Props
Zander Fagerson
GLASGOW & SCOTLAND
Age: 25
Height: 6ft 2ins
Weight: 19st 8lbs
International caps: 38
Lions tours: 0
The tighthead foundation stone of a Scotland scrum that caused England plenty of bother, easing Sinckler out of contention.
Tadhg Furlong
LEINSTER & IRELAND
Age: 28
Height: 6ft
Weight: 19st 4lbs
International caps: 52
Lions tours: 1 (2017)
His side-stepping antics made headlines, but much bigger plaudits await if the Irish farm boy can shunt the Springboks back.
Lions caps: 3
Wyn Jones
SCARLETS & WALES
Age: 29
Height: 6ft
Weight: 18st 2lbs
International caps: 35
Lions tours: 0
Big scrum gains by the Welsh loosehead were augmented by his ability to make a consistent impact at the breakdown and tackle.
Andrew Porter
LEINSTER & IRELAND
Age: 25
Height: 6ft
Weight: 17st 11lbs
International caps: 37
Lions tours: 0
Credentials as a gym strongman who can squat nearly three times his own bodyweight are now being matched by technique.
Rory Sutherland
EDINBURGH & SCOTLAND
Age: 28
Height: 6ft
Weight: 17st 11lbs
International caps: 16
Lions tours: 0
A personal triumph. A horror injury put him in a wheelchair last tour, but now he is ready to rumble with the world champs.
Mako Vunipola
SARACENS & ENGLAND
Age: 30
Height: 5ft 11ins
Weight: 19st 1lb
International caps: 73
Lions tours: 2 (2013, 2017)
Lions caps: 6
Credit in the bank from 2017 counted in his favour. Will have to fix the scrum fault lines that were exposed in the Six Nations.
Hookers
Luke Cowan-Dickie
EXETER CHIEFS & ENGLAND
Age: 27
Height: 6ft 1in
Weight: 17st 3lbs
International caps: 31
Lions tours: 0
Loves the smashand-bash, so should be in his element in SA, but to be the Test hooker he needs to be as street-smart as he is physical.
Jamie George
SARACENS & ENGLAND Age: 30
Height: 5ft 11in Weight: 17st International caps: 62
The accuracy of England's lineout throwing was one of the rare pluses – but he will have to raise his game to keep the Test jersey.
Ken Owens
SCARLETS & WALES
Age: 34
Lions tours: 1 (2017)
Lions caps: 3
Height: 6ft
Weight: 17st
International caps: 84
Lions tours: 1 (2017)
Lions caps: 2
‘The Sheriff' is the form hooker and his ability to generate momentum in the close quarter combat is priceless.
Second row
Tadhg Beirne
MUNSTER & IRELAND
Age: 29
Height: 6ft 6 in
Weight: 17st 9 lbs
International caps: 22
Lions tours: 0
Rugged Irish workaholic who topped the Six Nations turnovers (10). At home at lock or blindside.
Iain Henderson
ULSTER & IRELAND
Age: 29
Height: 6ft 6in
Weight: 18st 3lb
International caps: 63
Lions tours: 1 (2017)
Lions caps: 0
The Ulster lock/blindside has raised his game to become a consistently bruising presence this season, whether carrying or tackling.
Jonny Hill
EXETER CHIEFS & ENGLAND
Age: 26
Height: 6ft 7ins
Weight: 17st 6lbs
International caps: 9
Lions tours: 0
Fortune in his favour getting ahead of James Ryan and Jonny Gray, but a harddriving, mobile lock with a nose for the try-line.
Maro Itoje
SARACENS & ENGLAND
Age: 26
Height: 6ft 6in
Weight: 17st 3lbs
International caps: 51
Lions tours: 1 (2017)
Lions caps: 3
Slipped off his worldclass pedestal in the Six Nations, and has been out-hustled by the Springboks before. Has the talent to turn the tables.
Alun Wyn Jones captain
OSPREYS & WALES
Age: 35
Height: 6ft 6in
Weight: 18st 12lbs
International caps: 157
Lions tours: 3 (2009, 2013, 2017)
Lions caps: 9
A man for all seasons. The Welsh centurion had more form, authority, and experience than all his captaincy rivals, and deserved the honour.
Courtney Lawes
NORTHAMPTON & ENGLAND
Age: 32
Height: 6ft 7ins
Weight: 17st 7lbs
International caps: 89
Lions tours: 1 (2017)
Lions caps: 2
Gatland has not forgotten his raw-boned impact in the 2017 series in NZ, and it sealed the deal despite injury inactivity.
Back row
Jack Conan
LEINSTER & IRELAND
Age: 28
Height: 6ft 4ins
Weight: 17st 11lbs
International caps: 20
Lions tours: 0
Hard-grafting Irish No.8 earned his place. Athletic 6ft 4in marauder is a lineout option at the tail and adds mobility in the loose.
Tom Curry
SALE SHARKS & ENGLAND
Age: 22
Height: 6ft 1ins
Weight: 17st
International caps: 33
Lions tours: 0
Rave reviews despite England's mediocrity, but they will count for nothing in SA. Has to be at his best to be top scavenger.
Taulupe Faletau
BATH & WALES
Age: 30
Height: 6ft 2in
Weight: 17st 2lbs
International caps: 90
Lions tours: 2 (2013, 2017)
Lions caps: 4
Elusive Test Lion has timed his run perfectly. The Welsh No.8 says precious little off the pitch, but his actions on it speak volumes.
Sam Simmonds
EXETER & ENGLAND
Age: 26
Height: 6ft
Weight: 16st 3lbs
International caps: 7
Lions tours: 0
The Exeter bolter with a fastand-furious point of difference – and a point to prove after being ignored by Eddie Jones.
Justin Tipuric
OSPREYS & WALES
Age: 31
Height: 6ft 2ins
Weight: 15st 12lbs
International caps: 85
Lions tours: 2 (2013, 2017)
Lions caps: 1
A limpet in the loose, and a menace in the wide open spaces. Age has not wearied the Welsh flanker, and SA will be wary.
Hamish Watson
EDINBURGH & SCOTLAND
Age: 29
Height: 6ft 1ins
Weight: 16st 1lb
International caps: 41
Lions tours: 0
The swashbuckling Scots openside will push Curry and Tipuric all the way. A hive of energy in every area of contest.
Scrum-halves
Gareth Davies
SCARLETS & WALES
Age: 30
Height: 5ft 10ins
Weight: 13st 10lbs
International caps: 62
Lions tours: 1 (2017)
Lions caps: 0
The Welsh intercept king has pace to burn on the hard South African surfaces, but has to be red-hot to oust Murray.
Conor Murray
MUNSTER & IRELAND
Age: 32
Height: 6ft 2in
Weight: 14st 7lbs
International caps: 94
Lions tours: (2013, 2017)
Lions caps: 5
Presence, poise, experience, and a precision box-kick – but could do with rekindling the old threat around the fringes.
Ali Price
GLASGOW & SCOTLAND
Age: 27
Height: 5ft 10ins
Weight: 13st 7lbs
International caps: 42
Lions tours: 0
High tempo operator with a crisp pass and sharp break, but has to ditch the helter-skelter stuff for accuracy.
Fly-halves
Dan Biggar
NORTHAMPTON & WALES
Age: 31
Height: 6ft 2in
Weight: 14st 10lbs
International caps: 92
Lions tours: 1 (2017)
Lions caps: 0
Arch competitor who has made his own Welsh flyhalf mould. Aerial ace, opportunist, never-say-die defender, and deadly goal-kicker.
Chris Harris
GLOUCESTER & SCOTLAND
Age: 30
Height: 6ft 2ins
Weight: 16st 1lb
International caps: 28
Lions tours: 0
The big Cumbrian with a Scots granny has been a defensive linchpin at 13 for club and country. France will vouch for that.
Robbie Henshaw
LEINSTER & IRELAND
Age: 27
Height: 6ft 4in
Weight: 15st 7lbs
International caps: 52
Lions tours: 1 (2017)
Lions caps: 0
Having a hard-yards man in midfield is non-negotiable against the Springboks, and the mantle has been passed to the Irish powerhouse.
Back three
Josh Adams
CARDIFF BLUES & WALES
Age: 26
Height: 6ft 1ins
Weight: 15st 1lb
International caps: 32
Lions tours: 0
Hard to hold when he gets into his stride. Powerful, direct runner who can trouble the Boks with his try-scoring nous.
Finn Russell
RACING 92 & SCOTLAND
Age: 28
Height: 6ft
Weight: 14st 7lbs
International caps: 55
Lions tours: 1 (2017)
Lions caps: 0
Scotland's chief string-puller showed a more pragmatic mindset in the away wins over France and England, and it paid off.
Centres
Bundee Aki
CONNACHT & IRELAND
Age: 31
Height: 5ft 10ins
Weight: 15st 10lbs
International caps: 31
Lions tours: 0
No one saw him coming – but it won't last, because the abrasive Kiwi-born Irish centre is all about full tilt confrontation
SARACENS & ENGLAND
Age: 29
Height: 5ft 11in
Weight: 14st 8lbs
International caps: 97
Lions tours: 2 (2013, 2017)
Lions caps: 3
Faces a battle to regain a starting place in the Test team at either 10 or 12 after a lacklustre season for England.
Elliot Daly
SARACENS & ENGLAND
Age: 28
Height: 6ft 1in
Weight: 14st 11lbs
International caps: 55
Lions tours: 1 (2017)
Lions caps: 3
Lucky man. Versatility and long distance goal-kicking outweighed a below par season in which he was dropped.
Stuart Hogg
EXETER CHIEFS & SCOTLAND
Age: 28
Height: 5ft 11ins
Weight: 14st 9lbs
International caps: 85
Lions tours: 2 (2013, 2017)
Lions caps: 0
Great counterattacking intuition and flair, but the Scottish skipper has to rise to the occasion in the air to be the Test 15.
Louis Rees-Zammit
GLOUCESTER & WALES
Age: 20
Height: 6ft 2ins
Weight: 14st 9lbs
International caps: 9
Lions tours: 0
Could set the series alight. Spectacular speed and skill, and has already shown he has the temperament for the big stage.
Duhan van der Merwe
EDINBURGH & SCOTLAND
Age: 25
Height: 6ft 4ins
Weight: 16st 9lbs
International caps: 10
Lions tours: 0
The 6ft 4ins Springbok Scot is a human tank, but he will need the armour plating, because his countrymen will target him.
Anthony Watson
BATH & ENGLAND
Age: 27
Height: 6ft 2in
Weight: 14st 7lbs
International caps: 54
Lions tours: 1 (2017)
Lions caps: 3
Sharp as a tack in a misfiring England side, and his classy footwork and finishing speed earned him the ticket.
Liam Williams
SCARLETS & WALES
Age: 30
Height: 6ft 2ins
Weight: 14st 5lbs
International caps: 74
Lions tours: 1 (2017)
Lions caps: 3
Has the pedigree in every sense. Solid under the high ball, and launched the Lions' spectacular first try against NZ.
