B&I Lions captaincy all but confirmed

UPDATE: Reports coming out of the United Kingdom late on Wednesday have mainly focussed on the British and Irish Lions captaincy.

According to The Guardian, Maro Itoje was given leadership responsibilities before Thursday’s squad announcement.

He will be the first England player to captain the side in 24 years.

Caelan Doris was the other candidate for the role but he is set to be ruled out of the tour with a shoulder injury, which required surgery.

Meanwhile, a few Aussies themselves are hanging on anxiously waiting to learn whether they will also be heading home as part of the touring squad.

Only the captain will be present on stage when the squad is announced, with players not knowing their fate until their names are revealed live on television.

That will mean an anxious wait for four Australian-born players, who have pushed themselves into contention for a place with performances for two of the four home nations.

They are Scotland’s Melburnian captain Sione Tuipulotu and Sydney’s former Wallaby Jack Dempsey, as well as Ireland’s Canberra duo of Mack Hansen and Finlay Bealham.

Tuipulotu, who qualifies for Scotland through his Greenock-born grandmother, may well have been considered a challenger for the captaincy himself until his pectoral injury forced him to miss the Six Nations but, now set for a return, his form had been so impressive that he’s a strong fancy to be included as a centre.

Dempsey may be more of a long shot to make the squad but his chances at No.8 have increased after the dreadfully-timed injury to Doris, which also opens the opportunity for Welshman Taulupe Faletau making a fourth tour.

Both wing Hansen and prop Bealham have been stalwarts in the Ireland team overseen by Farrell before he stepped down from his role in Dublin to concentrate on his Lions’ stewardship.

Another major talking point will be whether Englishman Farrell will select his son Owen Farrell, the former England skipper and three-tour Lion who’s had an injury-hit season in France playing for Racing 92.

Additional source: AAP