Shane Williams: Shape up lads, or the Lions will pass you by

Wales' stars need to start performing or they are in grave danger of missing out on the British Lions.
Don't get me wrong, that is not top of the list of priorities for the likes of Sam Warburton, Alun Wyn Jones or George North. They are all desperate to win with – and for – Wales. I should know, I've seen just how hard they work to make it so.
But I can also say that in a British Lions season, there is always this little tingle at the back of your head wondering whether you can put yourself in a position to be selected for the greatest rugby tour of them all. It's only natural to have one eye on the Lions.
But to get on that aeroplane to New Zealand next summer, you have to be fit, playing well and part of a successful team.
Right now, many of the Wales team can only claim the first of those conditions.
The disaster of that result against Australia was made all the worse when Ireland beat New Zealand a few hours later in Chicago.
It was a fantastic game and a wonderful result for British & Irish rugby. It was little wonder that Warren Gatland – who was at Soldier Field – was smiling afterwards.
After winning a world record 18 Tests in a row I think everyone had forgotten that New Zealand were actually human. But Ireland smashed the aura of invincibility and proved the All Blacks are beatable.
Now no-one is saying it is going to be any easier for the Lions, and if we're honest, you would still back New Zealand to get one back on the Irish when they square up again in Dublin next week.
But that performance and result in Chicago was still great news for the Lions.
On the back of their win over the Springboks in South Africa last June and England's historic whitewash of the Wallabies Down Under, there is clearly plenty of strength in depth in British and Irish rugby right now. Unfortunately it is Wales who are letting the side down.
We all love to debate who would be in the Lions team and if they had been playing this weekend, then it would be an Anglo-Irish lineup.
Joe Schmidt had done his homework and Ireland – as they so often do – strangled New Zealand and stopped them playing for most of the game.
Jamie Heaslip was outstanding against the All Blacks and part of a massive forward effort that was also spearheaded by hooker Rory Best.
When you play New Zealand, the back-row is probably the key battleground if you're going to get the better of the tackle area and stop the likes of Keiran Read getting them on the front foot.
Like any rugby game in the world, if you win the battle of the gainline, you're three-quarters of the way to winning and CJ Stander also did his bit.
Conor Murray was a constant thorn in the All Blacks' side, Jonny Sexton played smart rugby and Robbie Henshaw was a human battering ram.
England only kicked off their autumn campaign yesterday and are going to get better as the month goes on.
They also have a few big names missing like Maro Itoje and Anthony Watson. When you consider Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola are, like Itoje, also nominated for the World Player of the Year title, Gatland is in a good position.
So Wales need to start living up to their potential otherwise several players are in real danger of missing out next year.
It's easy for me to say Jones, Warburton, North, Jamie Roberts and plenty of others should be selected for the Lions, but they have to step up.
You can't pick a Lions squad solely on reputation, especially against the best side in the world.
You must select on form and the Welsh boys need to start showing it, just as they did in 2013. If they don't, then there's not going to be many in the squad.
Roberts was the highest profile casualty of the Australia defeat and that will have sent a real message to the rest of the squad that no-one is safe. It's healthy.
It's also a sign that Wales are changing their game and Scott Williams and Jonathan Davies play a more expansive style at Scarlets.
I'm interested to see how Jamie reacts because he has never been in this position since he broke into the Wales team in 2009.
He has been the catalyst for so long but it's a reminder that you can still pay the price if your performance is not up to scratch.
Roberts was not the only one against Australia, you could have axed most of the team. But it's good to give people a kick up the backside every now and then.