6 Lions contenders who NEED big performances this weekend

Daly was at the peak of his powers in 2017 when he represented the Lions for the first time. However, he has rarely hit those heights since then.

The versatile outside back left Wasps after nine years in 2019, and his time at Saracens has been punctuated with bad luck as the club were relegated from the Premiership due to salary cap breaches, before the Coronavirus lockdown limited his chances to play club rugby at all during the current season.

However, Eddie Jones has continued to put his trust in the 28-year-old and he is set to start against Ireland this week in place of the injured Henry Slade.

Jones has explained the Sarries star's kicking game and aerial prowess as the reason for his selection. Ireland are sure to put those skills to the test on Saturday. A strong performance in Dublin could well catch the eye of Warren Gatland and see him force his way into a Lions shirt once again in 2021.

DID YOU KNOW? It was at Whitgift that he developed his long range kicking game where he was known to take the car keys of his teacher, Bobby Walsh, to get balls for practise.

The centre has come under fire recently as he has struggled for form during the Six Nations.

Despite Wales' success so far this year, calls for the 32 year old outside centre to be dropped have intensified this week as Johnny Williams and Willis Halaholo continue to press their claims for a starting spot.

But Wayne Pivac has not wavered and chosen to select Davies as the ever-reliable George North's midfield partner.

With so much riding on Saturday's match - Wales are looking to close out an impressive Grand Slam in France - Pivac clearly sees Davies as a man he can trust for the big occasion, but how will he stand up to France's notoriously agile outside backs?

If he pulls out the performance required in Paris, he could well play his way into a Lions shirt, if not quite an automatic starter.  If not, it could be the last we see of Davies on the international stage.

The odds now suggest England scrum-half Ben Youngs is more likely to make the Lions squad, which is testament to his current form. Ireland have actually looked a better side since he got ruled out with injury following their opening round defeat to Wales.

He's back in the starting team to play England, and will need a big performance to put himself firmly back into Lions contention.

DID YOU KNOW? Murray was Ireland's Rugby World Cup bolter for the 2011 tournament

Ford vs Johnny Sexton is a mouthwatering battle in prospect as the pair get set to go head-to-head at fly half this weekend.

The Ireland number 10 has two Lions tours under his belt and would be an experienced option to lead the side again this year.

But Ford, 28, is arguably the form fly half of all the home nations and has a prime opportunity to upstage his direct rival at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

The Oldham-born Leicester Tigers star was unlucky to miss out on the 2017 tour and the pressure is on him to perform but, should he handle this intriguing subplot well, he has every chance of getting that elusive first Lions call later this year.

Started the Six Nations as a genuine contender for a Lions test spot, but after his red card against Wales his stock has seemingly collapsed. The emergence of Tadhg Furlong and the form of Kyle Sinckler and Andrew Porter makes his chances of a call-up slim.

However, a big display against Italy could give him a slight chance of earning a spot in the Lions squad.

DID YOU KNOW?  Fagerson was the fourth youngest prop in Scottish history to be capped for the country, and the youngest to represent Scotland for more than half a century (since Bill Black debuted against France at Murrayfield 1948).

A third Lions tour for the youngest player to reach 100 Test caps? It certainly seems possible. North’s permanent switch to outside centre has made him a more versatile option (although Gatland used him there on occasion), and he’s playing some of his best rugby after some down years.

One more big performance to deliver Wales the Grand Slam may put him firmly in the driving seat for a third British & Irish Lions tour.