Lions 7s.

Sevens rugby has really started to take off here in Ireland in recent years with the IRFU finally starting to realise just how important a pathway it can be for players and how prestigious the sport has become now that it’s in the Olympics.

The Irish team took part in Tokyo 2020 this year having qualified through the Monaco 7s, and while they weren’t as successful as they would have hoped, it was a proud moment for all involved.

The likes of Munster’s Shane Daly and Leinster’s Hugo Keenan have come through the sevens pathway for Ireland in recent seasons with the likes of New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia utilising it for many years.

And with sevens on the mind and the British and Irish Lions series currently taking place, House of Rugby’s Alex Goode and Sean O’Brien decided to have a go at picking their Lions sevens team on this week’s episode.

O’Brien has gone with a front-row of Jack Conan, Tom Curry and Hamish Watson, with Louis Rees-Zammit and Stuart Hogg in the halfbacks. Then he’s got Anthony Watson in the centre and Liam Williams on the wing.

But Goode disagreed…

“I don’t think you could compete with the South Africans up front so I would go with a few more backs. I’d have Henshaw at hooker,” Goode said.

“And maybe Elliot Daly as your flyhalf to do a few restarts.

You can check out the full episode below. Who would you have in your Lions sevens team? Surely Sam Simmonds has to be in there somewhere?!