British & Irish Lions: Squad announcement, betting news and tour schedule

News, tour schedule and betting reaction to the British & Irish Lions squad announcement for the 2021 tour of South Africa in July and August

The British & Irish Lions are 4-5 to win their three-Test series of South Africa this summer after coach Warren Gatland announced a 37-man squad for the tour, which starts in July.

Wales' Alun Wyn Jones will captain the team on his fourth Lions tour as they look for revenge for the 2-1 series loss they suffered to the Springboks in 2009.

Exeter's back-row forward Sam Simmonds was a surprise inclusion having not played for England since March 2018 as Eddie Jones has preferred Billy Vunipola, who will be left at home, as his number eight.

Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton is also a notable absentee.

South Africa are 5-4 to win the series - there will be two games in Johannesburg and one in Cape Town - while a drawn series, as happened on the Lions' tour of New Zealand, is a general 25-1.

They will face Japan at Murrayfield on June 26 before their eight-match tour begins against Stormers in Cape Town on July 3.

British & Irish Lions squad 2021

Forwards
Tadhg Beirne (Ireland), Jack Conan (Ireland), Luke Cowan-Dickie (England), Tom Curry (England), Zander Fagerson (Scotland), Taulupe Faletau (Wales), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), Jamie George (England), Iain Henderson (Ireland), Jonny Hill (England), Maro Itoje (England), Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), Courtney Lawes (England), Ken Owens (Wales), Andrew Porter (Ireland), Sam Simmonds (England), Rory Sutherland (Scotland), Justin Tipuric (Wales), Mako Vunipola (England), Hamish Watson (Scotland).

Backs
Josh Adams (Wales), Bundee Aki (Ireland), Dan Biggar (Wales), Elliot Daly (England), Gareth Davies (Wales), Owen Farrell (England), Chris Harris (Scotland), Robbie Henshaw (Ireland), Stuart Hogg (Scotland), Conor Murray (Ireland), Ali Price (Scotland), Lewis Rees-Zammit (Wales), Finn Russell (Scotlans), Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland), Anthony Watson (England), Liam Williams (Wales)

Tour schedule

July 3 Stormers (Cape Town)

July 7 South Africa Invitational (Port Elizabeth)

July 10 Sharks (Durban)

July 14 South Africa A (Nelspruit)

July 17 Bulls (Pretoria)

July 24 South Africa (Soccer City, Johannesburg)

July 31 South Africa (Cape Town)

August 7 South Africa (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)

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