To me Care and Smith sounded more like media gifts, to keep the conversation about selection going as much as possible... if anything Cooney should have been the more likely option than Care (and personally, I’d have picked him over Murray and/or Price)...
I think Aki‘s selection is down to Tuilagi being injured. He’s a big unit and might certainly matchup well against the Boks. It feels like they were looking to take one big center at least, and he kind of fits the path that Gatland has used for the last Lions Tour when he selected Te‘o. Having said that, if Manu were fit, Aki wouldn’t have been in the conversation. I’d say it’s similar to the inclusion of Lawes.
Navidi I agree is a surprise. I would have had him nailed on as the bench cover for backrow goven his versatility