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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Paul Abbandonato

Will Greenwood names six Wales players and only one England star in his Lions XV as Farrell and Itoje left out

England World Cup-winner Will Greenwood feels Warren Gatland should name six Wales players in his Lions Test team to face South Africa this summer.

He chooses only one England player in his line-up, with no place for Eddie Jones' skipper Owen Farrell or second-row colossus Maro Itoje.

Scottish star Finn Russell gets the fly-half nod from Greenwood ahead of Farrell or Dan Biggar.

He also opts for Alun Wyn Jones and Iain Henderson as his locks, with Itoje left out.

Greenwood picked his team as part of a Telegraph writers' panel and goes for six Welsh, five Irish and three Scottish stars.

The lone pick among his fellow countrymen is flanker Tom Curry, who is chosen ahead of Justin Tipuric at seven.

However, half a dozen Wales players do make the cut.

Four of them are in the pack, with captain Alun Wyn joined by Taulupe Faletau and front-rowers Ken Owens and Wyn Jones.

Greenwood also picks Louis Rees-Zammit and Liam Williams as his wings, backed up by Stuart Hogg at full-back.

"This is a pack that will take the game to South Africa," said Greenwood.

“Behind them, there is zip at half-back, mongrel in midfield and a back three that could go round, rather than through, the Springboks.”

Greenwood's Lions XV : Stuart Hogg (Scotland); Louis Rees-Zammit (Wales), Chris Harris (Scotland), Robbie Henshaw (Ireland), Liam Williams (Wales); Finn Russell (Scotland), Conor Murray (Ireland); Wyn Jones(Wales), Ken Owens (Wales), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), Iain Henderson (Ireland), Tadhg Beirne (Ireland), Tom Curry (England), Taulupe Faletau (Wales).

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