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As it happenedended

British and Irish Lions 2017 squad announcement live: Sam Warburton named captain as Warren Gatland reveals squad

Follow the latest updates as Warren Gatland names his Lions squad to face New Zealand

Jack de Menezes
Wednesday 19 April 2017 08:58 BST
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Warren Gatland will name his full British and Irish Lions squad to face New Zealand
Warren Gatland will name his full British and Irish Lions squad to face New Zealand (Getty)

Warren Gatland has named his squad for the 2017 British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand as the famous Northern Hemisphere side bid to secure a first series victory over the All Blacks since 1971, having not won a match against them in 24 years. Follow the latest news here.

  • Warren Gatland names 41-man squad
  • Sam Warburton named captain for the second successive tour
  • Jonathan Joseph and Ben Te'o included but no Dylan Hartley
  • Tommy Seymour and Ross Moriarty also surprise inclusions
  • Squad split into 19 backs and 22 forwards

Follow the live action below...

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Tour schedule

3 June: New Zealand Provincial Barbarians (Toll Stadium, Whangarei)

7 June: Blues (Eden Park, Auckland)

10 June: Crusaders (AMI Stadium, Christchurch)

13 June: Highlanders (Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin)

17 June: Maori All Blacks (Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua)

20 June: Chiefs (FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton)

24 June: New Zealand – First Test (Eden Park, Auckland)

27 June: Hurricanes (Westpac Stadium, Wellington)

1 July: New Zealand – Second Test (Westpac Stadium, Wellington)

8 July: New Zealand – Third Test (Eden Park, Auckland)

And as we revealed earlier, the captain is...SAM WARBURTON

Jack de Menezes19 April 2017 12:11

Sam Warburton:"It's hard to put into words really. The 2013 tour hasn't really set in if I'm honest. "It's an amazing challenge and an amazing opportunity."I found out last Thursday, I was at the supermarket and the wife was getting some bread and milk. I hung up on Gats the first time because I thought it was the Cardiff Blues boys messing around."

Jack de Menezes19 April 2017 12:13

Warren Gatland:"Sam knows he needs his form to make sure he's selected."

Jack de Menezes19 April 2017 12:13

The big news:Jonathan Joseph is IN the squad along with Ben Te'o, meaning that the rumours of Joseph's snub were way off the mark. Jared Payne has indeed beaten Keith Earls to a spot, while Tommy Seymour also gets a spot in the backs.Among the forwards is someone who no one mentioned in Ross Moriarty, who gets in at the expense of Donnacha Ryan. While there is indeed no Dylan Hartley.

Jack de Menezes19 April 2017 12:15
Jack de Menezes19 April 2017 12:42

Here's the full 41-man squad for the British and Irish Lions:

Props: Dan Cole, Tadhg Furlong, Joe Marler, Jack McGrath, Kyle Sinckler, Mako Vunipola

Hookers: Rory Best, Jamie George, Ken Owens

Locks: Iain Henderson, Maro Itoje, Alun Wyn Jones, George Kruis, Courtney Lawes

Flankers: Sean O’Brien, Peter O’Mahony, CJ Stander, Justin Tipuric, Sam Warburton

No 8s: Taulupe Faletau, Ross Moriarty, Billy Vunipola

Scrum-halves: Conor Murray, Rhys Webb, Ben Youngs

Fly-halves: Dan Biggar, Jonathan Sexton

Centres: Jonathan Davies, Owen Farrell, Robbie Henshaw, Jonathan Joseph, Jared Payne, Ben Te’o

Wings: Elliot Daly, George North, Jack Nowell, Anthony Watson

Full-backs: Leigh Halfpenny, Stuart Hogg, Liam Williams

Jack de Menezes19 April 2017 12:46

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