SAM Warburton will captain the British & Irish Lions this summer after Warren Gatland named 15 Welshmen in his 37-man squad to tour Australia.
Gatland sprang a few surprises, leaving out Ireland hooker Rory Best and England's Jonny Wilkinson as he picked only two fly-halves in the squad, Owen Farrell and Jonny Sexton.
England captain Chris Robshaw also failed to make the cut, with Wales supplying four back-rowers in the form of Warburton, Toby Faletau, Dan Lydiate and Ospreys openside Justin Tipuric.
Tipuric is one of five Ospreys in the squad, making them the joint second best-represented domestic team alongside Leinster, and one behind Leicester with six.
But there was no place for Ospreys back-rower Ryan Jones or his former regional team-mate, Perpignan and Wales utility back James Hook.
In total, there are 15 Welshmen, ten from England, nine Irish players and three Scots.
British & Irish Lions squad 2013
Backs: Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), Stuart Hogg (Scotland), Rob Kearney (Ireland), Tommy Bowe (Ireland), Alex Cuthbert (Wales), Sean Maitland (Scotland), George North (Wales), Jonathan Davies (Wales), Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland), Jamie Roberts (Wales), Manu Tuilagi (England), Owen Farrell (England), Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), Conor Murray (Ireland), Mike Phillips (Wales), Ben Youngs (England).
Forwards: Dan Cole (England), Cian Healy (Ireland), Gethin Jenkins (Wales), Adam Jones (Wales), Matt Stevens (England), Mako Vunipola (England), Dylan Hartley (England), Richard Hibbard (Wales), Tom Youngs (England), Ian Evans (Wales), Richie Gray (Scotland), Alun-Wyn Jones (Wales), Paul O'Connell (Ireland), Geoff Parling (England), Tom Croft (England), Toby Faletau (Wales), Jamie Heaslip (Ireland), Dan Lydiate (Wales), Sean O'Brien (Ireland), Justin Tipuric (Wales), Sam Warburton (Wales - captain).
