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<br>A week today, Andy Farrell will announce his British & Irish Lions squad for this summer's tour of Australia. Lions selection is always a momentous occasion.
It is the ultimate honour for any player from the four Home Nations. As head coach, Farrell needs to whittle down his long list of around 75 players to a final squad of between 36 and 38.
Doing so is an incredibly difficult task, as I found out when I coached the Lions against New Zealand in 2005.
Farrell will certainly be looking at this weekend's European matches. For example, Northampton's Champions Cup semi-final with Leinster contains a number of match-ups that may amount to straight Lions shootouts.
However, as things stand, here is my 37-man Lions party to take on the Wallabies. It is one full of talent and one certainly good enough to achieve a series win.
All Lions tours are very challenging. By playing away from home, all the advantages are with your opposition even before you get on the plane. Australia have been written off and on paper, this Lions squad is very strong with a coach who has plenty of Lions experience.
Andy Farrell and his coaching team will name the touring squad to go to Australia a week today
Brian O'Driscoll was my captain when I was Lions head coach in 2005 - did I pick an Irishman again this time around?
This is my starting XV to beat Australia
Therein lies a danger. I lived and played in Australia and out of all the rugby-playing countries, they thrive as a team and as a country when they are being written off.
Make no mistake they will relish this challenge and like all top Test series, this will go down to the wire. I wish the Lions every success, especially Farrell who after last year's disappointing World Cup with Ireland deserves a successful Lions tour.
The Lions to win 2-1.
BACK THREE (6)
Blair Kinghorn (Scotland), Hugo Keenan (Ireland), Tommy Freeman (England), James Lowe (Ireland), Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (England)
Scotland and Toulouse ace Kinghorn is nursing a worrying knee injury and will likely miss the start of the tour anyway due to club commitments. However, he's still my first-choice full-back pick.
Scotland and Toulouse ace Blair Kinghorn is nursing a knee injury and will likely miss the start of the tour anyway due to club commitments. However, he's still my first-choice full-back
I've only picked four centres because of Tommy Freeman's ability to cover No 13 and the wing
Keenan, Freeman, Lowe and Van der Merwe select themselves given their Six Nations form. I've only picked four centres, but Freeman's ability to cover No 13 means that's not a concern.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso hasn't played since December, but if he is fit I think he has a point of difference that is worth gambling on. If not, I'd go with Ireland's Mack Hansen who gets on so well with Farrell he has a tattoo of his face on his leg!
CENTRES (4)
Bundee Aki (Ireland), Sione Tuipulotu (Scotland), Huw Jones (Scotland), Garry Ringrose (Ireland)
Scottish pair Huw Jones and Sione Tuipulotu are my picks to wear 12 and 13 for the Lions
Bundee Aki will bring raw power and aggression to the Lions' midfield
Had Ollie Lawrence not suffered a serious achilles injury in the Six Nations, he'd have very much been in the conversation and made the centre spots a tough decision. But unfortunately, he won't be fit for the Lions.
Aki and Tuipulotu bring raw power and aggression. The latter also missed the Six Nations, but I'm sure he'll be selected.
Huw Jones had a great Six Nations and Ringrose is playing well for Leinster. Robbie Henshaw would be the next cab off the rank.
As mentioned, in addition to these four, Freeman is an additional option whose best long-term position will be outside centre and not wing. It really sums up England's problem position that we have no English player selected here.
FLY-HALF (4)
Finn Russell (Scotland), Sam Prendergast (Ireland), Fin Smith (England), Marcus Smith (England)
Taking four fly-halves is a luxury, no doubt. But I don't think you can ignore Russell, Prendergast or Fin Smith.
You might say Marcus Smith is fortunate to make my party, but I think he's been harshly done by and a Lions tour might be exactly what he needs to get back firing.
A change of environment could be a great spark for him and he also offers the ability to play full-back if needed. In saying that, England playing him at 15 was a big mistake for both player and country.
I don't think you can ignore Fin Smith, who can also play at inside centre if needed
Sam Prendergast's battle against Smith for Leinster v Northampton this weekend could go a long way to deciding who gets the starting No 10 shirt
Sadly for Owen Farrell, I don't think he has done enough this season to justify his place in the touring squad
As I pointed out during the Six Nations, I think Fin Smith could also play at No 12.
Owen Farrell doesn't make my squad. My respect for him as a Test operator is through the roof. But I don't think you can justify him a place following a stop-start season with Racing 92, especially given the strength of his rivals.
Fin Smith against Prendergast in the Leinster-Northampton game is going to be a fascinating battle. If Fin plays well, even in a losing cause, I think he'll have earned his seat on the plane.
SCRUM-HALF (3)
Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland), Alex Mitchell (England), Tomos Williams (Wales)
I'd be hugely surprised if any other scrum-halves rival these three. Scotland's Ben White is the only one who I can see doing so.
Gibson-Park is a certain starter and Mitchell's importance to Northampton and England is undisputed. He'll likely be back-up to the Irishman, though I think Williams will have something to say about that.
He's one of only two Welshmen in my squad. Sadly, that reflects their demise as a nation. But Williams is undoubtedly deserving of his spot. Just look at the way he's been playing for Gloucester.
Ireland's Jamison Gibson-Park is a certain starter in the Lions scrum-half jersey
Tomos Williams is one of just two Wales players in my 37-man squad
FRONT ROW (9)
Andrew Porter (Ireland), Ellis Genge (England), Pierre Schoeman (Scotland), Dan Sheehan (Ireland), Ronan Kelleher (Ireland), Luke Cowan-Dickie (England), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), Zander Fagerson (Scotland), Will Stuart (England)
As throughout the squad, there is a heavy Irish feel here.
Tighthead prop Furlong hasn't played much at all this season due to calf injuries. But he should be fit to tour and his class means if that's the case, he simply must travel.
That said, Stuart has been playing and playing well too. He's my starter as things stand. But of course, there is plenty of time for things still to change.
On the loosehead side of the scrum, it's going to be a fascinating battle between Porter and Genge for the starting spot. Genge looks back to his <a href="https://jetblacktransportation.com/blog/top-airport-private-car-service/">Best Airport limousine near me</a> to me. He's a player I would have loved to have coached.
Sale's Cowan-Dickie is the third hooker and back up to first-choice Sheehan and his Irish compatriot Kelleher. Jamie George and Theo Dan miss out.
I'm backing all of England's front three - Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Will Stuart - to go to Australia
Free-scoring front-rower Dan Sheehan is my pick to be the Lions starting hooker
SECOND ROW (5)
Maro Itoje (England, captain), Tadhg Beirne (Ireland), Joe McCarthy (Ireland), Ollie Chessum (England), George Martin (England)
I would go with Itoje as tour captain. He is in regal form and being promoted to England skipper for the Six Nations took his game to a whole new level entirely. The same can happen if he becomes Lions leader.
I would go with Itoje as tour captain. He is in regal form and being promoted to England skipper for the Six Nations took his game to a whole new level entirely
This would be Itoje's third Lions tour, having played in all six Tests across 2017 and 2021
I think it will also benefit the Lions not to have an Irish captain too. Ireland's performances undoubtedly mean they deserve to have the strongest representation of the four countries and Farrell's status as their head coach means he will inevitably lean towards their players.
Even if there will be no bias to his selection, Itoje will bring a different leadership voice to what Farrell is used to and I think that will be a good thing. I <a href="https://www.business-opportunities.biz/?s=hope%20George">hope George</a> Martin is fit to travel. He brings a brute force that any team needs.
BACK-ROW (6)
Tom Curry (England), Jack Willis (England), Josh van der Flier (Ireland), Jac Morgan (Wales), Caelan Doris (Ireland), Ben Earl (England)
This is probably the most competitive area of selection. It's incredibly tough.
Doris is probably the only out-and-out No 8 and will be disappointed to miss out on the captaincy to Itoje. But Earl, Curry and Morgan can all play at the back of the scrum.
Willis is the best player in Europe for me. His form for Toulouse has been outrageous. To me, it doesn't matter that he hasn't been playing Test rugby and might be late on tour due to his Toulouse commitments. It's ridiculous he's ineligible for England anyway.
Jack Willis is the best player in Europe for me. His form for Toulouse has been outrageous
Henry Pollock has been sensational and his breakthrough this season is a fantastic story. But I think the Lions is still a bit too soon for him
Curry, Van der Flier and Morgan are brilliant players too. And it's an advantage that both Curry and Morgan are comfortable both sides of the flank as well. Versatility is a priceless commodity on a Lions tour.
Henry Pollock has been sensational and his breakthrough this season is a fantastic story. But I think the Lions is still a bit too soon for him, especially given he has such fantastic competition.
I'd send Pollock on England's tour of Argentina and USA and he could receive a Lions call-up from there. Injuries will undoubtedly happen as that's the nature of the game.<img src="https://www.sonicdlimo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Airport-Car-Service-Near-Me-Sonic-D-Limousine_result.webp"; style="max-width:400px;float:left;padding:10px 10px 10px 0px;border:0px;" alt="Sonic D Limo: Best Airport Car Service \u2013 />
My Lions Test XV for Australia: Blair Kinghorn (Scotland); Tommy Freeman (England), Huw Jones (Scotland), Sione Tuipulotu (Scotland), James Lowe (Ireland); Finn Russell (Scotland), Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland); Ellis Genge (England), Dan Sheehan (Ireland), Will Stuart (England), Maro Itoje (England - captain), Tadhg Beirne (Ireland), Jack Willis (England), Tom Curry (England), Caelan Doris (Ireland)
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