Maro Itoje is expected to become the first English captain of the British and Irish Lions since 2001 when the squad for the summer tour to Australia is announced on Thursday.
Itoje has also cemented his status as favourite for the position thanks to his impressive leadership of England in the Six Nations, which led to a second-place finish in his first season as starting captain.
The 2017 and 2021 Ireland international's choice for the head coaching job has been made easier by the shoulder injury suffered by his main rival Keilan Doris, with surgery likely to sideline the Ireland eighth-captain.
Head coach Andy Farrell will unveil a squad of 37-40 players at a lunchtime event at the Indigo at The O2 in London, where 2,000 people will attend.
Only the captain will be on stage, while other players will find out whether they will feature on the 10-match tour, which kicks off against Argentina in Dublin on June 20, when the names of those involved are announced on Sky Sports.
Two stars who could make a particular impression if included in the line-up are Owen Farrell and Henry Pollock.
Farrell suffered injury in his debut season at Racing 92, his form was inconsistent and he has not featured for England since the 2023 World Cup, but as a three-time Lions cap and proven player his appeal is undeniable.
Meanwhile, everything Pollock touches turns to gold: the 20-year-old England winger proved in Northampton's Champions Cup win over Leinster on Saturday – a game played to international standards – that he can challenge his rivals for a place in the Lions side.
Both players are disadvantaged by the fact that they play in the most competitive positions on the team – forward and back line.
Three playmakers will be sent to Australia, with Finn Russell in the starting line-up for the Wallabies. Behind the inconsistent Scot are Finn Smith, Sam Prendergast, Marcus Smith, Jack Crowley, George Ford and Farrell.
The question of choosing the right trio will be a major topic of discussion when Farrell and his
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