Lions need to be firing from the first whistle

MARO Itoje says that he felt pressure to perform this week, but that's just standard for a Lions tour, and even more so when you are the captain.

- JEREMY GUSCOTT

Itoje also knows that the expectations you have of yourself, and those coming at you from the outside, is a big part of professional sport. When Maro was 16 he was trying to get into the England U18 team, and when he was 18 he was trying to get into the U20s-so he's had a lot of experience at dealing with pressure.

Getting into a Lions Test team is the apex of rugby union achievement, and being involved in the world of pro sport brings pressure to perform every week. It is Itoje's ability to rise to that challenge consistently that makes him a world-class player, and it's why at the moment he is the only player who is a nailed-on Test selection.

If you look at the two matches since the Lions arrived in Australia the players who have stood out have been Finn Russell, Joe McCarthy, and Dan Sheehan against the Western Force, and Itoje and Jac Morgan against the Queensland Reds. In the pre-tour match against Argentina it was Ellis Genge who was impactful, and caught the eye.

The front row is still a work in progress when it comes to which props claim the Test jerseys, but one thing already clear is what a tremendous player Sheehan is. He is a world-class hooker who just gets to it, and is always in the game physically and mentally.

Of the other forwards Tadhg Beirne has impressed me. He's a clever, intuitive player who gets better and better. Beirne doesn't make many unforced errors, and you have to find a place for him in the back five along with Itoje and McCarthy, which, if they form a second row partnership, means having his physical presence at blindside.