The British & Irish Lions squad to tour South Africa this summer is announced on April 21st. As always with the Lions, I'm starting to get seriously excited and have plenty of views on who should and shouldn't be going. I'm an England supporter through and through, but I'm in no doubt that Ireland and Wales have the most outstanding players. Shane Williams, Brian O'Driscoll, Paul O'Connell, Martyn Williams - these are the names that will be first on the list.

BBC have a great little web app that lets you choose your Lions test team from a range of possible choices. It's a good visual method of comparing combinations and rethinking your own judgement. I've filled it in a couple of times in the past, and in anticipation of the squad announcement, I thought it was worth filling in my selection for the 1st Test. I find that there are quite a few English names on my team which surprises me considering my view that Wales and Ireland have the majority of world class players. That said, England have begun to produce some pretty good players, in positions that don't have out and out favourites. Anyway, I certainly try to be as non-partisan as possible here, but I think while England have a dearth of excellent players we have a LOT of really good ones. In a Lions tour that isn't going to have a star-studded team from 1-15, this appears to be the factor that is getting many of these names into my team. So, on to the team, and below a short perspective on why each player makes my selection.

'Big Ted' as he is affectionately known certainly has his detractors, but is there a better option? For my money, Marcus Horan is a good player who is always good. Andrew Sheridan is a prop who can on occasion be great. Unfortunately it's often that he's just ok and nothing more. However, he's familiar with the SA front-row having met them in the rarified atmosphere of the RWC final, and for this reason, Sheridan is my pick - just.

2. Hooker: Jerry Flannery - Munster & Ireland

It was a close call here between Flannery and Mears. For me, partly I've chosen Flannery as a concession to the criticism of having too many English players in my team. Flannery has a certain grit about him, he's a scraper and I like his demeanour. On the other hand, Lee Mears had an exemplary Six Nations. England's lineout was very very efficient, losing only something like one lineout on their own throw for the entirety of the competition, an astonishing stat in an international tournament. The Boks have the ultimate lineout in world rugby, and combating that is essential. Mears throwing is better than Flannery's and for that reason he is on the bench.

3. Tighthead Prop: Gethin Jenkins - Cardiff Blues & Wales

This is the first really easy choice. Gethin Jenkins is the standout prop in the home nations and even when not on form has an underlying class that few can match. He's an absolute bullock round the park, fast as can be and extremely good in both defense and attack. As far as powerful ball carriers go, he's one of the very best. Add to this a solid scrummaging technique and an ability to prop on either side if necessary and Jenkins is far and away the best choice for the no.3 shirt.

4. Lock: Paul O'Connell - Munster & Ireland

Paul O'Connell is one of the real standout players in the entire home nations. His power, lineout precision and TCUP demeanor are all immense. In the Grand Slam match against Wales his brilliance and composure helped steady the ship while his teammate O'Callaghan was losing his head. An easy choice and a potential captain.

5. Lock: Alun Wyn Jones - Ospreys & Wales

Another easy choice. Alun Wyn Jones is a superb lock with all the attributes to be among the world's best. He's got a real fire in his eyes too, clearly a man who doesn't like losing. The lock partnership of Jones and O'Connell should be a shoe-in and undoubtedly the least controversial and most obvious selection across the whole team. It's a good thing too as Matfield and Botha are the Righteous Brothers of international lock play. Cue a titanic battle come June 20th.

6. Blindside Flanker: Ryan Jones - Ospreys & Wales

The Welsh captain is best as an 8, but against the Boks who have a fearsome backrow in the likes of Burger and Spies and co, the lions are going to want a large dollop of power. Ryan Jones shot to prominence along with Simon Easterby on the last Lions tour, impressing on a tour where the team were really put to the sword. The Lions leave as underdogs again this time, but Ryan Jones' passion and his been there done that attitude will be like gold-dust in South Africa. His form hasn't been superb of late, but I'd pick him over the competition due to his experience and power.

7. Openside Flanker: Martyn Williams - Cardiff Blues & Wales

If Richie McCaw is the undisputed king of the 7's, few would argue that Martyn Williams is the greatest in the NH. The guy is simply superb and ought to be one of the first names on the teamsheet. Schalk Burger is a prolific ball carrier and a great ball-winner on the floor, but while he might be a juggernaut on the move he doesn't hold a candle to Williams on the floor. Martyn Williams is quite simply one of the best ball winners in the world and his ability to do win ball and link forwards with backs makes him an easy and obvious selection. Williams may meet Juan Smith, another awesome back-row forward. While I think Smith is probably Williams' equal with ball in hand, I believe that on the floor Martyn Williams will have the edge.

8. Number Eight: Jamie Heaslip - Leinster & Ireland

The form player in the 8 shirt. Heaslip is exactly what you want in a modern number 8. He's big, carries well has excellent hands and can seriously shift for a 17st lump. His sidestep in the Ireland v France game was a thing of beauty and his ball carrying power will be much needed. Back row trio's are all about balance and whether to err towards size and power or technicality and agility. This backrow combo is undoubtedly massive, but that is a must when playing against South Africa. Heaslip and Jones will hope to cancel out Spies and Burger while Williams will outscrap anyone bar McCaw on the floor. This is the gameplan I think the Lions need to aim for and it is absolutely key to the whole series.

9. Scrum-Half: Mike Phillips - Ospreys & Wales

A tough call is some ways, but Mike Phillips is about as imposing as scrum-halves get and that can only be a good thing in SA. He doesn't have the finesse of Dwayne Peel, the player, for my money with the best technical skills of the possibles, nor the balance of Harry Ellis, nor the experience behind a reversing pack that Mike Blair has, but Phillips brings the 'Grrrr' in large quantities and won't be bullied by the physicality of South Africa. My view is that while Mike Blair is a fine player, he's not the outstanding player some think he is. It's my belief that Peel and Ellis ought to be closer to the number nine Jersey than Blair. Peel is scrum-half efficiency personified, with an excellent pass and a dazzling array of technical skills. Ellis by contrast understands the simplicity of scrum-half play, and with a good team around him he works as an excellent facilitator. He knows that it's his job to ship the ball on as SOON as it's available. Dilly dallying as some scrummies do is simply defensive christmas, so I like his immediacy when presented with the ball. The difference? Ellis has some decent form of late while Peel has been a bit up and down. For me though, Phillips is a fairly easy choice. Power and aggression please.

10. Fly-Half: Stephen Jones - Scarlets & Wales

Not only are Jones and Phillips very familiar with each other, but Stephen Jones' more direct playing style and physical ruggedness win him the 10 jersey in front of O'Gara. It's really a matter of what you want your 10 to do, and for that reason O'Gara has himself a place on the bench. The Lions need to be flexible and be willing to play the game they need to play to win. If they find out halfway through the opening test that they can't smash through or carve round the SA defence, O'Gara offers a sublime tactical kicking option to pin the Boks back into the corners and play chess-like Rugby. Stephen Jones should however be the starting choice. He's a simple player in some ways like Harry Ellis, he knows that it's his job to unleash those around him and his goal-kicking under pressure is probably a notch or two above O'Gara's in my mind. The partnership with Phillips should hopefully build a double-pivot platform for the strike runners to play off.

11. Left Wing: Shane Williams - Ospreys & Wales

Over the past few years Williams has undoubtedly been the most deadly finisher in the world. If the Lions give him a sniff, the Boks might as well add the extra 5 to the scoreboard themselves, he is that good. However, despite this superb attacking ability, he is still a defensive frailty. For many years I used to lambast him as the swinging door of international rugby - as likely to cause a team to concede a try as score one. Compared to someone like Jason Robinson who was as tenacious in defense as he was scything in attack - despite his size - Williams is an unbalanced player. However, while his defense hasn't improved, his attacking is now so potent that I don't think the Boks have a player that can match the individual attacking threat of Williams. For this reason, he makes my team. Last time out against wunder wing Bryan Habana, Shane Williams came out dominant, and Habana's form has undoubtedly waned since 2007. That said, he still oozes class and if he starts turning on the burners we need to have an antidote waiting in the wings.

12. Inside Centre: Riki Flutey - Wasps & England

Flutey might play for England now, but he plays like a great All Black centre. England like to play there passing centre at 12 (a recurring error in my view) and there bosch-man at 13, whereas New Zealand play their guile at 13 and the direct player at 12. Despite this difference, Riki Flutey is strikingly similar to All Black greats like Conrad Smith and Aaron Mauger. He's the thinking-man's centre and compared to other options he offers incision and passing in equal quantity. Flutey had an awesome 6N and ended up as the top try scorer, a stat that never lies. He just plays like an All Black and in my book that's the rugby equivalent of fighting like a Spartan or flying like a naval aviator. He's bloody good and I look forward to watching him play.

13. Outside Centre: Brian O'Driscoll - Leinster & Ireland

Who else? One of the true greats of the modern game. Up there with names like Carter, Wilkinson and McCaw. His will to win and his sheer brilliance is extraordinary. He also comes across as a thoroughly nice guy and a player that is easy to respect and like. An obvious Captain and a leader players would follow to hell and back. He has definitely lost a yard of pace since we saw his magic back in 2001, but his will more than cancels out the aging process. As we saw in the 6N he was back to his stunning best. It seemed at times that he was winning matches almost single handedly through a careful application of incision and guts based purely on what was needed most at the time. He's world class, in BOD we trust.

14. Right Wing: Mark Cueto - Sale & England

Tommy Bowe seems to be the front runner for this position, but in my view he's simply not done anything truly outstanding to warrant his selection. He's very good, but I haven't yet been wowed by him. Cueto by contrast is back to his formidable best and has been scoring tries for fun for both England & Sale. He's big, powerful and his wheels are definitely well oiled. England's opening try against France was case in point. Morgan Parra is a quick chap, but there was something truly majestic about the sprawling heap that he was left in by Cueto's gas. It was the rugby equivalent of an ace in tennis. Parra, outstretched in limb rending desperation didn't so much as touch him and it was due to his outright pace, a quality that is in my mind essential in a good winger. I can just about tolerate a wing with no defensive attributes, but I can't live with a winger who might get beaten in a race to the line. Cueto's English and therefore out of fashion but he's the right choice.

15. Full-Back: Lee Byrne - Scarlets & Wales

Another player who oozes class. Jeremy Guscott, punditry idiot though he is, labelled him the best player in the world at the start of the six nations and while this sort of over-blown excess is a weakness in Guscott as an analyst, he wasn't far off. Byrne is simply bloody good. Solid as a rock under the high ball and in defense he's also a wicked finisher. He's the incumbent and it's his jersey to lose. That said, the Lions are blessed with serious strength in depth at the back. Both Rob Kearney and Delon Armitage have quickly matured into very very good players who have a real aura of confidence and quality about them. Both are great catchers of the ball and while Armitage offers outright pace and an elusiveness that should see him carve through any half gap, Kearney brings considerable power not dissimilar to Mark Cueto.

REPLACEMENTS BENCH

Very England heavy I admit, but the bench ought to be about having options and having the next best contenders ready and waiting, this selection I think offers it.

John Hayes - Unglamorous as they come but a more passionate player you will not find. Has grown from a symbol of mediocrity into a long-lived warhorse that draws comparisons to the great Jason Leonard

Lee Mears - An excellent ball carrier and the best lineout exponent in Britain and Ireland on current form. Unglamorous but very good.

Nick Kennedy - A lineout specialist is something that any team worth their salt should be taking to South Africa. Kennedy is the best lineout operator in the NH and offers a real threat to the dominance of Matfield and Botha.

Tom Croft - A great ball winner and the pace of a winger. Youth and exuberance and bags of talent. Joe Worsley and David Wallace were both options for this spot but neither offer the positivity and adaptability of Croft. He's also a great line-out option.

Ronan O'Gara - More of an option than a sub. He's as good as Stephen Jones but simply with a different game. The starter should be based on how the Lions want to play and who lines up against them.

Harry Ellis - A quality unfussy scrum-half with a turn of pace and solid defense. Will invite the Lions backline to play with pace and to keep the ball in hand.

Matthew Tait - In my view one of the finest attacking threats in the whole of the NH. I'd like to see McGeechan have faith in him at 13 during the midweek where Sale and England have so rarely done. He's my 'pet' selection if you will, and maybe in a different environment with different coaches he'd be rewarded with the position that his class deserves. On the bench for the tests as a useful utility back. He's bloody good, but even I don't think he unseats O'Driscoll!