Irish Pundits Name Their Final British & Irish Lions Squads

The clock is ticking.

After months of speculation Warren Gatland will finally name his British & Irish Lions squad on Wednesday for their summer tour of New Zealand.

A lot of big names are set to miss out, such is the talent pool currently available to the Kiwi across the British & Irish isles.

Here’s how two of Ireland’s most respected pundits- Gerry Thornley and Brendan Fanning, think Gatland’s touring party should look this summer.

Brendan Fanning’s Lions Squad

Fullbacks: S Hogg (Sco), M Brown (Eng)

Wings: L Williams (Wal), G North (Wal), E Daly (Eng), J Nowell (Eng), A Watson (Eng)

Centres: O Farrell (Eng), R Henshaw (Irl), J Joseph (Eng), D Taylor (Sco)

Outhalves: J Sexton (Irl), D Biggar (Wal)

Scrumhalves: C Murray (Irl), R Webb (Wal), A Price (Sco)

Props: J McGrath (Irl), M Vunipola (Eng), C Healy (Irl), T Furlong (Irl), D Cole (Eng), J Ryan (Irl)

Hookers: J George (Eng), R Best (Irl), K Owens (Wal)

Locks: AW Jones (Wal), J Launchbury (Eng), G Kruis (Eng), M Itoje (Eng), I Henderson (Irl)

Back-rows: P O’Mahony (Irl), CJ Stander (Irl), B Vunipola (Eng), N Hughes (Eng), S Warburton (C) (Wal), S O’Brien (Irl), H Watson (Sco).

Gerry Thornley’s Lions Squad

Fullbacks: Stuart Hogg (Scotland), Leigh Halfpenny (Wales)

Wings: Anthony Watson (England), Elliot Daly (England), George North (Wales), Liam Williams (Wales), Simon Zebo (Ireland)

Centres: Jonathan Joseph (England), Owen Farrell (England), Robbie Henshaw (Ireland), Jonathan Davies (Wales), Garry Ringrose (Ireland)

Outhalves: Johnny Sexton (Ireland), Dan Biggar (Wales)

Scrumhalves: Conor Murray (Ireland), Rhys Webb (Wales), Ben Youngs (England)

Props: Mako Vunipola (England), Jack McGrath (Ireland), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), Joe Marler (England), Dan Cole (England), Zander Fagerson (Scotland)

Hookers: Ken Owens (Wales), Rory Best (Ireland), Jamie George (England)

Locks: Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), Joe Launchbury (England), Courtney Lawes (England), Maro Itoje (England), Jonny Gray (Scotland)

Flankers: CJ Stander (Ireland), Sam Warburton (Wales, captain) Justin Tipuric (Wales), Seán O’Brien (Ireland), Peter O’Mahony (Ireland)