It’s one of the hottest debate topics egg-chasing has to offer.
Given we live in something of a green goldfish bowl on these Irish shores, there’s no harm getting input from elsewhere.
And so we have the HarpinOnRugby Lions Selector Panel, made up of one fan from each nation, with even the Irish panellist based abroad.
This week it’s the turn of Welsh panellist Hywel Davies.
So the start of season, cobweb clearing, phoney war, pre Heineken Cup section of the season draws to a close.
It is still early days and nobody can be described as being in an unassailable position.
However, let's look at the centres.
Changes: 12 and 13 O'Driscoll and Earls.
This shows a shift of philosophy on my part. O' Driscoll is so far ahead of any other centre in terms of play making his partner will play better than at any other time in their lives. Roberts on the last Lions tour and the continuing professional rugby career of Gordon D'Arcy are the best examples of this. So why not 12 Roberts and 13 O' Driscoll?
Because neither has the outright pace for outside centre that will be needed in Australia. That's where Earls comes in. He's the quickest centre around and is a natural try scorer. I started with putting him in at 13 in fact. His hunger in attack and defence has been apparent in the misfiring Munster side. I was then wracking my brain for a New Zealand style play making inside centre (The third 15/16th or whatever the Kiwis call it) which are largely out of fashion in domestic rugby - due to the first and main requirement of any back currently, of course, being defence (note - sarcasm).
There are no new Jeremy Guscotts out there ladies and gentlemen. Steve Shingler is the type, but not the quality. In my mind two players could take on the roll from other positions and those are Sexton and O' Driscoll. Clearly the better option is O'Driscoll in my view. He is a centre, has the skill and in my mind needs to make this transition for his own sake.
Elsewhere:
Lydiate's ankle isn't as bad as first thought in that its only broken as opposed to broken and dislocated. He will be playing by the Spring apparently. He is a tough farmer of course. He has overcome a broken neck so breaking an ankle is a trifle. However in his absence I would play Warburton on the blind. He has played all three back row positions in his time and has the quality. This also leads to a shuffle of bench forwards. Best also comes back onto the bench as the lynch pin in a mightily impressive Ulster pack.
Whilst I propose to make no other changes at all, I will say that Gethin Jenkins and Mike Phillips are walking the tight rope currently.
If Jenkins can't convince the Toulon management that he can scrummage, then it calls into question whether he would be a passenger in this Lions scrum. His other contribution is without doubt, but this pack needs to smash the Aussie scrum. Corbisiero should press his case as the option for Healy. Duncan Jones would be a fine outside bet but it will never happen due to the over representation of the current Welsh management (who have persistently failed/refused to acknowledge his class) on this Lions tour.
Mike Phillips' well publicised difficulties at Bayonne do not rule him out for me. I can't see him finishing the season there and he would be an useful addition to any domestic club, region or province. However he needs to show in the 6 Nations and beyond a rising plane of form.
Finally, keep an eye out for Gavin Henson. We haven't seen the last of him internationally. Gatland likes him. Lyn Jones can handle him and keep his head right for Premiership Rugby. He is just as likely be filming on a beach somewhere during the Six Nations however, but the fact he's an enigma doesn't make him a poor player. He has a huge class, especially in running a tight defensive line.
As we progress, I fully expect the Heineken cup to dredge up some bolters for consideration, especially from the Premiership clubs.
Therefore:
15-9 Halfpenny, North, Earls, O' Driscoll, Visser, Madigan, Phillips
1-8 Jenkins, Cronin, Jones, Gray (c) Evans, Warburton, O' Brien, Tipuric
16-22 Healy, Best, Ryan Jones, Ferris, Knoyle, Sexton, Williams.
Hywel (@HywelV2) is head Rugby writer on the v2 Journal. A bundle of contradictions, he is a Solicitor and Farmer, a Scarlets supporter and a "conservative, forward orientated typical blydi prop".
Does this mean there are any changes to the HoR Composite Lions XV? Click here to find out.
Next week we’ll hear more from our Scottish panellist.
