Jack Nowell (Exeter/England)
Position: Wing Tests: 23
You'll recognise Jack Nowell on the field as he'll be in headgear, working like a terrier and with a nose for the tryline, as 11 tries in 23 tests attests.
George North (Northampton/Wales)
Position: Wing Tests: 69 Lions caps: 3
With his head problems seemingly behind him, North is getting on with doing what he does best, scoring tries with his size and pace; his match-up with Julian Savea will be titanic.
Liam Williams (Scarlets/Wales)
Position: Wing Tests: 42
Liam Williams is not a hefty wing in the George North mould, but he brings speed, and touched down for three tries in the opening three Wales Six Nations fixtures.
Tommy Seymour (Glasgow/Scotland)
Position: Wing Tests: 36
The Glasgow Warriors flyer, who has 16 test tries to his credit, provided some cutting edge, along with Hogg, to Scotland's Six Nations campaign.
Elliot Daly (Wasps/England)
Position: Wing/centre Tests: 13
The Wasps threequarter has speed, skill, nous, and goalkicking ability, and should thrive in New Zealand after a very handy Six Nations campaign.
Ben Te'o (Worcester/England)
Position: Centre Tests: 8
Can the 30-year-old with links to New Zealand, England and rugby league show he is more than just a supersub, as he was for Eddie Jones' team, with the Lions?
Jonathan Joseph (Bath/England)
Position: Centre Tests: 33
The highlight of Joseph's 2017 was a brilliant hat-trick against Scotland where he ran nice angles and showing his searing pace; was it, though, a one-hit wonder?
Jonathan Davies (Scarlets/Wales)
Position: Centre Tests: 62 Lions caps: 3
A star of the 2013 Lions tour, Davies is not the player he was then, and has often struggled to break into the Scarlets' starting XV ahead of Hadleigh Parkes, but Gatland has faith in his 29-year-old centre.
Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Ireland)
Position: Midfielder Tests: 29
Henshaw has proven he is Ireland's man to fill Gordon D'Arcy's boots in the No 12 jersey with some sterling display in the last few years, including scoring a try against the All Blacks in Chicago.
Owen Farrell (Saracens/England)
Position: Five-eighths Tests: 52 Lions caps: 1
Possibly the best goalkicker in the world right now, the big question is whether Owen Farrell will suit up in the No 10 or 12 jersey for the Lions, as he has the defensive game to function well at second five.
Dan Biggar (Ospreys/Wales)
Position: First five Tests: 55
The Wales No 10 is an accurate marksman off the tee and has kept Rhys Priestland and Gareth Anscombe on ice, but can he ignite the Lions backline firepower?
Jonathan Sexton (Leinster/Ireland)
Position: First five Tests: 66 Lions caps: 3
A world-class No 10 who has possibly put to bed suspicions about his temperament, Sexton possesses a solid allround game that should thrive in partnership with Conor Murray.
Conor Murray (Munster/Ireland)
Position: Halfback Tests: 57 Lions caps: 2
The 28-year-old Munsterman is fit to rank as one of the top halfbacks in the world, with a pinpoint box kick, swift pass and ability to snipe; he was man of the match against France in the Six Nations.
Ben Youngs (Leicester/England)
Position: Halfback Tests: 70 Lions caps: 2
Seeing off the challenge of Danny Care for the England No 9 jersey, Ben Youngs now wants the Lions No 9 position, and has the game to do so, with his speed off the mark one of several qualities.
Rhys Webb (Ospreys/Wales)
Position: Halfback Tests: 28
The 28-year-old was a standout for Wales during the Six Nations, man of the match against Ireland one of several gongs for the Ospreys livewire.
Forwards:
Billy Vunipola (Saracens/England)
Position: No 8 Tests: 34
The Saracens returned from a knee injury in March, but he is a deceptively swift mover and has an array of skills, not to mention ball-carrying presence, to trouble any defence
Ross Moriarty (Gloucester/Wales)
Position: No 8 Tests: 17
The son of former Wales loose forward Paul Moriarty, Ross Moriarty took his chance with some energetic displays during the Six Nations in place of Taulupe Faletau.
Taulupe Faletau (Bath/Wales)
Position: No 8 Tests: 64 Lions caps: 1
The Tongan-born No 8 has had to bide his time after a long injury layoff, but looks equipped to handle himself in New Zealand with his work-rate and punishing style.
CJ Stander (Munster/Ireland)
Position: Loose forward Tests: 15
South Africa-born but Munster-finished, the 27-year-old Stander is a powerful ball carrier who scored a hat-trick against Italy in the Six Nations.
Sean O'Brien (Leinster/Ireland)
Position: Loose forward Tests: 49 Lions caps: 2
O'Brien is the sort of non-nonsense, muscular ball-carrying loose forward that the Lions will need in June on New Zealand shores.
Sam Warburton (Cardiff/Wales)
Position: Flanker Tests: 74 Lions caps: 2
Warren Gatland has kept faith with his old skipper despite an injury cloud and having been divested of the Welsh captaincy, but he is a fine footballer, a tigerish fetcher, and will tackle all day.
Peter O'Mahony (Munster/Ireland)
Position: Loose forward Tests: 40
Peter O'Mahony's effective display at No 6 for Ireland against England last month might just have won him his berth for the Lions tour.
Justin Tipuric (Ospreys/Wales)
Position: Flanker Tests: 50 Lions caps: 1
A replacement for the 2013 Lions tour, Tipuric is a consummate fetcher who pushed Sam Warburton to the other side of the scrum for Wales and should contend for the test team.
Maro Itoje (Saracens/England)
Position: Lock/No 6 Tests: 12
Itoje has previously played dominant rugby in New Zealand, for the champion England Under 20s in 2014. A lineout winner with skills and a high work-rate, he will push hard for a starting test berth.
Courtney Lawes (Northampton/England)
Position: Lock Tests: 58
Lawes is a now a hardened, seasoned international lock of some repute, so Brodie Retallick probably won't confuse him with Michael Laws on this tour.
Iain Henderson (Ulster/Ireland)
Position: Lock Tests: 32
More than half the 25-year-old lock's outings for Ireland have been off the pine, but he is now cemented as a starter, and was colossal against England last month, scoring a try and pulling down his share of lineouts.
Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
Position: Lock Tests: 110 Lions caps: 6
A 12-season veteran of the international scene, Alun Wyn Jones is the Wales captain and led the Lions to victory in third test of the 2013 series in Australia.
George Kruis (Saracens/England)
Position: Lock Tests: 20
Injury has laid George Kruis low in recent times, but he has the size and athleticism for a lock that Warren Gatland has always prized.
Dan Cole (Leicester/England)
Position: Prop Tests: 74 Lions caps: 3
England's tighthead prop has already been a Lions tourist (in 2013) where he came off the bench in all three tests, so he will have realistic designs on starting.
Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins/England)
Position: Prop Tests: 8
One of the genuine, though forecast, bolters, Sinckler made four appearances off the subs bench for England in the Six Nations.
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Ireland)
Position: Prop Tests: 16
His first name may be tough to spell, but there is nothing too complicated about the 24-year-old tighthead prop as he just does his job with minimum of fuss.
Jack McGrath (Leinster/Ireland)
Position: Prop Tests: 41
This loosehead prop mainstay of the Ireland pack has kept Cian Healy on the bench in recent times, no mean feat.
Joe Marler (Harlequins/England)
Position: Prop Tests: 51
Joe Marler was a core member of England's strong pack and his scrummaging on the loosehead side was hard to fault during the Six Nations.
Mako Vunipola (Saracens/England)
Position: Prop Tests: 42 Lions caps: 3
The successor to such fine Lions servants as Cian Healy and Gethin Jenkins, Mako Vunipola has a good allround game that should see him push hard for test selection.
Ken Owens (Scarlets/Wales)
Position: Hooker Tests: 50
Ken Owens enjoyed a fine Six Nations and is accurate in the set-piece, but, with the drums beating for Richard Hibbard, is he even the best Welsh hooker?
Jamie George (Saracens/England)
Position: Hooker Tests: 17
The young comer, at 26, who offered full value off the bench for England in each of their Six Nations games in 2017, is central to the fortunes of Premiership heavyweights Saracens.
Rory Best (Ulster/Ireland)
Position: Hooker Tests: 104
At 34, Rory Best is possibly the world's second best hooker and, in the last six months, he has led his country to two significant wins over New Zealand and England; he toured with the 2013 Lions.
