Lions squad announcement: Who will get the nod when Warren Gatland reveals his hand?

Warren Gatland will reveal his 36-man Lions squad to face South Africa around lunchtime today. One of the questions to be answered is whether Leinster’s Champions Cup defeat to La Rochelle will affect the Irish representation in the squad. Picture: PA

So who would you take to South Africa with the British & Irish Lions? That was the question Warren Gatland threw out to his coaching team in a meeting by the Thames, with the results of their deliberations, and the head coach having the ultimate say, to be revealed at around midday today.

That is when the guessing games will come to halt, the pundits’ endless permutations chucked into the bin and we will finally learn the 36 players tasked with touring South Africa this summer and delivering a Test series victory over the world champion Springboks.