Wednesday 23 March 2016 10:01, UK
The early signs suggest the bulk of the British and Irish Lions starting XV will come from England, says All Blacks legend Sean Fitzpatrick...
There was enough talent on show in the 2016 Six Nations to tell me that it is going to be a wonderful British and Irish Lions series in New Zealand next year.
The quality of the rugby may not have been the very best but I think that had to do with the World Cup and there was certainly enough individual brilliance.
It is going to take a special team to beat the All Blacks but the Lions jersey is special and, while there is still a lot of rugby to be played, the interest into who may make the plane is hotting up.
The main thing to come out of the Six Nations is that Lions are going to have potentially four very good coaches. The experience that Warren Gatland, Eddie Jones, Joe Schmidt and Vern Cotter have is phenomenal.
If all four could all work together it could be a very good combination. To have the knowledge, in terms of what is needed to win in New Zealand is phenomenal - in fact it is unprecedented.
I think we have learnt that the players really need to be coached - no disrespect to what happened to England in the World Cup, but the same players with a different attitude and a bit of coaching has turned them around.
At this early stage I think a lot of the Lions team will come from England and Jones is really going to ingrain into them what is needed to go to the southern hemisphere and win.
The Lions will have plenty of talent to call upon but the key for them will be getting across exactly what is needed to go and win in New Zealand.
I don't want to keep on harping on about England but they have some serious talent coming through. The two nines, in the second row you have Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes, George Kruis and Joe Launchbury. Jamie George is going to be pushing Dylan Hartley at hooker, at No 8 you have Nathan Hughes who would have qualified for England by the Lions tour. That is some depth.
You look at Ireland and all the injuries they have got, like Sean O'Brien and Iain Henderson. Wales have George North, Taulupe Faletau, Dan Lydiate. For Scotland, WP Nel is not a bad scrummager and Tim Visser could be in with a shout too.
The Lions will have plenty of talent to call upon but the key for them will be getting across exactly what is needed to go and win in New Zealand.
I am pleased to see that the Lions will immerse themselves straight into New Zealand - they are not fluffing around in Hong Kong. Time and bonding together will be essential and getting straight into the culture will help them with that.
However, I am disappointed that the Premiership and PRO12 finals are due to be played just a week before the Lions play their first game. I can't see why once every four years they can't work something out and make the best players available for the Lions.
I really hope that date is not set in stone and they manage to sort it out.
