B&I LIONS RACE: Final selection

We named our 30-man squad for the British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand – our first-choice XV and our dirt-trackers.

It is a good mix, spread between all four Home Unions.

Ireland, England and Wales have four each in our starting XV, while Scotland is not far behind with their three.

There is plenty of reward in our back-up squad for Wales and Scotland, who provide another five members each.

England have four dirt-trackers and Ireland one.

B&I LIONS TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT:

15 – Stuart Hogg (Scotland):

By some distance the most consistent of the fullbacks on display this season.

Bubbling under: Leigh Halfpenny (Wales)

14 – George North (Wales):

He answered all the questions surrounding his form with some powerful performances in the last two rounds.

Bubbling under: Tommy Seymour (Scotland)

13 – Huw Jones (Scotland):

All that will keep this young man out of the B&I Lions tour squad is an injury.

Bubbling under: Jonathan Joseph (England)

12 – Owen Farrell (England):

There is no doubt that he was the best inside centre. He is also a very handy goal-kicker an additional out-of-hand kicker for the team.

Bubbling under: Scott Williams (Wales)

11 – Elliot Daly (England):

Had his soft moments, but when on song an awesome sight to behold.

Bubbling under: Simon Zebo (Ireland)

10 – Jonathan Sexton (Ireland):

Another player who can start measuring his blazer for the B&I Lions tour.

Bubbling under: Dan Biggar (Wales)

9 – Rhys Webb (Wales):

He was critical in the much-improved form of the Welsh team in the latter rounds of the competition.

Bubbling under: Greig Laidlaw (Scotland)

8 – Josh Strauss (Scotland):

He may be under an injury cloud (kidney), but if fit he will add tremendous value to the tour squad in New Zealand.

Bubbling under: Ross Moriarty (Wales)

7 – Justin Tipuric (Wales):

He has chosen a goof time to hit a rich vein of form.

Bubbling under: James Haskell (England)

6 – Christiaan Stander (Ireland):

Without a doubt, one of the form loose forwards with an enormous workrate. Just the kind of grunt that will be needed against the All Blacks.

Bubbling under: Sam Warburton (Wales)

5 – Alun Wyn Jones (Wales):

His experience and leadership will be invaluable on tour.

Bubbling under: Jonny Gray (Scotland)

4 – Joe Launchbury (England):

Consistent and hard-working – what you need from a lock.

Bubbling under: Richie Gray (Scotland)

3 – Tadhg Furlong (Ireland):

Another player who came good at the right time. His physicality and workrate will be valuable assets in New Zealand.

Bubbling under: Dan Cole (England)

2 – Rory Best (Ireland):

His experience will come in handy, especially when it comes to beating the All Blacks.

Bubbling under: Dylan Hartley (England)

1 – Joe Marler (England):

He has become more consistent and his basics are solid.

Bubbling under: Gordon Reid (Scotland)

Our individual selections:

Paul Dobson XV: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Elliot Daly, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Ross Moriarty, 7 Justin Tipuric, 6 Christiaan Stander, 5 Alun Wyn Jones, 4 Joe Launchbury, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Rory Best, 1 Gordon Reid.

Leezil Hendricks: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 George North, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Eliot Daly, 10 Finn Russell, 9  Rhys Webb, 8 Billy  Vunipola, 7 James Haskell, 6 Christiaan Stander, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Alun Wyn Jones, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Dylan Hartley, 1 Jack McGrath.

Ronan Calvert XV: 15 Stuart, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Elliot Daly, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Rhys Webb, 8 Ross Moriarty, 7 Justin Tipuric, 6 Christiaan Stander, 5 Donnacha Ryan, 4 Joe Launchbury, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Ken Owens, 1 Joe Marler.

Warren Fortune XV: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 George North, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Liam Williams, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Rhys Webb, 8 Josh Strauss, 7 Justin Tipuric, 6 Christiaan Stander, 5 Alun Wyn Jones, 4 Joe Launchbury, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Rory Best, 1 Joe Marler.

Tauriq Ebrahim XV: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 George North, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Simon Zebo, 10 Johnathan Sexton, 9 Greig Laidlaw, 8 Josh Strauss, 7 Justin Tipuric, 6 Christiaan Stander, 5 Alun Wyn Jones, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Rory Best, Gordon Reid.

Jan de Koning XV: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 George North, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Simon Zebo, 10 Johnathan Sexton, 9 Greig Laidlaw, 8 Josh Strauss, 7 Justin Tipuric, 6 Christiaan Stander, 5 Alun Wyn Jones, 4 Joe Launchbury, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Rory Best, Joe Marler.

Our weekly selections:

B&I LIONS TEAM OF THE WEEK – ROUND FOUR: 15 Mike Brown (England), 14 George North (Wales), 13 Jonathan Joseph (England), 12 Owen Farrell (England), 11 Simon Zebo (Ireland), 10 Dan Biggar (Wales), 9 Rhys Webb (Wales), 8 Ross Moriarty (Wales), 7 Justin Tipuric (Wales), 6 Maro Itoje (England), 5 Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), 4 Joe Launchbury (England), 3 Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), 2 Ken Owens (Wales), 1 Joe Marler (England).

B&I LIONS TEAM OF THE WEEK – ROUND THREE: 15 Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), 14 Tommy Seymour (Scotland), 13 Huw Jones (Scotland), 12 Owen Farrell (England), 11 Tim Visser (Scotland), 10 Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), 9 Conor Murray (Ireland), 8 Jamie Heaslip (Ireland), 7 Justin Tipuric (Wales), 6 Christiaan Stander (Ireland), 5 Jonny Gray (Scotland), 4 Joe Launchbury (England), 3 Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), 2 Rory Best (Ireland), 1 Joe Marler (England).

B&I LIONS TEAM OF THE WEEK – ROUND TWO: 15 Stuart Hogg (Scotland), 14 Keith Earls (Ireland), 13 Huw Jones (Scotland), 12 Owen Farrell (England), 11 Liam Williams (Wales), 10 Paddy Jackson (Ireland), 9 Rhys Webb (Wales), 8 Josh Strauss (Scotland), 7 Justin Tipuric (Wales), 6 Christiaan Stander (Ireland), 5 Courtney Lawes (England), 4 Joe Launchbury (England), 3 Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), 2 Niall Scannell (Ireland), 1 Joe Marler (England).

B&I LIONS TEAM OF THE WEEK – ROUND ONE: 15 Stuart Hogg (Scotland), 14 George North (Wales), 13 Jonathan Davies (Wales), 12 Owen Farrell (England), 11 Liam Williams (Wales), 10 Paddy Jackson (Ireland), 9 Greig Laidlaw (Scotland), 8 Josh Strauss (Scotland), 7 Hamish Watson (Scotland), 6 Christiaan Stander (Ireland), 5 Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), 4 Richie Gray (Scotland), 3 Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), 2 Rory Best (Ireland), 1 Jack McGrath (Ireland).

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