Amid the kind of excessive fanfare that the British & Irish Lions brand specialises in, the great quadrennial guessing game will be resolved in London’s O2 around lunchtime on Thursday when the tour manager Ieuan Evans unveils the squad for the expedition to Australia in front of a paying crowd of 2,000. At which point the debate will rage further. It’s likely the squad will comprise of around 37 players, in line with the original squad for the 2017 tour down under and also to South Africa four years ago. In time-honoured tradition, only one of those players ever knows in advance of his inclusion, namely the captain. Otherwise, the players (who could be watching from home or with club/provincial team-mates) will find out at the same time as the rest of us. Sadly, there lurks the real fear that Caelan Doris will be ruled out due to the shoulder injury he sustained in Leinster’s 37-34 Champions Cup semi-final loss to Northampton last Saturday and which required surgery this week. Doris had looked favourite to captain the 2025 Lions and hopefully this will still be the case. Were he ruled out it would be a cruel blow for Doris himself, and the Lions, depriving a squad that looks like it will be short of a little stardust of a true world-class talent. It would also mean that Doris will turn 30 without having been a Lion. In that scenario, Maro Itoje looks like being the chosen one, and might have been anyway, after taking to the captaincy of England in the Six Nations. A left-field candidate, such as Jamie George or Dan Sheehan, cannot be ruled out. Choosing Itoje would certainly appease the campaign across the water, not that head coach Andy Farrell will be remotely affected by such concerns. As evidenced by his coaching ticket, Farrell will do this Lions thing his way. The appointment of Johnny Sexton, especially, has perhaps strengthened the clamour among the media and former players in England for them to have a strong representation. Certainly, there seems to be an acute case of recency bias, in light of England finishing above Ireland in the Six Nations and Northampton beating Leinster. Such a sense of entitlement doesn’t apply in our little isle but perhaps we shouldn’t be tugging the forelock this time. True England finished one place above Ireland in this Six Nations but that is the only time it’s happened in this four-year ‘Lions cycle’. Yes, England beat Ireland at Twickenham in last year’s Six Nations, but Ireland’s convincing 27-22 win at the Aviva last February means they have won three of the four Six Nations meetings since the last Lions tour. Ireland also lead Scotland 5-0 and Wales 4-0 in that time, not to mention winning the last 11 meetings with the Scots. Ireland have also won a Grand Slam and Six Nations title, which England, Scotland (fourth three times and third once) or Wales (fifth twice and sixth twice) haven’t done. Perhaps most pertinently, in this last four-year cycle Ireland have won a Test series in New Zealand by 2-1 and drawn a series in South Africa (1-1), while England have won a series in Australia (2-1) and lost one in New Zealand (0-2). Wales have lost 2-1 in South Africa and 2-0 in Australia, while Scotland have lost a series in Argentina (2-1) and last summer toured Canada, USA, Chile and Uruguay. Small wonder then if Farrell also leans on players with whom he has shared success, especially in the southern hemisphere, and there should be at least 13 Irish players, possibly more, to rival the record of 14 in the original 37-man squad for the 2009 tour. However, this Lions tour looks like it will be a little short in natural born leaders, proven warriors and brilliant rugby players. Hence, Farrell senior could name his son Owen despite him not playing Test rugby since the World Cup and who has had an undistinguished, injury-affected first season with Racing 92. Against that, Farrell junior is a two-time tourist who has started Lions Tests at 10 and 12, and who will probably be endorsed by Sexton. Farrell senior, Sexton and Andrew Goodman would no doubt like to include Sam Prendergast too, but one ventures that there is only room for one of them on the premise that Fin Smith and Finn Russell go too. Marcus Smith’s ability to cover fullback is a major plus, not least as Blair Kinghorn could be engaged with Toulouse until the French championship final on June 28th, the same day that the Lions play Western Force in Perth. Mack Hansen possibly hasn’t done enough to make the cut for a return to the old sod but the need for blistering pace and power must surely have seen Farrell explore whether Immanuel Feyi-Waboso will be fit for the start of the tour. Hugo Keenan and James Lowe should make the cut, and ditto Bundee Aki and Jamison Gibson-Park, while if Garry Ringrose doesn’t make one Lions tour it would be so wrong. Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Rónan Kelleher and Tadhg Furlong, though not demonstrating the Lions form of yore, should also make the cut, as should Tadhg Beirne, Joe McCarthy, Josh van der Flier and, perhaps, Jack Conan, as well as James Ryan if there’s an extra lock selected. If Northampton’s performance last Saturday tilted any selection, then Henry Pollock would bring X-factor and versatility, and a breath of youthful fresh air, which usually benefits a Lions tour. Gerry Thornley’s Lions Squad Hookers: Dan Sheehan (Ireland), Jamie George (England), Rónan Kelleher (Ireland). Props: Andrew Porter (Ireland), Ellis Genge (England), Nicky Smith (Wales), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), Zander Fagerson (Scotland), Will Stuart (England). Secondrows: Maro Itoje (England), Tadhg Beirne (Ireland), Joe McCarthy (Ireland), Ollie Chessum (England), Scott Cummings (Scotland). Backrows: Tom Curry (England), Henry Pollock (England), Ben Earl (England), Jack Conan (Ireland), Josh van der Flier (Ireland), Jac Morgan (Wales). Scrumhalves: Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland), Alex Mitchell (England), Tomos Williams (Wales). Outhalves: Finn Russell (Scotland), Fin Smith (England), Owen Farrell (England). Centres: Bundee Aki (Ireland), Sione Tuipulotu (Scotland), Huw Jones (Scotland), Garry Ringrose (Ireland). Wings: Tommy Freeman (England), James Lowe (Ireland), Darcy Graham (Scotland), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (England) or Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland). Fullbacks: Hugo Keenan (Ireland), Blair Kinghorn (Scotland), Marcus Smith (England). Gordon D’Arcy’s Lions Squad Hookers: Dan Sheehan (Ireland), Luke Cowan-Dickie (England), Dewi Lake (Wales). Props: Andrew Porter (Ireland), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), Will Stuart (England), Ellis Genge (England), Zander Fagerson (Scotland), Pierre Schoeman (Scotland). Secondrows: Maro Itoje (England), Tadhg Beirne (Ireland), Ollie Chessum (England), David Ribbans (England), Scott Cummings (Scotland), Courtney Lawes (England). Backrows: Tom Curry (England), Jac Morgan (Wales), Josh van der Flier (Ireland), Jack Conan (Ireland), Jack Willis (England), Henry Pollock (England). Scrumhalves: Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland), Tomos Williams (Wales), Alex Mitchell (England). Outhalves: Finn Russell (Scotland), Fin Smith (England), Owen Farrell (England). Centres: Sione Tuipulotu (Scotland), Huw Jones (Scotland), Bundee Aki (Ireland), Tommy Freeman (England). Wings: James Lowe (Ireland), Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland), Ellis Mee (Wales). Fullbacks: Blair Kinghorn (Scotland), Hugo Keenan (Ireland), Freddie Steward (England). John O’Sullivan’s Lions Squad Hookers: Dan Sheehan (Ireland), Jamie George (England), Dewi Lake (Wales). Props: Andrew Porter (Ireland), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), Will Stuart (England), Ellis Genge (England), Zander Fagerson (Scotland), Fin Baxter (England). Secondrows: Maro Itoje (England), Tadhg Beirne (Ireland), Ollie Chessum (England), Joe McCarthy (Ireland), James Ryan (Ireland). Backrows: Tom Curry (England), Jac Morgan (Wales), Josh van der Flier (Ireland), Ben Earl (England), Jack Willis (England), Jack Conan (Ireland). Scrumhalves: Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland), Tomos Williams (Wales), Alex Mitchell (England). Outhalves: Finn Russell (Scotland), Fin Smith (England), Marcus Smith (England). Centres: Sione Tuipulotu (Scotland), Huw Jones (Scotland), Bundee Aki (Ireland), Garry Ringrose (Ireland), Robbie Henshaw (Ireland). Wings: James Lowe (Ireland), Tommy Freeman (England), Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland), Blair Kinghorn (Scotland). Fullbacks: Hugo Keenan (Ireland), Blair Murray (Wales). Nathan Johns’s Lions Squad Hookers: Dan Sheehan (Ireland), Rónan Kelleher (Ireland), Ewan Ashman (Scotland). Props: Andrew Porter (Ireland), Ellis Genge (England), Pierre Schoeman (Scotland), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), Will Stuart (England), Zander Fagerson (Scotland). Secondrows: Maro Itoje (England), Tadhg Beirne (Ireland), Ollie Chessum (England), Joe McCarthy (Ireland), Scott Cummings (Scotland). Backrows: Jack Conan (Ireland), Tom Curry (England), Jac Morgan (Wales), Jack Willis (England), Henry Pollock (England), Taulupe Faletau (Wales), Josh van der Flier (Ireland). Scrumhalves: Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland), Tomos Williams (Wales), Alex Mitchell (England). Outhalves: Finn Russell (Scotland), Fin Smith (England), Owen Farrell (England). Centres: Sione Tuipulotu (Scotland), Huw Jones (Scotland), Bundee Aki (Ireland), Garry Ringrose (Ireland). Wings: James Lowe (Ireland), Tommy Freeman (England), Darcy Graham (Scotland), Ellis Mee (Wales). Fullbacks: Blair Kinghorn (Scotland), Hugo Keenan (Ireland).