Donal Lenihan assesses the key talking points ahead of the first test

By the time you read this, I’ll have boarded my first flight in over 17 months, bound for Cape Town. With everything that’s going on in South Africa at present, it’s a bit of a journey into the unknown.

Daily existence for this Lions tour party has become defined by their catchphrase 'chaos, adapt, change.' That just about sums up this most unusual of tours.

How many of the remaining six contests will actually take place? And will the test series survive the multiple outbreaks of Covid in the Springbok squad?

He has always been his own man, never afraid to stray beyond the obvious candidates when appointing a captain

Events over a seven-day period between April 30 and May 6 highlighted a worrying trend for Irish rugby

With a decent-looking schedule, a win over Connacht last Friday night would have made it very difficult for others to close the gap and put Munster in pole position for an enticing Rainbow Cup final berth

While James Ryan's timing couldn't have been worse, Jack Conan, who might not even be the best No 8 in Leinster, now finds himself with the hottest ticket in rugby

A touring veteran at this stage, Gatland knows better than most that getting your squad selection right remains the most critical element in winning the series

Ronan O’Gara’s men had nothing to lose but played like a side in a hurry to make their mark and capture silverware