Tour is only eight matches and has many uncertainties, but if Warren Gatland assembles the right pack – with Maro Itoje a possible captain – the prospects are mouth-watering
Exactly a year from now – assuming their tour window is unchanged – the British and Irish Lions will be packing their bags for a trip like no other. Not only will the Lions’ expedition to southern Africa consist of only eight games but they are planning for it in the middle of a global pandemic. Warren Gatland, as head coach, must feel like the pilot of a light aircraft seeking to land on a tiny strip of grass beneath a range of vast, forbidding mountains.
Given we barely know what next week will hold – never mind 2021 – it is important not to get too carried away. What looks obvious now may look absurdly fanciful in 12 months. And how, exactly, is a player supposed to lay down a strong early marker to tackle the world champions when there has been no competitive rugby in the northern hemisphere for months? Almost everyone is a relatively unknown quantity. This creates an obvious inherent danger: picking on reputation is never the recipe for a properly roaring Lions team.
Related: Rob Baxter hopes Exeter can follow Liverpool's example and clinch title
Back three S Hogg (Sco), L Williams (Wal), E Daly (Eng), J Larmour (Ire), J May (Eng), J Nowell (Eng), A Watson (Eng)
Centres J Davies (Wal), H Slade (Eng), M Tuilagi (Eng), O Farrell (Eng), R Henshaw (Ire)
Fly-halves D Biggar (Wal), J Carbery (Ire), F Russell (Sco)
Scrum-halves J Cooney (Ire), G Davies (Wal), T Williams (Wal)
Hookers L Cowan Dickie (Eng), J George (Eng), R Kelleher (Ire)
Props E Genge (Eng), R Sutherland (Sco), M Vunipola (Eng), T Furlong (Ire), A Porter (Ire), K Sinckler (Eng)
Locks M Itoje (Eng), AW Jones (Wal), C Lawes (Eng), J Ryan (Ire), S Skinner (Sco)
Back-row T Curry (Eng), C Doris (Ire), T Faletau (Wal), D Leavy (Ire), J Ritchie (Sco), J Tipuric (Wal), S Underhill (Eng)
Related: English and French rugby clubs warn they may not release players for Tests
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