JustinTipuric

Selected for his third British & Irish Lions Tour, Justin Tipuric has established himself as one of Wales’ most complete flankers.

Combining the skills and pace of a three-quarter with the work-rate and breakdown nous of the world’s best back-rowers, Tipuric has it all.

A star for Wales at age-group level and with the Wales Sevens set-up, he got his chance at senior level in 2011 and has not looked back since.

For much of his early career, he battled two-time Lions skipper Sam Warburton for Wales’ No.7 jersey, while the two famously combined in 2013 to help Wales claim the Six Nations title on the final day at the expense of England.

Later that year he was part of the victorious Lions squad in Australia, earning a spot on the bench in the decisive third Test.

His entry to the fray in the 55th minute coincided with a Lions blitz of three second-half tries that effectively sealed a historic series win.

Four years later, he was again selected for the Tour of New Zealand making five appearances in all, although he did not break into the Test side.

He has become one of the go-to men for Wales, particularly since Warburton’s retirement, playing every minute of their title-winning Guinness Six Nations campaign in 2021, while he also started four games in the 2019 Grand Slam.

In between those two, he scored a stunning try against England in the 2020 Championship, while he was a key figure in Wales’ run to the semi-finals of the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

His inclusion for the Tour of South Africa comes after a sensational campaign where he once again underlined his all-round skillset. Among many standout moments, his perfect grubber kick to set up Josh Adams’ try in Paris showed just what a talented player he is.