The coronation of the captain of England Maro Itoje Thursday when the king of the lion is now considered a formality, but there will be a drama and a tension, shocks and raw emotions when the team is appointed to London.
Around Great Britain and Ireland, and far beyond, the players of hope and the intrigued supporters will be filled with nervous anticipation while they await confirmation of the Andy Farrell tour for the mission in Australia, which begins at the end of next month.
From 2 p.m., the ad will be live on Sky Sports and via the Lions YouTube channel. There will be reports, an analysis and a reaction to the Mail Sport as the event takes place.
Nearly 2,000 spectators will be present at the O2 Arena in London, as well as around 200 accredited media members.
Preparations took place on Wednesday to transform the indigo room of the place into a “den of the lions”, with a familiar red palette and a giant 16 -foot screen as a central part of the ad.
The old wing of England and the Ugo Monye Lions and the Lee McKenzie sports broadcaster will host procedures.
Maro Itoje, above during the lions tour in 2021 in South Africa, should be appointed captain
Andy Farrell’s team to go to Australia will be announced on Thursday in London
In addition to being used to reveal the names of the men chosen, the giant screen will show staging images before the ceremony, then reaction clips and social messages. Clubs and players have been encouraged to share scenes as Squad News emerges.
The captain will be the only player present and, since the Irish skipper Caelan Doris underwent an overwhelming shoulder injury last Saturday, the fight for this coveted role seems to have become a race for a horse.
Itoje was widely acclaimed for the way he led England in the Six Nations and last night, he was to attend a dinner with former Lions captains in London, before being unveiled as skipper on Thursday.
From 2 p.m., the president of the Lions, Ieuan Evans, will be accused of announcing a team of 38 and 40 players for the Down Under Crusade, who culminates with three tests against the Wallabies Resurgent.
The former captain of Wales – in accordance with tradition – will read the names in alphabetical order; In front first then retreats.
It is impossible to exaggerate the secret that surrounds this event. The players other than the captain – and a small contingent of absolute certainties – are really in darkness. Most of them even hesitate to discuss the possibility of winning the selection, this is the level of superstition.
Hopes will learn their fate at the same time as the public – a unique scenario. Some players in the running will be with teammates in their clubs, others will be at home with family and friends.
From the Prime Minister, the Saracens and Northampton – who should both have chosen several players – will look at each other on the training field. The sale is another English club that could be well represented and their team will follow the procedures during a coach trip to Leicester, where they will face tigers on Thursday evening.
End Smith (left) and Marcus Smith (right) have a chance of selection for the tour
Will Henry Pollock be a Bolter lions? Thursday, he will discover if he succeeded
With the captain’s debate, almost finished with the fate of Doris, the main area of the plot is the identity of the chosen flies. Will Farrell SNR turn to his son, Owen? Will he reward the supreme form of George Ford? Will he ignore the doubts of last weekend and choose Sam Prendergast of Leinster? Will he find space for the two Smiths in England-End and Marcus?
Another fascinating sub -intry involves the new English sensation, Northampton Flanker Henry Pollock. Has the recruit did enough to force its way?
The rear row is a fiercely disputed area, but there is still a weak hope for the former British England captain, Courtney Lawes. He is one of those based in France hoping for a shot.
Blair Kinghorn is a certainty if he is in good shape, but he and Jack Willis are both likely to arrive late if they are chosen, due to the commitments of Toulouse.
For the selected people, it will be a cherished honor and a career peak, but also a lucrative tour – of a value of up to £ 100,000 each.
The Lions will have a day of meeting, adjustment and administration later this month, then a training camp in Algarve from June 9, before facing Argentina in Dublin on June 20. The next day, they will leave for Australia, where the tour begins in Perth.
