Gatland warns players could be overlooked for
South Africa tourLions warm-up against
Japan on same day as Premiership finalWarren Gatland has called on
England players to lobby their clubs for early release next summer to avoid potentially missing out on the
British &
Irish Lions tour of South Africa. Gatland warned some of Eddie Jones’s squad are at risk of being overlooked because their clubs will not make them available for the warm-up Test against Japan and while he remains hopeful an agreement will be reached, he compared negotiations with Premiership Rugby to
Brexit, urging the players to make their voices heard.
Related: Warren Gatland ‘thrilled’ with daunting Lions tour schedule in South Africa