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Pack that hurley Adam Jones, you might be needing it. ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Open thread: Who would you pick as the Lions front row?

Irish supporters will expect to hear Cian Healy’s name announced on 30 April. Everything after that is wishful thinking.

WARREN GATLAND WILL name his British & Lions squad to tour Australia this summer and he needs your help.

In the lead-up to Gatty’s 30 April squad announcement, we are asking for your thoughts on player selections in a number of key positions.

So, get your red polo top and navy trackie bottoms on, we’re asking for your front row selections. Gatland is set to select five props and three hookers.

Adam Jones, Gethin Jenkins and Cian Healy are near-certainties but, after that, a host of names could travel Down Under.

Rory Best was a nailed-on starter for the First Test in Brisbane before his lineout nightmares in the Six Nations, a tournament Ireland finished second last in. Richie Hibbard of Wales may have the edge but Tom Youngs looked solid and Ross Ford had a handy knack of finding his Scottish jumpers.

Props Dan Coles and Joe Marler looked impressive as England headed for Grand Slam glory but they crumpled under Welsh heat at the Millennium Stadium.

From a green-tinted perspective, Mike Ross is a stalwart for his country but is steady at best. Richardt Strauss was a good outside bet until a knee ligament injury blighted his season.

Dave Kilcoyne was touted as a potential Lions by Rob Penney, his coach at Munster, back in January but made a minimal contribution to Ireland’s Six Nations campaign.

Kilcoyne would have hoped to start against Scotland at Murrayfield but was overlooked for Tom Court, a man subsequently dropped from the squad by Declan Kidney after Ireland lost.

The Irish dream team: Ross, Best and Healy. (©INPHO/Billy Stickland)

Gatland may look to France’s Top 14 and Toulon’s Andrew Sheridan, who has not featured much for Stuart Lancaster’s England. The Kiwi is known to be fond of the idea of bringing Mako Vunipola off the bench as an impact prop.

Also under consideration are Euan Murray, Dylan Hartley, Sean Cronin, Ross Ford, Matthew Rees and Ryan Grant.

What do you think? Who should Warren Gatland select as his front row?

‘If I was Warren Gatland, I’d be taking Tommy Bowe on tour’

‘No doubt about it, Paul O’Connell is going on the Lions Tour’ – Shane Byrne

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