British and Irish Lions 2017: Warren Gatland warns under-pressure Alun Wyn Jones and Liam Williams
Welsh pair start against the All Blacks but Gatland has warned them that Maro Itoje and Leigh Halfpenny are ready and waiting if they don't deliver
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Your support makes all the difference.Warren Gatland may have put his faith in Wales pair Alun Wyn Jones and Liam Williams, but he has already warned them that they must work hard to stay in the British and Irish Lions Test side, with teammates champing at the bit to replace them and face the All Blacks.
Both Jones and Williams were surprise selections in Gatland’s squad that will take on New Zealand this Saturday at Eden Park, with Maro Itoje and Leigh Halfpenny the unlucky players to miss out on the starting line-up. Head coach Gatland decided to stick with Jones’ experience rather than Itoje’s many qualities, not least his ability to challenge the All Blacks physically, while Williams will need to deliver the X-factor that Gatland has been keen to demand from his squad.
“We had a choice,” Gatland explained. “Alun Wyn Jones could have been potentially a player but he knows himself it was a big call between him and Maro - it was a toss of a coin – and he knows he is under pressure. He knows he has to go out and perform and give a big performance personally. It’s a great position for us to be in as a team because we feel we have a pretty strong starting 15 but also some real impact coming off the bench.
“He knows himself he has a fight on his hands. Alun played well against the Crusaders; Maro was outstanding against the Maori. There was a long debate about the bench and the impact off it and Maro being able to do that role and whether Alun Wyn, with his experience and fighting for his position, would that bring the best out of him?”
On Williams, Gatland added: “To be honest he’s played his way into the Test team by his performance [against the Chiefs]. He’s done one dumb thing which was his little chip ahead but you know that every now and then there might be a brain explosion with Liam Williams, as we saw that with the yellow card, but he must be switched on mentally.
“We saw last year he caused the All Blacks problems with his running and attacking game and when we sat down on Wednesday, we asked whether we need to look at our back three and we need to go there, and have players who have some footwork and to play some rugby.”
The faith shown in Williams is a massive statement from Gatland, given he decided to leave Halfpenny on the bench despite the full-back holding a 100 per cent kicking record and playing in both of the wins over the Crusaders and the Maori. Halfpenny claimed the player of the series award in Australia four years ago, and the injury that ended Stuart Hogg’s tour looked to give Halfpenny a free pass into the Test side.
However, the Toulon full-back has been struggling this week with a groin injury along with the after-effects of the head injury he suffered last Saturday, yet he still has a major job to do for Gatland this week even if he isn’t starting the first Test.
The Kiwi is looking for a big impact from his replacements to not only try and see the Lions past the All Blacks this Saturday, but also put pressure on for selection ahead of the second Test in Wellington next weekend, and both Itoje and Halfpenny would appear to be central to those hopes.
“There is a few other players who are able to do that. Jack McGrath, Ken Owens, Kyle [Sinckler] as well, Maro, Rhys Webb, Johnny Sexton,” Gatland said. “We have spoken about being bold and playing rugby but Leigh Halfpenny has the qualities where he doesn’t really make a mistake as well as a rugby player.
Just because a team wins on Saturday doesn't mean it automatically gets selected for th following week
“We are happy with the experience. We even spoke as coaches too that if we win on Saturday night, then you get a different animal of All Black nature arriving next week and we will be then looking to potentially make a few changes for week two. Just because a team wins on Saturday doesn’t mean it automatically gets selected for the following week and that could be changes up front because you saw what happened from Chicago to Dublin the following week.”
Gatland knows there is plenty riding on his team selection, which is why he has tried to provoke a response from those players who scraped into the Test side by the skin of their teeth. If they come up with the right answers, it will be one happy Gatland that heads to Wellington halfway towards ending the Lions’ 46-year wait for a series win in New Zealand.
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