With Warren Gatland again in place as Lions head coach and the tour to New Zealand less than a year away, predictions for the squad to play the All Blacks next summer have begun.
In today's Sunday Times, Stephen Jones has named his 34.
It features just four Irish players - the fewest of all four nations. There are 14 from England, 11 from Wales and five from Scotland.
The Irish players are: Rob Kearney, Conor Murray, Iain Henderson and Jack McGrath.
The most notable omission from an Irish perspective is Johnny Sexton. Jones cites what he sees as a lack of durability by Sexton as the main reason for not taking him to New Zealand.
You just wish that there was rather more finishing power available on the wing, more genius in midfield (genius with hard physical edge, that is). It would be lovely to genuinely believe that George Ford and Johnny Sexton could be effective against the All Blacks, but Sexton especially now looks rather ephemeral when the hammer is on, and Owen Farrell and Dan Biggar, my choices, are more durable, not to mention upbeat.
Here's the squad in full. There are 13 players who were named in Gatland's squad for the tour of Australia four years ago. (Dylan Hartley was named in in the initial squad by did not travel due to suspension.)
Full-backs: Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), Rob Kearney (Ireland)
Wings: Tommy Seymour (Scotland), Anthony Watson (England), George North (Wales)
Centres: Scott Williams (Wales), Jonathan Joseph (England), Jamie Roberts (Wales), Duncan Taylor (Scotland)
Fly-halves: Owen Farrell (England), Dan Biggar (Wales), Ruaridh Jackson (Scotland)
Scrum-halves: Conor Murray (Ireland), Rhys Webb (Wales), Ben Youngs (England)
Props: Jack McGrath (Ireland), Joe Marler (England), Mako Vunipola (England), Dan Cole (England), WP Nel (Scotland)
Hookers: Dylan Hartley (England), Luke Cowan-Dickie (England), Jamie George (England)
Locks: George Kruis (England), Luke Charteris (Wales), Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), Maro Itoje (England), Iain Henderson (Ireland)
Flankers: John Hardie (Scotland), James Haskell (England), Ros Moriarty (Wales), Sam Warburton (Wales)
No 8s: Billy Vunipola (England), Toby Faletau (Wales)
Picture credit: Brendan Moran / SPORTSFILE
