Who would you include in a post-Six Nations Lions squad?

Picking a Lions squad is always a fun exercise, regardless of the time in the cycle between tours, and given the seriousness of most debates surrounding rugby at the moment, here at TRB we think you could do with blowing off a bit of steam. What better way to do that than picking a squad of the best British and Irish players?

Mike Cooper
@RuckedOver

Team: 15. Stuart Hogg 14. Tommy Bowe 13. Jonathan Joseph 12. Jamie Roberts 11. George North 10. Jonathan Sexton 9. Ben Youngs; 1. Joe Marler 2. Rory Best 3. Dan Cole 4. Alun Wyn Jones 5. Paul O’Connell 6. Peter O’Mahony 7. Sam Warburton 8. Billy Vunipola

Replacements: 16. Tom Youngs 17. Cian Healy 18. Samson Lee 19. Courtney Lawes 20. Sean O’Brien 21. Conor Murray 22. George Ford 23. Manu Tuilagi

The tight five arguably picks itself – Marler’s improvements in the set piece have been obvious, Rory Best is like an extra flanker over the ball and Dan Cole is probably the best tighthead in world rugby. Alun-Wyn Jones and Paul O’Connell are ruthless, agressive and inspirational – just what you need when you’re playing the All Blacks in their back yard. Peter O’Mahony’s aggression and Billy Vunipola’s blockbusting displays see them in, while at 7 I changed my mind about 90 times – statistically, Chris Robshaw was better, with more tackles, more carries and more turnovers than Warburton, but the Welshman has a knack of making big plays at key times.

Ben Youngs is back to his best and poses more of a threat than Murray, but Sexton is still there to take control if needs must, which gives him the nod over Ford. It’s the same story with Roberts, who is in ahead of Henshaw despite the Irishman looking equally impressive in the 6N. There can’t be any doubt about the form 13 in Jonathan Joseph, whose electric feet and acceleration offer something completely different. On the wings, I’ve gone for the pure speed and power of North – the only winger in the northern hemisphere who can match Savea and the nous and class of Bowe, who starts despite Williams’ aerial ability and Watson’s raw talent. Another big call is at fullback, where I’ve picked Stuart Hogg; Halfpenny is a great player but Sexton is almost as deadly off the tee, and Hogg offers more threat from deep.

Weirdly my favourite part of the line-up is the bench, which just oozes impact, with Murray in there to lend a stabalising hand if needed. And Manu might be on the treatment table indefinitely but, if he’s fit, he’s involved. Because, well, it’s Manu.

Jamie Hosie
@jhosie43

Team: 15. Stuart Hogg 14. Tommy Seymour 13. Jonathan Joseph 12. Jamie Roberts 11. George North 10. Jonathan Sexton 9. Ben Youngs; 1. Joe Marler 2. Dylan Hartley 3. Dan Cole 4. Courtney Lawes 5. Paul O’Connell 6. Peter O’Mahony 7. Sam Warburton 8. Billy Vunipola

Replacements: 16. Rory Best 17. Cian Healy 18. Samson Lee 19. Alun-Wyn Jones 20. Sean O’Brien 21. Conor Murray 22. George Ford 23. Liam Williams

The contentious calls come pretty thick and fast in my team. Stuart Hogg is one of the best counter-attackers in the world and gets the nod ahead of Halfpenny, because with Sexton goal-kicking you don’t need the deadeye Welshman. Tommy Seymour is a class finisher and thoroughly underrated player and joins George North on the flanks, while Joseph’s agility and Roberts’ power are the perfect foil for each other.

Sexton lends a controlling hand from 10 and Youngs is back to his sniping best. The English front row has been imperious recently and will beast pretty much anyone, while O’Connell’s relentless passion will allow Lawes to just get his head down and smash things. O’Mahony sneaks in ahead of O’Brien because of his better breakdown technique, which will be vital against the All Blacks, plus O’Brien’s greater versatility makes him a useful bench option.

In Best, Healy, O’Brien, Ford and Williams you have genuine impact subs if the game isn’t going your way, and in Lee, Jones and Murray you have guys to bring on and steady the ship if you’re well ahead. All bases covered off the bench.

Dave Blair
@viscount_dave

Team: 15. Stuart Hogg 14. Liam Williams 13. Jonathan Davies 12. Jamie Roberts 11. George North 10. Jonathan Sexton 9. Conor Murray; 1. Joe Marler 2. Rory Best 3. Dan Cole 4. Alun Wyn Jones 5. Paul O’Connell 6. Peter O’Mahony 7. Sam Warburton 8. Billy Vunipola

Replacements: 16. Richard Hibbard 17. Cian Healy 18. Dave Wilson 19. Courtney Lawes 20. Sean O’Brien 21. Rhys Webb 22. George Ford 23. Jonathan Joseph

With free-flowing rugby taking the British Isles by storm in March I’ve opted for an attack minded back-three of Stuart Hogg, Liam Williams and George North. The continually excellent Leigh Halfpenny is the obvious exclusion despite his heroics down under in 2013. Jonathan Davies and Jamie Roberts are a proven partnership with Lions experience which counts massively in their favour, while Jonathan Joseph lit up the Six Nations and would make a serious impact as a replacement.

For game management a Sexton-Murray axis at half-back is up there with the very best in the world, and George Ford, who impressed during the Six Nations, and Rhys Webb, just ahead of Ben Youngs, are the replacement halves.

My front-five share 370 Test caps between them, including 13 Lions tests in the second-row, so there’s no shortage of experience and no shortage of power in reserve to come on and see out the game in Hibbard, Healy and Lawes. Incidentally, Dan Cole is arguably the only irreplaceable in the squad. I desperately want to find room for Sean O’Brien in the back-row, but his versatility to cover each position from the bench and the consistently exceptional performances of O’Mahony, Warburton and Vunipola over the course of the Six Nations provides the best balance.

James Hutchison
@Hutch_James

Team: 15. Leigh Halfpenny 14. Liam Williams 13. Jonathan Joseph 12. Robbie Henshaw 11. George North 10. Jonny Sexton 9. Conor Murray; 1. Alasdair Dickinson 2. Dylan Hartley 3. Dan Cole 4. Alun Wyn Jones 5. Courtney Lawes 6. Sean O’Brien 7. Sam Warburton 8. Billy Vunipola

Replacements: 16. Scott Baldwin 17. Joe Marler 18. Samson Lee 19. Jonny Gray 20. Peter O’Mahony 21. Ben Youngs 22. Dan Biggar 23. Stuart Hogg

The back three and front row were hardest to pick for me, particularly full-back – how do you choose between Leigh Halfpenny, Rob Kearney, Stuart Hogg and Mike Brown? In the end I had to go for the deadeye boot of the Welshman, with Hogg’s versatility helpful off the bench.

In the front row, Dickinson, Marler and McGrath all put in worthy performances in the Six Nations, and Alex Corbisiero should be back in contention. Hartley gets the nod at hooker having assured me his disciplinary issues are behind him, and he has a point to prove for the Lions.

Henshaw over Roberts is perhaps the other controversial selection, but either would do a job as a foil for Joseph.

What would your Lions squad look like after the Six Nations? Post it below.