British & Irish Lions watch: ESPN writers select their starting XVs for Australia tour

British & Irish Lions boss Andy Farrell will announce his squad for this summer’s tour of Australia on Thursday in front of 2,000 fans at London’s O2 Arena. There will be plenty of key decisions to make: Does Owen Farrell get a place? Will Caelan Doris be fit enough to be go, and will he be captain? Which bolter will make the plane?

Whoever he takes, the key decisions will come later this summer when he selects his starting lineups for the three Tests against Australia. Here, ESPN writers James Regan and Tom Hamilton weigh in on who should be in the XV.

1. Ellis Genge, England (prop)

Hamilton: The England man pips Andrew Porter by the narrowest of margins. Nicky Smith to also travel.

Regan: I’d lean toward Andrew Porter, but Ellis Genge has had an outstanding season. I wouldn’t be hugely surprised if the England prop gets the nod in the end. Either way, the Lions are in a good position here.

2. Dan Sheehan, Ireland (hooker)

Regan: Had a strong Six Nations and has bagged tries in club rugby this season, too. His physical presence will be such an asset in the pack.

Hamilton: Jamie George will push him close, while there’ll be pressure from Ronan Kelleher, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Dewi Lake on this spot, but Sheehan is the standout hooker at the time of writing.

3. Will Stuart, England (prop)

Hamilton: The England tight-head has improved incredibly over the past year. Just about ahead of Tadhg Furlong, but this will be hotly contested all the way to the first Test.

Regan: Stuart was a standout for England in the Six Nations and has been crucial to a Bath side chasing Premiership and European silverware this season.

4. Maro Itoje, England (lock)

Regan: Nothing changes from the Six Nations here, Itoje is nailed on to start. Should Doris be unavailable or even miss a few games, Itoje will likely be captain, too.

Hamilton: If Caelan Doris isn’t fit, then Itoje captains the Lions. He may well do anyway, regardless of Doris’ fitness. Itoje is playing some brilliant rugby.

5. Tadgh Beirne, Ireland (lock)

Hamilton: The Lions lack a bit of oomph in the lock department but Beirne will work nicely with Itoje.

Regan: Another Irish player who has plenty of credit in the bank from being so consistent in recent years. Ollie Chessum will put the heat on for a spot, but Beirne has to start.

6. Tom Curry, England (flanker)

Hamilton: Expect Andy Farrell to go with two “fetchers” in the back-row and Tom Curry is a Test Lion.

Regan: Arguably England’s most influential player in the Six Nations, it is surely impossible to see Curry missing out. Can easily play either side of the scrum.

7. Jac Morgan, Wales (flanker)

Hamilton: Best of luck trying to pick the Lions’ back-row. Jac Morgan was a rare ray of light in a dismal Six Nations for Wales. But there are at least six superb candidates for this spot.

Regan: This really could go to any of Ben Curry, Ben Earl, Rory Darge, Jack Willis or several other candidates. Maybe it depends on what happens with Doris? Either way, Farrell is in a strong position, but Van der Flier has runs on the board.

8. Caelan Doris, Ireland (No. 8)

Hamilton: It’s his shirt if he’s fit. But if the worst prognosis possible comes back in the next 48 hours and he’s ruled out of the tour with a shoulder injury, then Tom Willis, Ben Earl, Jack Conan and Taulupe Faletau all come into the mix for this shirt.

Regan: A player who, even if he might only play the Tests, or a couple of them, you take. It will be a huge loss of he doesn’t go, but there are sturdy alternatives in Earl, Tom Willis or Taulupe Faletau even?

9. Jamison Gibson-Park, Ireland (scrum-half)

Regan: Still one of the first names on the team sheet.

Hamilton: Despite what happened at the weekend to his Leinster side, Gibson-Park’s stock has stayed steady throughout the Six Nations and Champions Cup. And that stock has been always sky high.

10. Finn Russell, Scotland (fly-half)

Hamilton: This position is going to be fascinating, and quite how much influence Johnny Sexton will have remains to be seen. But Russell is the best fly-half available.

Regan:The top points scorer in the Gallagher Premiership, Russell did not have the best Six Nations by his own lofty standards, but a mix of nobody really kicking the door down to replace him and an expectancy he will produce when it matters will see him take the No. 10 jersey.

11. James Lowe, Ireland (winger)

Regan: Exceptional in the Six Nations, there’s no doubt Farrell will turn to Lowe for the big games.

Hamilton: The Ireland man is in fine form, and his kicking game will also offer the Lions a huge amount.

12. Bundee Aki, Ireland (centre)

Regan: Answered all the questions around him ahead of the Six Nations. He is always reliable and his ball running with put the Wallabies on edge.

Hamilton: If Sione Tuipulotu is fit, then this will be another position where there’s some ambiguity right up until the first Test. It’s between Aki and Tuipulotu for the Lions inside centre shirt.

13. Huw Jones, Scotland (centre)

Regan: Jones stepped up in the absence of Sione Tuipulotu for Scotland and ran the midfield well, asserting himself as a strong candidate to start in the summer.

Hamilton: He’s had a brilliant season both for club and country and should just about pip Garry Ringrose for this shirt.

14. Tommy Freeman, England (winger)

Regan: Freeman really took his opportunity during the Six Nations, scoring in every match, and has continued that form in the Premiership and in Europe.

Hamilton: His hat-trick for Northampton against Leinster showed again, if you were in any doubt, why he’s world-class

15. Blair Kinghorn, Scotland (fullback)

Regan: Deserves his chance to step up on the biggest stage. His pace is electric and can combine well with Russell and Jones.

Hamilton: Just about ahead of both Tom Jordan and Hugo Keenan for this spot. Much of his Lions prospects depend on how his club side Toulouse fare in the last throes of the season as that’ll dictate when he’s available to link up with the Lions.

– British & Irish Lions squad announcement: time, how to watch
– British & Irish Lions fixtures for Australia tour
– NEWS: Ireland captain Caelan Doris to undergo surgery

Source: espn.com