Since I was asked, my Lions team/squad...
Front row
I'll start by pencilling in Rory Best, as far as I can tell there's clear daylight between him and the other hookers at present, which means I'd pick my props to fit in with him. As he's a fair groundhog, I feel I can dispense with Dan Cole's skills there in the starting team and would plump for Adam Jones. Slightly iffy about that, as Jones isn't in great form, but then neither's Cole. With Best and Jones picked I want my loosehead to offer some big carries, athleticism and smashmouth defending - so I'd pick Cian Healy, who's also been in excellent scrummaging form. Cole hits the bench if Jones starts. I'm not sure at hooker, I don't pay enough attention to the Welsh hookers, the Scots ones are crap, and Hartley's benching behind Youngs - a better rugby player, but worse at the hooker basics. I think I'd give it to Hibbard, with Hartley also in the squad. Ryan Grant would be my bench loosehead, I like what he's doing and I like his work rate. Assuming we're going with only 5 props, like last time, the extra guy has to be capable of playing both sides - can't think of a better man for that than Paul James.
Second row
Again, Geoff Parling is my front runner here - not only is he doing really well in the lineout, but his ball carrying's been excellent, and he's got a fantastic work rate. So I'd put him at 5 and look for a big athletic guy who can really disrupt people in the tackle for 4. I'd go for Launchbury here - I feel mildly parochial, but Davies is out injured, McCarthy detracts too much from the lineout... the only real competition he has I think is Lawes, or maybe Hines but I don't think he's got the puff for 80 minutes of that. I would take both of those in my touring party, but stick Ian Evans on the bench; I want a second lineout captain there just in case, and I think he can do that. Hard lines on Ryan, but I think he's playing a little within himself, and AW Jones who could force his way into my plans if he returns well from injury. Probably in place of Hines. The omission of Gray is completely intentional and will remain so until he hits some rucks.
Back row
Uhm... well, Ferris is meant to be back in rugby next week, heard that before but will take it at face value, and if he's fit, he's in my side. Australia is just the ideal place for an old school openside, the kind of guy with pace and ball skills, so I'd plump for Tipuric. And at 8, Johnnie Beattie looks in fine form, and offers a good balance as an 8 - does a defensive job, good carrier, good linking. And given there's very little versatility in that back-row, whoever sits on the bench has to be able to do a job at all 3, so it will be James Haskell...
Ok, I kid, I kid. O'Brien. Robshaw or Faletau could do it, but Faletau doesn't do enough extra-versatility stuff to be ahead of O'Brien, and I think O'Brien offers more punch from the bench. Robshaw and Faletau completes my set of touring 6s and 8s which means I need one more 7 and I'm going to hope Rennie recovers in time, much as I'd love to be incredibly biased and pick Chris Henry.
Half-backs
Sexton will be at 10, as Farrell still hasn't convinced me he's enough of a creative player. Farrell to bench though. My final fly-half would be... uhm... Biggar at the moment I guess, although Ruaridh Jackson is close. I want to say Freddie Burns, but his injury means I can't. If Kidney does the decent thing and shoots Rogina, and Madigan or Paddy Jackson do the business, I'd quite possibly say those as well. At scrum-half, I don't have a clue if I'm honest, all the players have flaws including violent swings in form. I'm going to say Youngs, as he's currently in form and has the highest ceiling of the lot imo, but that could very easily be reversed. I'd have Care on the bench, as it's a one-two that works well and Care is a very good player in his own right. My third scrum-half would be Laidlaw - I know there won't be a Phillips-less tour, but I wouldn't take him, and Laidlaw's impressed me. Plus, fourth fly-half if needed for midweek games.
Centres
O'Driscoll is my captain. The 13 shirt is his. He's still got it, there will be no more respected player, and there will be no more driven man. Which means, in fairness, everyone else should be able to play 12 to some extent to have some sort of shot at the tour jersey. I'm going to take two bludgeons - Roberts and Tuilagi - and two distributors - Twelvetrees and Luke Marshall. The last probably has a wee bit of bias about it, but it's him or Matt Scott really for that sort of player, and I think Marshall is that bit more physical. I'd probably go with one of the bludgeons at 12; Farrell (supposedly) offers the playmaking 12 option if needs be. And Roberts is the more natural 12, so barring a breakthrough for Tuilagi it would be Roberts and BOD partying like it's 2009.
Back three
I'm developing something of a man crush on Halfpenny; in particular, the suicidal way he launches into those last man tackles. So I'm going to stick him at 15. I think North is a star to back, his combined physicality and agility offer something different, so onto a wing with him. And, given the aussies do like a kick, I'm going to go with the fashionable two full-back gambit; Hogg or Foden. At the moment I'd say Hogg, but I'd take Foden anyway on the tour. Ideally the back three sub could also play 13, but I'm struggling for names and ideas there; Hogg can a bit I think, so if I take a back-three sub who can play full-back a bit as full-insurance. I'd say Maitland, but am led to doubt his temprament, I'd say Zebo but he injured himself at the wrong moment, so did Bowe... uhm... ah sod it, Foden on the bench. Remaining three wings, Visser attacks well and would offer an alternative big quick man option, Gilroy's always looked good stepping up a level, his defence has been solid and his jinking offers another option and... I'm struggling, I don't think much of our wings, so I'm going to take Jonny May as a bolter on sheer "He'll entertain grounds". Sue me. I'd really love for Tommy Bowe to get fit, he'd be straight in, I'd love to see Walker get a shot for Wales... oh yeah, no Kearney, there's been too many defensive errors for me.
Anyway, to sum up - my team
15. Halfpenny 14. Hogg 13. O'Driscoll 12. Roberts 11. North 10. Sexton 9. Youngs; 1. Healy 2. Best 3. Jones 4. Launchbury 5. Parling 6. Ferris 7. Tipuric 8. Beattie;
16. Hibbard 17. Grant 18. Cole 19. Evans 20. O'Brien 21. Care 22. Farrell 23. Foden
Other tourists: Hartley, James, Lawes, Hines, Robshaw, Rennie, Faletau, Laidlaw, Biggar, Tuilagi, Twelvetrees, Marshall, Visser, Gilroy, May
Just realised a) I'm one over on backs compared to the last party, so probaby cut Biggar and b) If we are doing 8 man benches, I imagine we'll take more than 5 props. Uhm. Ross and Jenkins/Marler, with the latter depending on release issues. May to be replaced by any wing that can get fit, stay fit and demonstrate quality in time. 12 the position in the test team I am least sure about. Kearney and Tom Wood would probably be the unluckiest players in my Lions selection.
