British & Irish Lions XV, according to the bookies

With the 6 Nations in full-swing and just over two months until Warren Gatland finalises his 35-man squad for the Lions Tour of New Zealand, we've had a look at who the odds suggest will start the 1st Test vs New Zealand.

1. Only Mako Vunipola’s ongoing injury and the form of Jack McGrath can stop the Englishman from starting the first Test at Eden Park. His ability to make breaks and the threat he poses around the breakdown ought to be enough to secure his shirt. Mako is 4/6 to start in Auckland. Biggest threat - Jack McGrath 9/5

2. The odds suggest the fight for the no2 shirt is a three-horse race. Rory Best comes out on top at best-price 7/5 and the Lions tour would be a fitting swansong for the Irish captain. Pundits have suggested he is playing the best rugby of his career and shouldn’t be ruled out of captaining the side. Biggest threat - Jamie George 9/4, Dylan Hartley 10/3

3. Leinster and Ireland tight-head prop Tadhg Furlong will be competing with Dan Cole for a sport in the starting XV come the summer. Furlong was part of an Irish front three that didn’t lose a single scrum across the two Tests against the All Blacks in November. Biggest threat - Dan Cole 3/1, WP Nel 4/1

4 or 5. Alun Wyn Jones has played on the last two Lions tours and stepped in as skipper in 2013 when Sam Warburton’s tour was ended through injury. The Welsh skipper is evens to start the First Test and best-price 6/5 to be named Lions captain. Maro Itoje really ought to be a shoo-in at 4 and is 5/6 to start in the second-row in Auckland. One man worth considering is 18/1 shot Jonny Gray. The Scot has been in incredible form for club and country and should Gatland opt to play Itoje in the back row then Gray could slot in at 5. Biggest threat – George Kruis 21/20, Joe Launchbury 7/2

6. James Haskell is the bookies favourite to start at 6 in the tour opener. The Wasps and England man has been in fine form since his comeback from injury and will be tough to overlook due to his sheer passion and impact. Biggest threat – CJ Stander 11/4, Peter O’Mahony 3/1

7. Former Wales captain Sam Warburton will be on the plane to New Zealand this summer but whether, or where, he will start is another question. Priced at evens, the bookies think he’ll start on the openside. Biggest threat – Sean O’Brien 3/1

8. Billy Vunipola won’t play any part in England’s Six Nations campaign having been ruled out through injury, but if the colossal Saracens man is fit in the summer the no8 shirt is his. The bookies agree with Billy priced at evens to start the first Test. Biggest threat – Taulupe Faletau 6/4

9. Ben Youngs pushes him close but Ireland’s Conor Murray has been the standout scrum-half for the last few years. His physicality, technical ability and game awareness makes him the odds-on favourite for the shirt at 3/4. Biggest threat – Ben Youngs 7/4

10. Jonny Sexton is the 15/8 front-runner in a very strong field of fly-halves, according the bookies. English duo George Ford and Owen Farrell as well as Wales’ Dan Biggar are the only others in contention. Biggest threat – George Ford 5/2, Owen Farrell 3/1, Dan Biggar 9/2

11 or 14. The bookies really only give five players a sniff for the two spots on the wing. George North (4/7) and Anthony Watson (13/8) are the likely lads but Jack Nowell is running them very close. Don’t write Semesa Rokoduguni or Tommy Seymour off just yet. Biggest threat – Jack Nowell 17/10, Semesa Rokoduguni 4/1, Tommy Seymour 11/2

12. Arguably the toughest one to call. Robbie Henshaw edges the 12 shirt and is 13/8 to start at inside centre in the series opener. Gatland has a tough call to make regarding whether to play Owen Farrell at 10, 12 or not at all whilst the bookies aren’t writing off a miraculous Tuilagi recovery. Biggest threat – Manu Tuilagi 9/4, Owen Farrell 11/4

13. Alongside Henshaw, the bookies are sitting on the fence with Jonathan Joseph, Elliot Daly and Jonathan Davies all short prices. Joseph is the current favourite but the form of Daly and Gatland’s trust in JD could play a part. Biggest threat – Elliot Daly 9/4, Jonathan Davies 3/1

15. Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg has been in dazzling form for over a year and looks set to start in New Zealand. He’s 11/8 to claim the 15 spot in the opening game and with the ability to make something happen, injuries aside, that’s buying money. Biggest threat – Leigh Halfpenny 10/3, Mike Brown 11/2