***Edit, I'm surprised so many people are picking Ford over Sexton and Biggar for the current Lions. Ford is a fantastic player but he's no where near as complete as Sexton.
But then people are projecting into the future. There's a lot of teams where people are looking at our very best current players and saying "They're not as good as can be" and are instead gambling on precociously talented youngsters to become the complete package. Most of them won't be. Take Ford. He will never be the complete top of the world fly-half as he will never be good enough in defence. Will the rest of his game take him beyond Sexton in two years' time? Doubt it. I don't fancy the current crop of hookers to do it, but LCD to make it happen within 2 years? Hrm.
Two years ago, I thought that Iain Henderson would be an Irish starter come the World Cup; I don't think he's any less an athlete than Itoje. If he makes it into the Irish team in time, it will be by the skin of his teeth. Itoje, I think, is in a similar position now to where Henderson was two years ago. Two years to crack the Lions 15? I wouldn't rule it out, but it would be a huge achievement assuming all his would-be rivals are fit.
Looking at the Lions team in 2013 - the vast majority of players had made international names for themselves by the end of the preceding World Cup. Looking at those who hadn't, the majority of them were quite old - Parling, Tom Youngs, Maitland, Grant (the last two bit players in due only to injury). The other half - Fazlet, Mako and Cuthbert - two benefited from injury, one from a severe dearth of competition, and both Fazlet and Cuthbert had made their case in the 2012 6N. Mako Vunipola was the most unlikely choice based on age/international experience, and wouldn't have been involved but for three injuries. Never say never, but if Itoje isn't starting for England next 6N, the odds are substantially against him.
Difficult to say how it will go against NZ, huge amount depends on how well they replaced their current departing crop of legends.
Finally, my guess at a 23 2 years out:
1. Healy 2. Owens 3. Cole 4. J. Gray 5. Launchbury 6. Henderson 7. O'Brien 8. B Vunipola; 9. Murray 10. Sexton 11. North 12. Tuilagi 13. Joseph 14. ? 15. Halfpenny; 16. Youngs 17. M Vunipola 18. Lee 19. Lawes 20. Warburton 21. ? 22. Russell 23. ?
Can't believe I'm leaving out AWJ but couldn't bring myself to name any other starting pairing and Lawes would, imo, offer more from the bench. Injury permitting, there could be a real flowering of talent in these isles in two years time.
Sexton hardly set the world alight this six nations did he? Whilst Ford was a breath of fresh air.
I think a bigger question is who do we to coach Gatland was hardly popular despite winning for the same reason Woodward was.
Sexton came straight back from injury and did what was needed. It's not always about wowing the fans. In any case, I don't think basing opinions solely on the preceding 6N is a good thing.
And the answer to that question is Schmidt. It's so obviously Schmidt I'm bewildered as to why you needed to ask it.
