B&I Lions: The three French players Warren Gatland would ‘consider’: Planet Rugby

Former British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland has revealed the three France players he would consider selecting for the 2025 tour to Australia.

Gatland coached the touring team in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa between 2013 and 2021, but next year it will be current Ireland coach Andy Farrell who will have the difficult task of picking a team to claim a series victory over the Wallabies.

Selecting a team from countries such as England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales is difficult enough, but for Farrell there is another caveat, as several stars also play in France.

The challenge of selecting the 14 best players

This brings its own problems, as the French Top 14 final takes place on the same day as the first game in Australia against the Western Force and eight days after the clash against Argentina in Dublin.

This means that if Farrell intends to pick French-based players, they may only arrive in Australia much later than the rest of the Lions squad, unless an early release is agreed with the Top 14 club.

Gatland was fortunate that full-back Leigh Halfpenny included a clause in his contract to guarantee his release to the Lions in 2017 and he ended up missing the Top 14 final, which his team lost. However, this may not be the case for stars currently based in France.

Even so, the current Wales manager chose three players who he would consider taking the trouble to decide on their availability.

Trio from England in France

The first of these is Andy Farrell’s son, Owen Farrell, who plays for Racing 92. Gatland explained that the father-son, coach-player relationship was not a problem for the pair in 2013 and 2017 and believes that if Owen fits in he will agree with what Andy wants from the team, then he should select him.

“I’ve never picked anyone who didn’t play international rugby, but it’s been done before,” Gatland wrote in his Telegraph column.

“To do so would be because there is a gap somewhere in the squad that you need to fill with a former international who has a proven Test record. With a player like Owen, you know his pedigree and quality. I can see the reason for bringing it.

Warren Gatland identifies potential obstacle to Owen Farrell call-up to British & Irish Lions

The New Zealander chose two other former English internationals: Jack Willis, from Toulouse – who could well be playing in the Top 14 final – and Courtney Lawes, from Brive.

“I know Andy has plenty of other options at the back, but I think Willis has an X-factor,” Gatland added.

“Courtney was excellent for us on the tour of South Africa in 2021, forcing her way into the Test team despite missing half the season due to injury. Less than six months ago, he won the Premiership title. He may be thinking he is coming to the end of his career. But with the Lions you’re not choosing the future.”

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