by Following Andy Farrell’s announcement as coach of the British and Irish Lions in January, Telegraph Sport picked what the touring party would look like if selected then.
After a Six Nations campaign that included England’s revival and Ireland winning again, the squad is revisited to see who forced their way into the squad and who dropped out:
Andrew Porter (Ireland), Ellis Genge (England), Pierre Schoeman (Scotland)
There is no change here to the squad selected before the Six Nations, and all three show their strength. Genge missed the opening two rounds due to injury but it was rock music for England, as Porter and Schoeman were all over the championship for Ireland and Scotland respectively.
Dewi Lake (Wales), Dan Sheehan (Ireland), Ronan Kelleher (Ireland)
Injured for all Six Nations, Lake still has plenty of time to earn a place. If the home nations’ hurlers are all fit and firing, the Welsh will be among the top three. George Turner was selected ahead of the tournament but Kelleher’s performances off the bench for Ireland have since recaptured the Scotsman.
Zander Fagerson (Scotland), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), Finlay Bealham (Ireland)
Before the tournament, Fagerson and Furlong led the pack and were streets ahead of the rest. Although solid, Fagerson didn’t start as expected but still makes the squad. Initially, Sale prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour was selected as a bolter, which could still happen, but a move to loosehead with the Under-20s has muddied the waters.
George Martin (England), Maro Itoje (England), Joe McCarthy (Ireland), Tadhg Beirne (Ireland), Dafydd Jenkins (Wales), Scott Cummings (Scotland)
Right here: the two English greens, the Irish pair, and a Welsh and Scottish one. Martin and Itoje were among the best Englishmen in the Six Nations and the same could be said of McCarthy and Beirne with Ireland. Jenkins’ contribution to a losing cause and Cummings’ work alone was always remarkable, finishing among the best players in the Six Nations.
Jac Morgan (Wales), Tommy Reffell (Wales), Ben Earl (England), Caelan Doris (Ireland), Josh van der Flier (Ireland), Ollie Chessum (England)
There are only two switches here from the team selected before the championship, Van der Flier coming back to some of his best and Chessum’s change to the blind side was successful. Reffell was Wales’ standout player in the Six Nations and Earl laid down a very convincing case for player of the tournament. Morgan, injured for the entire championship like Lake, is still a shoo-in if he is fully fit and back to his World Cup best; a captaincy candidate, too.
Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland), Tomos Williams (Wales), Alex Mitchell (England)
Gibson-Park and Mitchell, who were selected ahead of the Six Nations, did enough to keep their jobs but Gareth Davies did not after some spirited performances from the bench. Williams looked very lively on the edge of Wales and it would be interesting to see how he fared behind a better pack. There are many other candidates who could emerge, but Scotland’s Ben White will also be pushing those three.
Finn Russell (Scotland), George Ford (England), Jack Crowley (Ireland)
The situation in which Marcus Smith sees a witch on the selection is very unlikely. But, these three are picked on form and merit, and Smith has missed much of the competition through injury. Russell was a star for Scotland and Crowley looked classy enough to fill Johnny Sexton’s boots, even if the 24-year-old was a little overmatched at Twickenham. And Ford was one of the best Englishmen over the five games.
Bundee Aki (Ireland), Ollie Lawrence (England), Garry Ringrose (Ireland), Sione Tuipulotu (Scotland)
There is no change here in what was chosen as a preliminary championship. Ringrose’s injury meant we hardly saw anything of him but with over a year to go until the Lions tour it would take a brave man to bet against him getting on the plane to Australia. Aki continued his scintillating World Cup form, Lawrence was class in Lyon and against Ireland, and Scotland felt Tuipulotu’s absence very much. Huw Jones and Robbie Henshaw will provide more capable support.
James Lowe (Ireland), Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (England), Mack Hansen (Ireland)
One change to the pre-championship selection, with one of the discoveries of the Six Nations, Feyi-Waboso, playing for the injured Darcy Graham. The Scot is an excellent winger and will continue to push this quartet all the way for selection should he regain form and fitness, but the emerging Feyi-Waboso has been put in the works. The Exeter winger touched the world class in his limited game time for England and his presence was sorely missed in Lyon. Lowe and Van der Merwe are automatic options at this point and Hansen has established himself as one of the best wings in the world over the last two years. Despite missing the entire Six Nations through injury, the Connacht man has plenty of credit in the bank.
Hugo Keenan (Ireland), Blair Kinghorn (Scotland)
It may be the most high-profile change since before the Six Nations, and the setting may also be the best it could have been. Keenan missed two of Ireland’s games due to injury but has proved a class above and keeps his point. Freddie Steward is down for England’s relegation but, in many ways, Steward’s selection will be determined by what Andy Farrell wants from his back. If he wants the paragon of the fortress, Steward could earn a call-up; likewise, if Farrell looks for a sharper player, there’s nothing stopping George Furbank from putting his hat in the ring. As it stands, Blair Kinghorn and Keenan are the two most accurate backs available to Farrell right now.
Total player by country: Ireland 16, England 9, Scotland 7, Wales 5
You have now seen who Charles would pick for the Lions squad, if he were to be named today. What do you think? Would you make any changes? Tell us in the comments section below:
