Don’t write off those dazzling Welsh Lions yet

THE old saying ‘form is temporar y but class is permanent’ could not be more fitting when talking about the British Lions.

After this summer’s tours, English players – and their coach – are in the driving seat for most of the places in next summer’s tour to New Zealand.

Certainly if you picked the Test team today, then the likes of James Haskell, Owen Farrell and Mako Vunipola would be starting along with most of the English team.

And you would also throw in a few Irish, like Rob Henshaw and Andrew Trimble, after beating the Springboks in South Africa.

Even now I would still include Taulupe Faletau, Rhys Webb and Liam Williams after their performances in New Zealand.

Faletau matched Keiran Read stride for stride, Webb caused the All Blacks plenty of problems and Liam Williams was outstanding in ever ything he did in both defence and attack.

But before we write-off the rest of the Welsh players, we have to take a moment to consider class as well as form.

Alun Wyn Jones was coming back from injur y when he travelled to New Zealand and would surely be in every Lions Test team. Let’s face it, he should probably be the captain.

Jamie Roberts was superb in 2013 and the Lions look a different prospect when he is at full throttle.

The same goes for George North. He was injured in last month’s first Test but is another who steps up on the big occasion.

And Dan Biggar has been the form fly-half in Britain for the past three years ahead of George Ford, Farrell and Jonathan Sexton.

Plenty will happen between now and the next Lions tour but those players are sure to be in the mix.