Jack Conan
Leinster and Ireland
Age 32 Caps 51 Lions caps 3
Started all three Tests in South Africa last time out. With Caelan Doris missing, his chances of repeating the trick have shot up, probably vying with Ben Earl for the No 8 jersey. A good old-fashioned, snarling back-row forward, who packs quite the punch with ball in hand.
Tom Curry
Sale and England
Age 26 Caps 61 Lions caps 3
Classical openside in a modern era. Which means punishment and lots of it. Almost inhuman amounts. Extraordinary how he rides it all and still produces world-class performances in attack and defence. Has had stem-cell treatment on a chronic bone condition in his hip. So a link between the past and future, as much as between backs and forwards.
Ben Earl
Saracens and England
Age 27 Caps 42
Comfortable at the base of the scrum or on the flank, his explosiveness is an asset anywhere – including the centre, where England have deployed him. Then there’s the niggle, celebrating every little scrum win as if it were a World Cup. Must be a nightmare to play against – and thus a dream to play with.
Josh van der Flier
Leinster and Ireland
Age 32 Caps 73
It seems they hand out player of the series awards for any old collection of matches these days, but Van der Flier collects more than most. And his gong for world player of the year in 2022 puts him among quite the elite. He scores tries, makes tackles, wins turnovers and never stops running.
Jac Morgan
Ospreys and Wales
Age 25 Caps 18
Amid Wales’s recent tribulations, Morgan has stood out as a player and a man. Co-captain for Wales’s World Cup campaign at the age of 23, he pretty much fulfilled the role on the field alone. Now captain outright. Barrel-chested and explosive, he will contend with a few others answering to that description.
Henry Pollock
Northampton and England
Age 20 Caps 1
There will be bumps along the road (surely) but for now this kid is a sprinting, bristling advert for doing whatever comes naturally – in his case playing rugby without fear. More Test tries (two) than halves of Test rugby (nearly one) at the moment. An outrageous selection for this tour. But an increasingly undeniable one.
