Now that the dust has settled on the Six Nations and club rugby is back, it is time to set our international focus to the summer.
The British and Irish Lions head to Australia, in what should be a great show of some of the best inter-hemisphere rugby seen on the calendar.
Only an event that happens every four years, being picked for the squad is up there with the best it can get for a player.
Following the Six Nations, Charlie Elliott gives his say on the players whose chances of a call-up have been affected based on their performances.
Risers:
Fin Smith
Being able to prove your worth at Test level ahead of a Lions tour is essential in boosting selection chances, and Smith has done just that.
His talent has been known for a little while now, but the Northampton Saints fly-half hadn’t had the opportunity to showcase it internationally.
That was grasped with both hands, as Smith’s namesake Marcus Smith was dropped to fullback and the bench due to the strong performances of the Saints man.
Outstanding game intelligence and kicking under pressure are two great attributes for a Lions pick to have, which he showed that he has in abundance.
Only 22 years old, it might not be his last time being considered, but he deserves his chance.
Will Stuart
Hugely underrated going into the tournament, the rugby world has started to take note of how good Stuart is.
In all facets of his game, the prop is outstanding and he is not only a good scrummager but can work his way around the pitch very well.
Epitomised by his step on Italy hooker Giacomo Nicotera, Stuart can do it all.
It was a tough summer last year, but he has bounced back brilliantly. Possibly not quite nailed on yet, but it is becoming increasingly likely that he’ll be on the plane.
Jac Morgan
Amongst the darkness of Wales‘ Six Nations, Morgan has been the shining light.
The Ospreys back-rower has been up there statistically as one of the best flankers in the tournament, with a truckload of carries and tackles during moments when Wales were up against it.
It could have been much worse for Warren Gatland and Matt Sherratt if not for some warrior-like games from him.
If the Lions want a player who has clear evidence of battling despite the odds being stacked against him and his team, they should look no further than this pick.
Dan Sheehan
Sheehan is a slight cop-out of a pick, given that he would have been guaranteed to be on the plane before his ACL injury last year.
Given the doubt that surrounded his return as to whether he would be the same player, the fact that he has put in some mega performances for Ireland will almost guarantee his selection.
Five tries in three games is no mean feat from a hooker and outside of that, he is excellent at the fundamentals of the position.
Andy Farrell knowing him well will hope, so he could have been selected regardless of this Six Nations, but he has still managed to help his chances.
Fallers
Bundee Aki
Aki is still a great talent and a player who has enough about him to be considered a contender for a spot in the centres for Australia.
The Six Nations hasn’t done him any favours though, as he has lost his starting spot for Ireland and the only good performance he put in was off the bench against Wales, which is hardly Lions quality.
He needs to have a big end to the season with Connacht to convince Farrell, but even that might not be enough.
Injuries to Ollie Lawrence and Sione Tuipulotu have boosted his hopes of selection, they have still diminished though.
Tomos Williams
A standout start to the season for Gloucester has led to Tomos Williams being heavily involved in Lions discussions, but all of that seems to have stopped now.
Not a particularly bad Six Nations for the scrum half, it just wasn’t that good and he didn’t stand out in a very poor team.
He didn’t make any huge errors but wasn’t his usual, maverick self and with Jamison Gibson-Park and Alex Mitchell playing well, Williams has fallen down the pecking order.
Get Gloucester in the top four and he is back in the conversation.
Sam Prendergast
Prendergast’s form has been so up and down this Championship, some weeks he has been described as the next big thing and others he is suddenly the worst player to put on an Ireland jersey.
Maybe that last point was a bit hyperbolic, but that reflects the fickle nature of rugby fans, which is unfortunately what Prendergast has become a victim of.
Hyped up to then being brought back down to earth, people need to take a step back and realise what he is.
And that is a young talent who has ounces of potential but also plenty to learn.
He didn’t have a bad campaign at all but the ever-changing nature of how fans have viewed him means that his stock has fallen.
The amount of talent that he has means that there will probably be another Lions shot in the future, and this year isn’t completely away from him yet.
Good tournaments from Fin Smith and George Russell also means that the fly-half jersey is hugely competitive.
READ MORE: Six Nations 2025 – Each nation’s grade relative to expectations
