2-1 in 2013 and then overseen a drawn series in his homeland in 2017.

Itoje along with England captain Owen Farrell and Alun Wyn Jones are being touted as the leading three contenders for the tour.

"He's an intelligent player and an intelligent man and has been incredibly successful in his career," Gatland is reported as saying in The Sun.

Maro Itoje featured in all three Tests against the All Blacks in 2017. PHOTO: Cameron Geran/PPAUK

"He would definitely be in contention as one of the possibilities as captain.

'It's about picking the squad and then saying who do we think will be captain material. Ideally, it's somebody who has come from a team that's been pretty successful.

"The next question is if we were picking the Test team today, is there a good chance this person would make that Test team?

'You look at that and go, well, there are some pretty good second rows around and he's not bad. You have Courtney Lawes and George Kruis.

"How's Alun Wyn Jones going at that time? There's James Ryan. There's no doubt about Itoje's quality."

JOIN THE RUCK:

British & Irish Lions predicted 2021 starting XV according to the bookies

Odds are accurate on Wednesday, 22nd April 2020, 8am, and are subject to change.

620446 rugby union 2013 british and irish lions squad announcement london hilton syon park

Fullback: LIAM WILLIAMS (Wales 4/7)

Other contenders: Stuart Hogg (Scotland 4/6), Jordan Larmour (Ireland EVS), Leigh Halfpenny (Wales 5/1), George Furbank (England 7/2)

Left wing: JONNY MAY (England 1/25)

Other contenders: Jacob Stockdale (Ireland 1/3), Adam Radwan (England 40/1), Jack Nowell (England 11/4), Louis Rees-Zammit (Wales 13/8)

Outside-centre: JONATHAN DAVIES (Wales 1/3)

Other contenders: Henry Slade (England 5/6), Garry Ringshow (Ireland 4/6), Jonathan Joseph (England 13/8), Chris Harris (Scotland 20/1), Huw Jones (Scotland 6/1)

Inside-centre: MANU TUILAGI (England 1/3)

Other contenders: Robbie Henshaw (Ireland 5/6), Hadleigh Parkes (Wales 5/4), Sam Johnson (Scotland 9/2)

Right wing: JOSH ADAMS (Wales 1/18)

Other contenders: Anthony Watson (England 4/6), George North (Wales 2/1), Elliot Daly (England 10/11), Joe Cokanasiga (England 3/1), Keith Earls (Ireland 9/2)

Fly-half: OWEN FARRELL (England 1/25)

Other contenders: Johnny Sexton (Ireland 1/2), Dan Biggar (Wales 8/15), Finn Russell (Scotland 3/1), Marcus Smith (England 8/1)

Scrum-half: CONOR MURRAY (Ireland 4/6)

Other contenders: Tomos Williams (Wales 5/4), Ben Youngs (England 6/4), Ali Price (Scotland 2/1)

Looshead-prop: MAKO VUNIPOLA (England 4/6)

Other contenders: Ellis Genge (England 1/3), Cian Healy (Ireland 5/6), Joe Marler (England 5/2)

Hooker: JAMIE GEORGE (England 1/10)

Other contenders: Luke Cowan-Dickie (England 4/6), Ken Owens (Wales 7/4), Stuart McInally (Scotland 7/2)

Tighthead-prop: Tadhg Furlong (Ireland 1/15)

Other contenders: Kyle Sinckler (England 1/5), Tomas Francis (Wales 11/8), Harry Williams (England 5/1)

Lock: MATO ITOJE (England 1/10)

Other contenders: James Ryan (Ireland 1/5), Jonny Gray (Scotland 8/11)

Lock: ALUN WYN JONES (Wales 1/5)

Other contenders: Iain Henderson (Ireland 4/6), Courtney Lawes (England 5/4), George Kruis (England 7/2), Jean Kleyn (Ireland 33/1), Richie Gray (Scotland 5/1)