2013 Lions Tour - Players to Watch

The ‘Mr Fix-It’ of the Wallabies backline is the most capped player in the squad with 77. The 29-year-old has started 35 Tests in the centres, 18 on the wing and 25 at fullback, where he will most likely be selected for the Lions series. He has missed just seven of the 75 Tests played by the Wallabies since 2008, and was the only player to feature in every minute of the seven games the Wallabies played in the 2011 World Cup, scoring seven tries.

Despite his age (34), O’Driscoll is still one of the finest centres in world rugby and possibly the best of his generation. He was a constant threat to the Wallabies on the 2001 tour and was easly their best player. But with numerous Heineken Cups and a Grand Slam for Ireland in his trophy cabinet, he will be looking to finish off his career in style with a victory for the British and Irish Lions.

The rugby league and AFL convert demanded selection for the Wallabies with his stellar form at fullback for the Waratahs. He leads all of Super Rugby in runs per game (10) and run metres (108) and is in the top tier for tries, offloads and tackle busts. His brilliance in the air – in both attack and defence – make him a shoe-in for one of the Wallaby wing spots, and he will be an x-factor for Australia.

The Welsh winger can be devastating in attack when on his game and will be a handful for whoever is defending him. The 24-year-old is a quality goal kicker who showed his world-class abilities when he was awarded man of the series in the 2013 Six Nations Championship.

Horwill has been an automatic selection for the Wallabies in recent years and was rewarded with the captaincy in 2011. And the rangy lock certainly didn’t let anyone down, leading his country to Tri Nations glory for just the third time ever and the first time in a decade. He was a stand out in a disappointing World Cup side and will need to be at the top of his game to shut down a dominant Lions second row.

The 110 kilogram centre could easily be the star for the Lions on this tour. His big hits, sheer force and powerful running can sometimes be a little too crash-bang-wallop for England, but he will shine when paired with the likes of Brian O’Driscoll. The 22-year-old was widely regarded as one of the players of the tournament in the 2011 World Cup.

The 23-year-old has been ear-marked by coach Robbie Deans as the Wallabies starting fly half after Quade Cooper was omitted from the squad. The talented young playmaker will have a point to prove after an impressive 2011 was followed by a disappointing and injury-plagued 2012. His quality gaolkicking will be invaluable for the Wallabies – he is just the eighth Australian player in history to surpass 200 Test points.

The flyhalf will be under huge pressure to assume Jonny Wilkinson’s mantle as playmaker, goalkicker and pin-up boy, but has handled it with style and aplomb so far for England. The 22-year-old starred in England’s record victory over New Zealand in 2012, bagging 17 points and was subsequently nominated for IRB Player of the Year.

Probably the first player picked by Robbie Deans, the scrumhalf will thrive without the added pressure of captaincy. As Australia’s third-most capped halfback, Genia was sorely missed when injury ruled him out of eight Tests in 2012. He was nominated for IRB International Player of the Year in 2011 and thrives on the international stage, especially on home soil.

The youngest ever Lions captain, Warburton was an obvious choice after rising to the Welsh captaincy in 2011 and performing brilliantly in the World Cup. The 24-year-old will be a constant menace in the backrow for the tourists after leading Wales to the Triple Crown and Grand Slam in 2012 with steals, carries, lineout pinches and try-saving tackles despite numerous injuries.