WE’RE A LITTLE closer to knowing the Lions starting XV after today’s convincing 47-17 win over the Waratahs on Saturday morning.

For 50 minutes the home side asked a lot of questions of the tourists before the class of Leigh Halfpenny and company shone through and they eased to a 30 point win.

But what did the game tell us about the Lions starting XV for the first test against Australia? Well, quite a bit actually.

Here at TheScore.ie we’ve argued long and hard but this is the XV our writers have settled on.

It should be noted this isn’t the team we expect to line out against Australia in the first test, we can’t read Warren Gatland’s mind after all, just the one we’d like to see.

15. Leigh Halfpenny
14. Alex Cuthbert
13. Brian O’Driscoll
12. Jonathan Davies
11. George North
10. Jonathan Sexton
9. Mike Phillips
8. Jamie Heaslip
7. Justin Tipuric
6. Tom Croft
5. Paul O’Connell
4. Alun Wyn Jones
3. Adam Jones
2. Richard Hibbard
1. Mako Vunipola

If there are any doubts about the North’s fitness, we believe Zebo did enough today – in the first half at least – to warrant consideration for a starting place.

But that’s enough about us, what do you think? Would you have Zebo in regardless? Should tour captain Warburton get a place?

Let us know in the comments below.

LIVE: Lions v Waratahs, 2013 Tour

The winners and losers from the Lions’ win over the Waratahs