Lions 2013: Gatland names 15 Wales players

  • Wales
Sam Warburton will lead the Lions in Australia Credit: David Davies/PA Wire

Wales star Sam Warburton has been named British and Irish Lions captain for this summer's tour of Hong Kong and Australia.

There are no places among the squad announced by Lions manager Andy Irvine in London today for England skipper Chris Robshaw or 2003 World Cup hero Jonny Wilkinson.

But head coach Warren Gatland handed surprise call-ups to Scotland wing Sean Maitland, England prop Mako Vunipola and 2005 Lions tourist Matt Stevens.

The 37-man British and Irish Lions squad selected by head coach Warren Gatland for the tour of Hong Kong and Australia: L Halfpenny, S Hogg, R Kearney, G North, A Cuthbert, T Bowe, S Maitland, B O'Driscoll, M Tuilagi, J Roberts, J Davies, J Sexton, O Farrell, C Murray, M Phillips, B Youngs, G Jenkins, C Healy, M Vunipola, A Jones, D Cole, M Stevens, D Hartley, R Hibbard, T Youngs, I Evans, R Gray, AW Jones, P O'Connell, G Parling, T Croft, T Faletau, J Heaslip, D Lydiate, S O'Brien, J Tipuric, S Warburton (capt).

Cardiff Blues flanker Warburton, at 24 the youngest Welsh Lions captain in history, will lead a squad comprising 14 of his compatriots.

Warburton led Wales to the 2011 World Cup semi-finals - Wales' best performance for 24 years - and a Six Nations Grand Slam five months later.

After being injured for the opening part of this season's Six Nations, he returned to deliver a man of the match display against Scotland and then starred when Wales inflicted a record 30-3 defeat on England to win the title.

While Wales are celebrating their largest Lions contingent since 16 players travelled to New Zealand 36 years ago, England provide 10 members of Gatland's squad, one more than in South Africa four years ago.

Stevens, who missed the 2009 tour while serving a two-year drugs ban, retired from England duty after the 2011 Rugby World Cup but has been included as one of three tight-head options.

There are nine Irishmen in the travelling squad but there was no place for Ulster hooker Rory Best, with England's Dylan Hartley and Tom Youngs selected along with Wales' Richard Hibbard.

Scotland provide three players - the New Zealand-born wing Maitland, lock Richie Gray and full-back Stuart Hogg.