PRIDE OF LIONS

Itoje expected to be named captain as Farrell faces big selection calls

- By Adam Hathaway

MARO ITOJE is hot favourite to be named British & Irish Lions skipper today when head coach Andy Farrell finally shows his hand after months of mystery.

The England captain became odds-on to lead the trip to Australia when it emerged that Ireland's Caelan Doris was due to have shoulder surgery this week and faces four months out.

Apart from the captaincy Farrell has massive calls to make regarding the squad, notably over his son, Owen, and England and Northampton’s rising star Henry Pollock.

All players are set to land a windfall of between £80,000-100,000 for the trip thanks to a new profit-sharing scheme set up last October.