ENGLAND captain Phil de Glanville says rugby politics, not his ability as a player, kept him out of the preliminary 62 man Lions squad announced for the tour to South Africa.
In an astonishing speech to students at the Cambridge University Union, De Glanville yesterday suggested a personal rift with the Lions manager, Fran Cotton, had virtually killed off his prospects of being selected.
"International selection is a personal thing and it's no secret that I do not get on with Fran Cotton," admitted the England skipper. "When I was one of the England players' representatives during difficult early negotiations with the RFU this season, I had some interesting discussions with him. When he was subsequently appointed Lions manager, I thought it was unlikely I would be going to South Africa."
In a bizarre twist to this embarrassing saga, De Glanville has also taken the controversial step of promoting his England teammate, Martin Johnson, as the best available candidate for the Lions captaincy, a move that could easily terminate Johnson's chances of getting the job. "Martin would be my choice - he is ideally suited," said the England skipper.
Johnson, the Leicester captain gave a positive response when the possibility was put to him. "My priority is to make sure my form and fitness get me on the tour but I would welcome the captaincy," he admitted.
Cotton, who will announce the final, 35 man squad on April 5th has already clashed with former England captain Will Carling, who publicly denied the manager's claim that he was only prepared to tour South Africa in the role of Lions skipper.
While De Glanville's outburst could be regarded as sour grapes, it does nevertheless raise worrying questions about the impartiality of the Lions selectors, who have also overlooked England wings Jonathan Slehtholme and Tony Underwood.
Some critics would doubt whether De Glanville deserves to be excluded from a Lions midfield pecking order that includes Nigel Davies (Wales), Jonathan Bell (Ireland) and Jeremy Guscott, not to mention the uncapped England A centre, Will Greenwood. Among that quarter, only Bell is sure of his international place, albeit in a side that was crushed by England at the weekend.
De Glanville, who was appointed England skipper in October, has also questioned the wisdom of naming a preliminary Lions squad halfway through the Five Nations Championship. "The timing is appalling," he said. "Why the squad has been announced in the middle of the Championship I do not know. I find it very strange.
"It will impact on all four teams, interfere with their preparations and affect confidence. I'd say the same whether I'd been picked or not."
Meanwhile, Jack Rowell, the England coach, has resisted the temptation to recall Guscott for next week's Five Nations showdown with France at Twickenham, which will leave the winners one victory away from a grand slam. Instead, England remain unchanged and the Bath centre reverts to the bench after coming on as substitute to set up two of his side's six tries in the 46-6 win over Ireland.
