The British & Irish Lions squad for the upcoming tour of Australia has been named and former England and Lions star Ugo Monye has tipped them to seal a momentous victory
Ugo Monye says the British & Irish Lions have all the experience they need both on and off the pitch to win in Australia. Coach Andy Farrell announced his squad for the summer tour this week and Monye expects the cohort to do the business.
Monye, the top try scorer on the classic 2009 tour to South Africa, believes Farrell and captain Maro Itoje have the right tools to succeed in what will be a brutal series. He said: “They absolutely can win in Australia. To my knowledge, this could be the first time in the modern era that they go back-to-back in Australia – they won in 2013, and now 12 years on it’s back Down Under and they have this huge opportunity to do it again.
“It’s an opportunity of huge magnitude but also huge difficulty. That said, this will serve as extra motivation for Andy Farrell and the squad.
“As for who needs to deliver big performances? All of them. And I truly mean that, literally all of them. It’s not a cliche – literally every member of that squad needs to stand up and be counted. And there’s loads of games to play before the Test matches. If the midweek team delivers, it gives energy to the Test team.
“ Everyone needs to be rowing in the same direction for a Lions Test to be successful. Andy Farrell’s such an experienced coach and before he coached he was a natural born winner as a player, too. And he did it in two sports. Andy is a legend in rugby league and a legend in rugby union.
“He coached me at England, so I understand how highly motivated he is. He wants to win everything. And he brings a unique approach to the table.
“He knows how to bring a team together, how to help the players have fun and feel relaxed. The balance of all that is very important, and he selected the right personalities in this squad to bring out all of those elements. I’m hugely excited for him and what he can bring to the Lions.”
As for what Itoje can bring to the table after his spell leading England, Monye is in no doubt. He added: “The biggest thing Maro will bring to the captaincy is being himself, and that’s exactly what I expect him to do. Be himself.
“He’s so experienced. He’s captained Saracens, captained England, five Premiership titles, three Champions Cups, three Six Nations crowns and a World Cup Final appearance.
“When you’re that experienced, and you be yourself, you allow others to be themselves as well. That’s a fantastic thing, as everyone will feel comfortable in that squad and that will bring out the best in every player as a result.
“When you speak to Maro, he’s a well-rounded character and he has often said himself that leadership is all about serving. He’ll lead by example and he’ll do it by serving his team-mates.
“I think his leadership qualities during the tour will look like many different things in many different ways but I’m thrilled for him. He’s a truly exceptional person.”
Meanwhile, Itoje believes it was the right call not to take Owen Farrell in the squad this time. He said: “As always, there were loads of players that were close to going. It should always be difficult to pick the final squad for the British and Irish Lions, that’s the idea.
“It’s four nations coming together as one, with tons of individual quality across all four. It speaks volumes to the depth of the quality and players the calibre of Owen Farrell cannot make the cut.
“It’s tough for Farrell and others who will, no doubt, be devastated. But while announcement day itself has come and gone, there will of course be the possibility of developments that are unfortunate for players in the squad but fortunate for those on the fringe – injuries, and so on.
“Between now and the tour, there may be some situations arise that lead to openings for new additions to the squad. And that’s just the reality of these things.”
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