The Lions 23 for the opening Test match against the Springboks in Cape Town on Saturday (kick-off 5pm) was confirmed yesterday, with three Irish players named in Warren Gatland's starting XV. The chosen Irish trio are Tadhg Furlong, Robbie Henshaw and Jack Conan - with Conor Murray's place on the bench behind Scotland scrumhalf Ali Price one of the more controversial selection decisions. Some other big names such as Liam Williams miss out on a starting berth while Talupe Faletau misses out on the matchday squad altogether, with Gatland picking on form rather than just reputation. And as Gerry Thornley writes this morning, the Kiwi's gut instinct usually serves him well: "If history has taught us anything, it's that Gatland is not only an exceptional head coach, he is a good selector. . . Yet it's still surprising that big-game hunters like Murray and Williams aren't starting. Both possess the kind of strength, defence, kicking game, aerial ability and experience which looks tailor-made for this challenge." You can see the full Lions line-up HERE.
The much-maligned, controversial 2020 Tokyo Olympics officially gets underway tomorrow, with the opening ceremony scheduled for 12pm Irish time. And this morning Ian O'Riordan has reflected on his marathon journey to Tokyo - which tested his endurance as well as for Covid, repeatedly. "Because on arrival, the Tokyo marathon journey was only beginning: first, the arrival of Japanese immigration to hand around more forms to be filled before anyone gets off the plane (flight transfers first, Tokyo residents next). Only then did the real test of endurance begin, most of the 150 passengers Olympics bound, naturally, therefore required to deliver and pass another PCR test on arrival - this one involving the spitting of your own saliva into a small test tube, identified by another bar code."
Meanwhile Johnny Watterson - who has also made the arduous journey to Tokyo - has spoken to one of Ireland's main medal hopes and arguably their star of the 2016 Games, lightweight rower Paul O'Donovan. O'Donovan famously won silver in Rio alongside his brother Gary, however this time he teams up with Fintan McCarthy - a combination selected purely on speed, with no room for sentimentality: "Everyone assumed with Rio, 'Oh, they're brothers, that's why they're in the boat together.' And we were like, 'That's not the case. We just happen to be the fastest two and if someone comes around and beats us, then they get in.' And then that did happen. So you just have to accept that and get on with it."
The pools for the 2021-22 Champions Cup were drawn yesterday, with all four Irish provinces set to meet familiar opposition. Leinster will face Montpellier and Bath, Munster will play Castres and Wasps, Ulster have been drawn to play Clermont and Northampton while Connacht will play Stade Francais and Leicester. A rerun of last year's new format introduced to the pandemic, there is a distinct lack of excitement to the draw, writes Gerry Thornley.
Elsewhere Leona Maguire is in the field for the Evian Championship, the fourth women's Major of the year, which got underway in France this morning. It kicks off another hectic stretch for the 26-year-old which includes a trip to Tokyo for the Olympics - she tees off at 7.42am.
And both Dundalk and Bohemians are in Europa Conference League action tonight. The Lilywhites take on Estonia's FCI Levadia Tallinn in their first leg clash in Tallaght (kick-off 8pm), while Bohemians travel to play F91 Dudelange in Luxembourg (5.30pm).
