Auditioning for the Lions
Opinion is divided on the Saracens youngster with those outside of England needing a lot more convincing about the merits of his inclusion. The key out-half role is posing a bit of a dilemma for Warren Gatland at the moment with Johnny Sexton the only No 10 pencilled in at present. The fact that Farrell was in the pivotal role when England stuffed New Zealand last November is sure to have registered with the Lions management but then again he needed to prove himself at this level after an indifferent tour to South Africa over the summer. His recent place kick feats for Saracens in the Heineken Cup will have boosted his chances but he is still battling it out with Toby Flood for the starting position in the championship and needs to convince that his game management is up to scratch. The question Gatland has to ask himself is, in the event of losing Sexton to injury, is Farrell the man to engineer a test series victory over Australia? He needs a big Six Nations campaign to convince people that he is.
2. Donnacha Ryan (Ireland)
Having waited so long for a chance to establish himself in the Munster set-up, Donnacha Ryan has wasted little time in cementing his place at both club and international level. Even in adverse circumstances over the summer when Ireland were on the receiving end against New Zealand, Ryan shone through as a beacon of hope in the absence of Paul O’Connell. In the continued absence of his Munster colleague, he is now Ireland’s leading lock and a serious contender for a place on the tour to Australia. The fact that he has played in the back row will aid his cause as versatility is a key element in the selection process when deciding the marginal calls. With O’Connell still a serious doubt for the tour and the much vaunted Richie Gray experiencing indifferent form since his less than fruitful move to Sale Sharks, Ryan has a big opportunity to push himself to the forefront of Gatland’s mind with a positive showing over the next two months.
3. Toby Faletau (Wales)
Following his performances at the World Cup and subsequently in Wales’ Grand Slam winning campaign last season, Faletau was a shoo-in for the Lions tour in my book. His display against France in the World Cup semi-final after his captain Sam Warburton was sent off was heroic. That fact that Wales could still have won that game was due primarily to his influence at No 8. One of the few to play in all four of Wales’ disastrous autumn campaign, Faletau’s form and confidence deserted him to such an extent that he has a serious challenge on his hands to make the cut for Australia. The fact that he is playing for a struggling Dragons outfit has done nothing to spark a revival in his fortunes either. He needs a big showing for Wales in the Championship in order to remind people just what he is capable of at the top level. I think he has the quality to achieve that.
