Lions forwards

Martin Corry

STEVE THOMPSON (England)
hooker, 26, 1.88m, 115kg
The biggest hooker in world rugby and possibly the best when on form but lately his lineout throwing has suggested he couldn't hit the ground if he threw a ball out of a plane.

GORDON BULLOCH (Scotland)
hooker, 30, 1.8m, 102kg
75 caps for Scotland and one for the Lions when a temporary replacement on the 2001 tour of Australia. Busy and bustling.

SHANE BYRNE (Ireland)
hooker, 33, 1.78m, 100kg
38 caps for Ireland, famous for his wondrous mullet. Possibly the best lineout thrower on tour but likely to be Thompson's back-up.

ANDY TITTERELL (England)
hooker, 24, 1.73cm, 93kg
Surprise choice ahead of Wales' Mefin Davies. Small for an international hooker but very fast. Only four caps for England.

GRAHAM ROWNTREE (England)
prop, 34, 1.83cm, 109kg
52 caps for England and was a certainty for this tour after propping strongly this season.

JULIAN WHITE (England)
prop, 32, 1.85cm, 114kg
Reputedly the strongest scrummager in Europe. 28 caps for England but a troublesome neck injury has placed doubts over his fitness.

GETHIN JENKINS (Wales)
prop, 24, 1.88cm, 117kg
Big and fast and enjoyed a stellar season with Wales for whom he has 31 caps. Can play both sides of the scrum.

JOHN HAYES (Ireland)
prop, 32, 1.93cm, 125kg
He's big, bald and looks like he eats orphans for fun. However, he is not as big a scrummager as his physical presence and 54 caps for Ireland suggest.

MATT STEVENS (England)
prop, 22, 1.83cm, 115kg
Highly mobile front-rower who can play both sides of the scrum. Born in South Africa but has five caps for England.

ANDY SHERIDAN (England)
prop, 26, 1.96cm, 119kg
Supposedly the strongest man in British rugby. The biggest surprise, he has 30 minutes of international experience, coming against Canada last year.

DANNY GREWCOCK (England)
lock, 32, 1.98m, 117kg
57 England caps and three for the Lions. A fiery player who can unsettle opponents.
* suspended for rest of tour

PAUL O'CONNELL (Ireland)
lock, 25, 1.98cm, 111kg
Still only 25, he is another hard-nosed customer and talented lineout forward and is more athletic than Grewcock. 29 caps for Ireland, a test spot beckons if he can find his best form.

BEN KAY (England)
lock, 29, 1.98cm, 112kg
40 caps for England and a smart lineout jumper who pressures opposition throws and is solid around the field.

MALCOLM O'KELLY (Ireland)
lock, 30, 2.03cm, 116kg
The tallest Lion, he has added more zip around the field to his lineout game and will be pushing hard for a test spot. Has 73 caps for Ireland and toured with the Lions in 2001.

DONNCHA O'CALLAGHAN (Ireland)
lock, 26, 1.98cm, 110kg
Raw-boned man from Munster with a wild appearance and a gearbox that does not include reverse. 16 caps for Ireland.

LAWRENCE DALLAGLIO (England)
No 8, 32, 1.93cm, 115kg
Will organise the pack and has substantial experience. Has captained England 22 times, has 73 England caps and three Lions test caps from the 1997 tour of South Africa.
* Injured in first game, misses rest of tour.

MICHAEL OWEN (Wales)
No 8, 24, 1.96cm, 111kg
Sparked Wales to wins over Scotland and Ireland and assumed the captaincy when Gareth Thomas was injured.

SIMON TAYLOR (Scotland)
No 8, 25, 1.93cm, 105kg
Genuinely fast, he makes telling runs from the base of scrum and ruck. 38 Scotland caps.
* Injured, misses rest of tour 

MARTIN CORRY (England)
No 8/blindside, 31, 1.96cm, 112kg
Fine season for England, he 's likely to edge out the man he most resembles – Dallaglio.

RICHARD HILL (England)
blind-side/openside, 31, 1.88cm, 102kg
When he plays well, England play well. 71 caps for England and four Lions tests, in 1997 and 2001.
* Injured, misses rest of tour 

NEIL BACK (England)
openside, 36, 1.78cm, 93kg
The oldest Lion, will he be sent to war against McCaw or will midweek be his lot? 66 caps for England and four tests for the Lions from 1997 and 2001.

LEWIS MOODY (England)
openside, 26, 1.90cm, 105kg
Probably the man the Lions will match against Richie McCaw. 31 England caps.

MARTYN WILLIAMS (Wales)
openside, 1.83cm, 96kg
In-form openside link man. In Australia with 2001 Lions but didn 't get off the bench – 53 Welsh caps. 

SIMON EASTERBY (Ireland)
flanker, 29, 1.90m, 96kg
Made his debut in 2000 against Scotland and has 42 caps. Was called up to the squad as a replacement for Lawrence Dallaglio. Plays his club rugby in Wales for the Llanelli Scarlets.

JASON WHITE (Scotland)
lock, 28, 1.96m, 117kg
White's club side is Sale Sharks. He made his test debut in April 2000 against England. A late inclusion in the squad after Danny Grewcock's suspension.

BRENT COCKBAIN (Wales)
lock, 30, 2.03m, 117kg, 20 caps
Born in Cairns, Australia, Cockbain was a controversial omission from the original squad. He made his debut for Wales in 2003 against Romania. A late inclusion in the squad.

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