Just how many Scots will roar with the Lions?

THERE will be a number of anxious rugby players around the home unions this weekend, as Warren Gatland puts the final touches to his British and Irish Lions touring party to New Zealand.

Aside from the honour of representing a team that only plays once every four years, and being identified as one of the best amongst your peer group, there is a hefty financial incentive – a winning tour party will benefit from around £3 million in win bonuses and salaries for the tour.

There haven’t been many Scots in Lions touring parties in recent years, and of the Scots who have toured, hardly any have had any game time in the test matches.

This year could be different as far as the latter point is concerned. Yet the damage done to Scotland by England at Twickenham could have hindered the chances of a number of players.

Some might argue that Gatland would be unwise and unfair to judge on the Calcutta Cup alone, but performing under pressure, particularly in New Zealand, is a quality that he will need in his players – the Scottish players did not manage that.

Of the Scottish contingent, Stuart Hogg, the 6 Nations player of the year for the second year in succession must be in the touring party – yet Gatland has a bias towards players he knows well. So Leigh Halfpenny could be favoured by the coach come the test matches.

That would be cruel on Hogg, so performances in the early matches will be key for the full-back.

Beyond that, it is hard to predict just how many Scots will be in the touring party. Not least because there is a lot of competition for the places where Scotland have strength in depth.

Jonny Gray would have been an obvious choice at the start of the season, but his form has dipped and with Launchbury, Itoje, and Kruis all vying for a place in the boiler room, along with a possible captaincy candidate in Alun Wyn-Jones, the competition is fierce. The back row is also blessed with talent. Hamish Watson is the most likely to tour, yet with another possible captain in Sam Warburton subject to injury, Tipuric, Robshaw, Haskell and Stander all strong contenders, Watson’s chances look slim.

Similarly the front row – hooker is a hotly contested position and Scotland’s props looked off the pace in many games – that is, unless WP Nel is considered to be fit enough to tour.

Finn Russell was another player who may have seen his chances go up in smoke at Twickenham as were the Scottish centres. Perhaps Tommy Seymour has a chance, given his finishing ability.

It looks like a Scottish contingent of more than four tourists would be a great result.