Lions tour: no place for Ulster star Henderson in Test squad
Iain Henderson has been left out of the British and Irish Lions line-up for the first Test against South Africa.
Warren Gatland announced his squad earlier today (Wednesday) and there wasn't even a place on the bench for the Ulster skipper.
Henderson impressed in the warm-up games but with Tour captain Alun Wyn Jones returning after a remarkable recovery from a shoulder injury, his position in the starting line-up was always under threat.
That said, it was expected the 29-year-old would have been named at the very least as a replacement.
The Lions take on the Springboks on Saturday in Cape Town.
The squad is as follows:
- Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs, Scotland)
- Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, England)
- Elliot Daly (Saracens, England)
- Robbie Henshaw (Leinster Rugby, Ireland)
- Duhan van der Merwe (Worcester Warriors, Scotland)
- Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints, Wales)
- Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland)
- Wyn Jones (Scarlets, Wales)
- Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, England)
- Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby, Ireland)
- Maro Itoje (Saracens, England)
- Alun Wyn Jones – captain (Ospreys, Wales)
- Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, England)
- Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, England)
8.Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby, Ireland)
Replacements:
- Ken Owens (Scarlets, Wales)
- Rory Sutherland (Worcester Warriors, Scotland)
- Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, England)
- Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby, Ireland)
- Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland)
- Conor Murray (Munster Rugby, Ireland)
- Owen Farrell (Saracens, England)
- Liam Williams (Scarlets, Wales)