It is approaching the midway point of the Six Nations and Andy Farrell is taking a fallow-week breather from his Six Nations roadshow to mull over his options.
The Lions coach is expected to name a squad of just shy of 40 players for the tour of Australia and the form-guide is changing by the match.
He will name his squad in London around the end of April and the selection debates are already in full flow.
While England build, Ireland continue their consistency, while Scotland are hoping for better than the last couple of years has bought them.
Wales are in a world of their own – simply searching for a single win.
Mail Sport runs the rule over the leading candidates to make the cut.
Andy Farrell is taking a break from Six Nations duty to mull over his Lions squad options
Several England and Ireland players will be hoping for inclusion to travel Down Under
Wales, meanwhile, are looking for a win, having lost 14 matches in a row – leading to Warren Gatland’s exit
FRONT ROW
There will be a strong temptation to go all Irish in the starting front row, with an unstoppable blend of power and experience in Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong.
Props who can cover both sides of the scrum are few and far between, unless Asher Opoku-Fordjour snatches an unlikely bolter’s position.
Jamie George has slipped out of the England XV but he could be a perfect candidate to lead the midweek team in a similar vein to Rory Best in 2017.
Picks: Porter, Sheehan, Furlong, George, Zander Fagerson, Will Stuart, Ellis Genge, Pierre Schoeman, Ronan Kelleher.
SECOND ROW
A lock armoury loaded with dynamic lineout operators with the capacity to also wear the No 6 jersey.
Maro Itoje and Tadhg Beirne have been the standout second rows in the Six Nations so far, never veering from their high-energy displays. Joe McCarthy has been missing for
Ireland through injury but his raw power made him one of their breakthrough stars last year.
Picks: Itoje, Beirne, McCarthy, James Ryan, Ollie Chessum.
The likes of Dan Sheehan are part of what could end up being an all-Irish front row for the tour
England captain Maro Itoje, meanwhile, has been one of the standout second rows in the Six Nations so far
BACK ROW
The Lions will be blessed with jackalling threats to disrupt
Australia’s high-tempo attack. There are no 80-minute centurions among the group so Farrell’s reliable
Ireland skipper Caelan Doris is favourite to be tour captain.
Jac Morgan is the only player who has stood out in an abject Welsh team. The form guide has swung as far as English contenders are concerned, with Tom Curry rediscovering his world-class performances to edge ahead of Ben Earl. Jack Willis is also in the mix but Toulouse’s fixture clashes may work against him.
Picks: Tom Curry, Morgan, Doris, Willis, Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Rory Darge.
SCRUM-HALF
One of Farrell’s most trusted lieutenants, Ireland scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park, is one of the first names on the team-sheet.
He uses his wicked pass to control the tempo and has a habit of picking weaponised support lines. It is hard to see England’s Alex Mitchell or Wales’s Tomos Williams ousting him.
Picks: Gibson-Park, Mitchell, Williams.
Tom Curry is rediscovering his world-class performances to edge ahead of team-mate Ben Earl
Ireland scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park is one of the first names on the team-sheet
FLY-HALF
Things are yet to click for Scotland but Finn Russell has been miles ahead of the pack for Bath in the Premiership. Sam Prendergast may well be the starting 10 in 2029 but for now the Irishman looks like an able understudy.
Marcus Smith has slipped behind Fin Smith for England but his attacking instincts and ability to cover full-back make him a valuable option.
Picks: Russell, Prendergast, Marcus Smith.
CENTRES
Sione Tuipulotu was close to World XV standard before he was struck down by injury on the eve of the Six Nations. If he recovers in time for the tour then there will be a temptation to inject instant cohesion by reuniting him with his Scottish team-mates, Russell and Huw Jones.
Irish midfield Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw offer power and experience, and in-form Ollie Lawrence can riff off all of Russell’s subtle cues from their time at Bath.
Picks: Tuipulotu, Jones, Aki, Henshaw, Lawrence.
BACK THREE
Every Lions tour needs a wild personality and Mack Hansen has been one of the most popular picks in recent Ireland squads. But he faces a battle against the pace and power of Immanuel Feyi- Waboso, James Lowe and Duhan van der Merwe.
Full-back Hugo Keenan epitomises the work-rate that has made Ireland so successful, and Blair Kinghorn is flourishing with Toulouse.
Picks: Feyi-Waboso, Lowe, Van der Merwe, Hansen, Keenan, Kinghorn.
Marcus Smith has slipped behind Fin Smith for England but his attacking instincts and ability to cover full-back make him a valuable option
Herbie Farnworth (left) would start for England, according to Martin Gleeson, and could end up as a wildcard option
WILDCARD
Herbie Farnworth
Imagine the hype if the Englishman from last year’s ARL Dream Team was named as a bolter opposite Joseph Suaalii.
Former England attack coach Martin Gleeson says the rugby league star would be a shoo-in for Steve Borthwick’s midfield if he switched codes.
