BATTLE LIONS ARE DRAWN

Leinster star Conan says looming Tour announcement will not be a distraction when Northampton come calling

- BY DEREK FOLEY

THE question as to how many Ireland players Andy Farrell is going to pick for the Lions Tour is one of those ‘how long is a piece of string’ questions.

Dry wit already has it that the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour will be known as the Irish & British Lions, with some pundits suggesting there will be as many as 18 Irish players selected to travel —a figure that translates as 14/15 Leinster players.

This week alone, there has been massive European Champions Cup semi-final focus on Leinster's Sam Prendergast facing up against Northampton Saints’ Fin Smith — two 22-year-olds in an unofficial Lions face-off.

Yet with so much at stake, warns 2021 Lions tourist Jack Conan, players need to realise today’s game trumps anything that is happening in the middle of next week.

“I think everyone who's been in the shop window is hopeful that they're going on it,’ says Conan.

“But you've got to block it out. I think you've got to completely park it, because it's not something you can obsess over too much.

“It is a distraction, because you don't want to take your eye off the ball. We're playing against good teams. We've got to perform.

“There's competition day-in and day-out in Leinster. If lads are sitting there and worrying about May 8 and the Lions you take your eye off the ball and you trip over the stone right in front of your foot.”

It is delusionary to think Farrell and his (mainly Irish) staff haven't settled on the majority of his squad well in advance; he won't be making a dozen snap decisions.