Prospective Lions 2017 XV

With the Rugby World Cup over and the Six Nations still a couple of months away, we are afforded an opportunity to take a look ahead to the British and Irish Lions’ tour of New Zealand in 2017.

There have been a sea of predicted Lions XVs based on the form of the home nation stars at the RWC, but relatively few based on where players project to be in 18 months’ time when the squad will ultimately be named.

With that in mind, we have put together a XV that, irrespective of recent form, could be lining up alongside each other in Eden Park, staring down the All Blacks’ Haka on the 24^th June 2017.

1. Cian Healy, Ireland

Healy will come under plenty of pressure from his international and provincial teammate Jack McGrath, but when fully fit and in form, is still the most destructive loosehead in the northern hemisphere. Barring any significant injuries over the intervening period, there’s no reason to doubt that this will still be the case in 2017, although he will also face stiff competition from Mako Vunipola and Joe Marler.

2. Scott Baldwin, Wales

Hooker may be one of the weaker positions for the Lions in New Zealand. Baldwin has made a very good start to his international career and looks to be in pole position with another 20+ caps for Wales under his belt by then. Luke Cowan-Dickie will almost certainly be in the equation if he can take hold of England’s two jersey, while Sean Cronin may be an intriguing squad option if the Lions look to try and beat New Zealand at their own expansive game.

3. Dan Cole, England

Scotland’s WP Nel boosted his stock at the RWC significantly, but when fit and alongside a solid scrummaging hooker, Cole is still one of the very best in the world. He is one of the few tightheads in international rugby that can go after looseheads and punish them for 60+ minutes and as long as he sustains no further neck or back injuries, should be the Lions’ starting tighthead.

4. Alun Wyn Jones, Wales

The best all-round lock in the northern hemisphere, Jones would bring experience, leadership and ability to the Lions’ engine room and would certainly be a candidate for the captaincy. Joe Launchbury has a similar skill set but just misses out to the talismanic Welsh lock.

5. Courtney Lawes, England

Maro Itoje and Jonny Gray will be strong candidates and will have great prospects for making the squad, but Lawes gets the nod due to his exceptional ability at disrupting the opposition. Whether it’s making bone-crunching tackles when flying out of the line in a blitz defence or utilising his athleticism and arm length to steal ball at the lineout, Lawes is an elite level defensive player. His similarity to Iain Henderson is all that precludes a Lawes-Henderson engine room.

6. Peter O’Mahony, Ireland

The Irish flanker is the prototypical ‘6.5’ but given that he’s packing down on the blindside and not being relied upon as the primary fetching threat, that is considered a positive, rather than a criticism. An abrasive rucker, O’Mahony would be one of the preferred weapons with which the Lions could combat the breakdown proficiency of Sam Cane and/or Ardie Savea.

7. Sam Warburton, Wales

A winning-Lions captain and the best international openside in the northern hemisphere, there’s no reason why Warburton would not make it into the XV for the Lions’ tour of New Zealand. There will be heavy competition from Steffon Armitage given that England’s no foreign-based player selection rule doesn’t cover the Lions, but his lack of test rugby could work against him.

8. Nathan Hughes, England

The big Fijian has been in scintillating form ever since he arrived in English rugby and has made it clear that he sees his future with England once he qualifies on residency in the summer of 2016. Comparisons to Kieran Read are not far wide of the mark and Hughes may actually be the more impressive physical specimen. Expect cousins Billy Vunipola and Taulupe Faletau to be in the conversation, also.

9. Conor Murray, Ireland

Despite Greig Laidlaw’s recent heroics, Murray is the best scrum-half in the northern hemisphere. Rhys Webb, Ben Youngs and Sam Hidalgo-Clyne will all be in the mix, but Murray would bring a control and balance that none of them, as of right now, could. Also working in Murray’s favour is his relationship with the prospective fly-half.

10. Jonathan Sexton, Ireland

Dan Biggar would be an appealing choice given his mastery over the kick and chase game and how it would open another dimension for attacking the All Blacks, but the composure and skill of Sexton see him nudge ahead and take the starting XV jersey. The Lions will need their back line to be working like a well-oiled machine and Sexton is the best mechanic they have at their disposal.

11. George North, Wales

Hopefully 18 months free from significant injury and in good form ensure that North walks back into the spot he excelled in on the tour to Australia two years ago. The Welshman is as close to Julian Savea as the home nations have got and his selection is one of the few no-brainers, even this far out from the tour.

12. Robbie Henshaw, Ireland

There’s a bit of an asterisk over this one. Henshaw is a fine young centre who will only get better between now and the tour, but he has been moved from 15 to 13 to 12 over the last few years and there are still questions over whether or not 12 is his best position. He could end up playing at 13 for Ireland which would leave this spot to be contested by the likes of Jamie Roberts, Scott Williams and Kyle Eastmond.

13. Mark Bennett, Scotland

Until Manu Tuilagi can prove he can stay fit, he is out of the equation. If he can return to world-beating form, then he is another no-brainer selection, but barring that, Bennett is fast-becoming a classy and effective outside centre for Scotland. Jonathan Joseph is also in the conversation, but there will undoubtedly be tinkering with the England midfield over the next couple of seasons as the Eddie Jones looks to find his preferred combinations and that could work against Joseph.

14. Anthony Watson, England

Were it not for the plethora of talented full-backs at the home nations’ disposal, Watson would be starting at 15 in his favoured position. His ability on the wing is still extremely formidable however and he moves over from 15 to accommodate another talented full-back and would provide a constant try-scoring threat on the right wing. North and Watson are currently the wing standouts, but Jonny May, Simon Zebo, Semesa Rokoduguni and Tommy Seymour could all feature.

15. Stuart Hogg, Scotland

Probably the most competitive position among the home nations, Hogg beats out challenges from Watson, Leigh Halfpenny, Liam Williams, Rob Kearney and Mike Brown. The battle for the Welsh 15 jersey could cost Halfpenny and/or Williams, while Kearney and Brown don’t quite offer the same counter-attacking threat that Hogg does. The young Scot also has Lions experience under his belt, something which shouldn’t be underestimated.