Rory Best picks his British and Irish Lions XV
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Former British and Irish Lions hooker and Ireland captain Rory Best has named his Lions test XV to face the Springboks.
Best played over 100 test matches for Ireland and captained the side at the 2019 Rugby World Cup. He also toured with the Lions in 2013 and 2017 but wasn't able to crack the test team in Australia or New Zealand.
The 38-year-old was asked by World Rugby in the latest episode of 'The Wrap' to name his Test XV to tackle the Springboks.
The former hooker picked four of his fellow countryman with five Englishman, five Welshman and one Scotsman.
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In the front row, he picked the same trio of players who started all three tests in 2017 with Jamie George at hooker and Mako Vunipola and Tadgh Furlong either side of him.
At lock, Alun Wyn Jones and Maro Itoje combine with Best conceding that the 'second row is the one where everyone will have different choices.'
Best went on to name drop by Iain Henderson and James Ryan saying either or both of them could easily start before concluding that 'it's really a tough one.'
Tom Curry, Justin Tipuric and Taulupe Faletau all feature in Best's back row.
Commenting on Tipruic, Best said that he is 'one of the best players I have played with and there is just something about Tipuric's footballing ability.'
The Irish duo of Conor Murray and Jonathan Sexton feature at 9 and 10 in his side with Best admitting that it could be 'a little of international bias'.
Robbie Henshaw, Jonathan Davies feature in Best's backline along with Liam Williams, Anthony Watson and Stuart Hogg with Best saying that the backline could come down to form on the tour.
Finally, Best predicts that the Lions will win the Series 2-1 or even 3-0 as he believes that the Lions will be more battle hardened.
