Thursday 8 September 2016 11:28, UK
Sky Sports rugby analyst Will Greenwood believes England captain Dylan Hartley is the right choice to lead the British and Irish Lions in New Zealand next summer.
The Lions, who announced Warren Gatland as their head coach on Wednesday, have not won a series in New Zealand since 1971, and the World Cup winners have not lost a fixture on home soil since 2009.
Eddie Jones selected Hartley as England skipper after succeeding Stuart Lancaster, and the New Zealand-born hooker has led his adopted country to a Six Nations Grand Slam and a three-Test sweep of the Wallabies in Australia this summer.
Greenwood believes the Lions will need the Northampton forward's physicality and aggression to have any chance of upsetting the odds against the All Blacks.
"He has served his time and he is an outstanding leader of men. He has backed off from no one ever. He has answered critics," Greenwood said on Sky Sports News HQ.
"Gatland was - like Eddie Jones - also a hooker himself and he will appreciate a gnarly forward who can give them that set-piece solidity that, if you are going to win in New Zealand, you need.
"That pack has to be brutally fierce and that set-piece has to be rock solid. That is what Hartley delivers."
Another big question mark ahead of the tour is who Gatland will select to form his coaching staff.
Gatland was in charge for the 2013 visit to Australia, which resulted in a 2-1 win for the touring side, and brought Rob Howley (attack), Graham Rowntree (forwards), Andy Farrell (defence) and Neil Jenkins (kicking).
With Gatland having expressed his desire for familiarity with his coaches, Greenwood believes all four will be in the frame once again but he would like to see England defence coach Paul Gustard and England forwards coach Steve Borthwick brought into the fold.
Greenwood said: "Gatland has talked in his press conferences about having continuity and that opens the door for people he has taken before - Shaun Edwards in 2009, Andy Farrell, Neil Jenkins, Rob Howley in 2013. They will all be names in the pot.
"I'd be interested to see Gregor Townsend, who has said he is unavailable, given the work he has done with Glasgow and the way he has those backs playing. That would be a great addition to that coaching squad.
"I don't want to be too Anglo-centric but I will be on the back of what they have done. Paul Gustard is quite brilliant as a defensive coach.
"If you talk about the line-out and understand that Wales were competitive in the summer this year until their line-out fell apart in the back end of the first and second Tests, then who better is there out there on the planet than Steve Borthwick."
