Staff Reporter.
Exeter’s Sam Simmonds is included ahead of fellow England number eight Billy Vunipola in a 37-man British and Irish Lions squad, with two-time tourist Johnny Sexton also left out.
Wales great Alun Wyn Jones is confirmed as captain for what will be his fourth Lions tour.
England forward Courtney Lawes – out injured since February – and lock Jonny Hill are also in the team.
In the centres, Scotland’s Chris Harris and Ireland’s Bundee Aki are named.
England’s Jonny May and Henry Slade are left out as is 2013 tourist Manu Tuilagi, who last played in September because of an Achilles injury, and Wales centre Jonathan Davies.
Another notable omission is England prop Kyle Sinckler, with Ireland’s Andrew Porter joining compatriot Tadhg Furlong and Scotland’s Zander Fagerson as the tight-heads.
Ireland pair James Ryan and Garry Ringrose also failed to make the cut for a squad with 11 England players, 10 Wales players, and eight each from Scotland and Ireland.
British and Irish Lions 2021 squad:
Captain: Alun Wyn Jones (Wal)
Forwards: Tadhg Beirne (Ire), Jack Conan (Ire), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Eng), Tom Curry (Eng), Zander Fagerson (Sco), Taulupe Faletau (Wal), Tadhg Furlong (Ire), Jamie George (Eng), Iain Henderson (Ire), Jonny Hill (Eng), Maro Itoje (Eng), Wyn Jones (Wal), Courtney Lawes (Eng), Ken Owens (Wal), Andrew Porter (Ire), Sam Simmonds (Eng), Rory Sutherland (Sco), Justin Tipuric (Wal), Mako Vunipola (Eng), Hamish Watson (Sco).
Backs: Josh Adams (Wal), Bundee Aki (Ire), Dan Biggar (Wal), Elliot Daly (Eng), Gareth Davies (Wal), Owen Farrell (Eng), Chris Harris (Sco), Robbie Henshaw (Ire), Stuart Hogg (Sco), Conor Murray (Ire), Ali Price (Sco), Lewis Rees-Zammit (Wal), Finn Russell (Sco), Duhan van der Merwe (Sco), Anthony Watson (Eng), Liam Williams (Wal).
“We believe we’ve picked a squad capable of winning a test series in South Africa,” The British & Irish Lions Head Coach, Warren Gatland said.
“Selecting a Lions squad is never easy and, in many ways, this has been the most challenging selection I have been involved in. Over the course of the last three weeks the coaches and I have rigorously debated each position.
“We saw some outstanding performance in the recent Six Nations, so competition for places has been tough with some incredibly tight calls to make.
“However, we are very happy with the squad we have assembled and look forward to meeting up in Jersey in just over a month’s time to start our preparation to take on the World Champions. We’ve left out some very talented players which gives an indication to the strength of this squad and we know how important that stand-by list will be.
“Being selected for a Lions Tour is the greatest honour for a British and Irish player and I congratulate everyone named today.”