Last but not least are the outside backs, the glory boys, the men entrusted with making the most of limited opportunities and most importantly putting points on the board. It’s anyone’s guess what might have been had Ugo Monye capitalised on two glorious scoring opportunities in the 1st test four years ago, but you can bet that every potential Lions winger will be dead set on not repeating his failures.

Amazingly there are legitimate contenders from each of the four home nations in the back three, and with so many class participants capable of performing at either wing or fullback, the selection becomes even more convoluted. The key to any successful rear triumvirate is the fullback, the rear guard and tail gunner of the spine, so we’ll begin there.

The incumbent for the test jersey is the man who replaced the unfortunate Lee Byrne during the first half of the opening test in Durban, and the man favoured to reprise that role once again in Brisbane on June 22nd. Rob Kearney is a classic fullback – fearless under the high ball, powerful with ball in hand, and a heavy left boot that can get his side out of trouble when the counter attack isn’t on.

His chief competitor, suitably, is Byrne’s usurper for the Welsh jersey Leigh Halfpenny. The boy wonder from Cardiff has similar qualities to Kearney but has a couple extra strings in his bow, one that he is a quicker open field runner and two being his outstanding goal kicking, the second of which should solidify his spot in a test jersey, though the question for Warren Gatland will be whether he makes room for both Kearney and Halfpenny by shifting the Welshman to the wing, a spot he is more than familiar with at international level.

Given the likelihood of that option there’s a fair chance that Halfpenny will be selected as a winger, opening up a spot for a third fullback in the squad. In that case there are three Englishmen and a Scot in contention for one possible spot. The best bet of that lot is the smooth stepping Saracen Alex Goode. Not to be confused with the portly Goode ship Andy at Worcester, the flyhalf-cum-fullback has excellent vision and surprisingly good footwork for someone not particularly noted as a gasman. With a paucity of international calibre wingers available to Stuart Lancaster’s England side, Goode’s form has shunted Ben Foden and more recently Mike Brown to the wing, a situation likely to continue in the Six Nations and one that must elevate him near the top of the list.

A year ago one might have thought that Stuart Hogg would be a chief contender given his explosion onto the international scene for Scotland, but the sophomore blues seem to have struck and though he remains a hugely talented attacking threat, he has a huge amount of ground to cover in the Six Nations to have any real shot of making it this time.

One for the future, to be sure, but one from the past who might yet creep in is aforementioned Byrne. The former Lion has regained some lost form with Clermont, and has been recalled to the Welsh squad for the Six Nations. It’s difficult to see where he’ll fit in, but Gatland will keep an eye on him nonetheless. Should anything happen to Kearney either before or during the tour, Byrne is the man most capable of replicating his talents. Do not be surprised to see his name near the top of the reserve list.

If Halfpenny is selected as a winger, that leaves two or three spots open for specialists depending on the makeup of the forwards. For the sake of argument let’s assume three will go, which means at least five test regulars are going to be very disappointed. This is hardly a bad thing and it should provoke some exciting one-on-one battles over the coming weeks, as everyone will be clamouring to show they have the ability to make something out of nothing.

Sadly it appears that one of the leading exponents of wing play in the northern hemisphere will struggle to make the plane this time. Tommy Bowe had knee surgery in mid-December that will keep him out of action until at least April, giving him precious little time to prove his fitness in the final weeks of selection. It’s possible that Gatland could include him hoping that his class will shine through, but those types of decisions have not played out well in the past and with other fit and firing players available, not a chance likely to be taken.

Three figures of extraordinary size will give the selectors plenty of food for thought. Of those the Scarlet specimen George North, affectionately dubbed ‘Gogmu’ by Welsh fans, is a certainty. His combination of pace and power is unmatched in the northern hemisphere, and he will be a key strike runner on the left wing for the Lions.

The other two giants are Tim Visser and Alex Cuthbert, and chances are that one of the two will go. Cuthbert’s pace causes fits for opposition but he has a tendency to make mistakes and run away from support on occasion, and did not look assured defensively in the autumn either. Visser’s defensive awareness has also come up against criticism, but he is undeniably the most consistent finisher on offer as he heads towards his fourth consecutive league try scoring title.

That leaves probably one spot, two at best, for the classic speedsters. London based fans would no doubt say that Chris Ashton is the leading choice, and on his day there are few who can sniff out a try like the former Saint, but he has a propensity to make poor decisions both on and off the field that might not endear himself to the selectors.

Within Irish ranks have emerged two genuine finishers. Ulster features Craig Gilroy who shined in the autumn, displaying an ability to step off either foot with deadly affect. Munster offers the entertaining Simon Zebo who sometimes looks as though he has risen from a pint just in time to score a hat trick. Declan Kidney’s unusual decision to select him at fullback is explained by his underrated footballing skills, but he will be considered an out-and-out wing if he is to tour.

Another versatile Irishman who could come under consideration is ’09 tourist Luke Fitzgerald. Somewhat of a forgotten man within international rugby terms after struggling with form and injury, he has returned to the Leinster lineup with aplomb and looks to be gearing up for a late push for the jersey.

Even more from the blue is Glasgow’s Kiwi import Sean Maitland. The former Crusader flyer was considered by many to be unlucky not to win an All Black cap, and he could cap a meteoric rise should he impress for Scotland. Maitland is a classy player with pace and skill and not short on size, and with plenty of experience against his likely opposition, he should be in with a real shout.

As with the back row, form more than anything will dictate who play and who will stay, and even a spot in the reserves could prove challenging for all of the above. What is clear is that whoever makes it will have a major role to play in what promises to be as fierce, physical, and attacking a Lions side as we have seen in the professional era. Exciting times indeed.

Pack Your Bags
11 George North
14 Leigh Halfpenny
15 Rob Kearney

There Or Thereabouts
11 Tim Visser, Simon Zebo, Craig Gilroy
14 Chris Ashton, Sean Maitland, Tommy Bowe
15 Alex Goode, Ben Foden, Lee Byrne