THE shakedown at hooker in 2017 proved that the international pecking order is sometimes only a loose guideline where Lions tour selection is concerned.
A year before the 2017 tour to New Zealand there appeared to be little possibility of Jamie George racing to the front of the field of hookers vying for Test contention.
The England bench No.2 had his path blocked not only by Dylan Hartley, the incumbent Red Rose captain, but also by the experienced Ireland skipper Rory Best – who was to lead Ireland to a landmark first victory over the All Blacks at Soldier Field in Chicago six months before the Lions squad was named.
If those were not obstacles enough, George also had to find a way past Ken Owens, who had been ever-present at hooker for the preceding five years of Warren Gatland’s tenure as Wales coach, before he embarked on a yearlong sabbatical as head coach of the Lions.
However, Gatland had seen enough of George’s outstanding form for 2016 European Cup and English Premiership double winners Saracens to pick him over the injury-hampered Hartley in the tour squad – and then to promote him to the Test team on tour form, ahead of Owens and Best.
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