Five stars who could make British and Irish Lions roar

The opening Six Nations weekend has come and gone with plenty of British and Irish Lions hopefuls beginning to build a case for inclusion in the tour of Australia.

- HARRY LATHAM-COYLE

While past performances will factor heavily in Andy Farrell's thinking, previous Lions tours teach us that the form of a player in the preceding tournament often has a great bearing on his selection in the squad.

Ireland’s win over England saw a number of familiar faces to impress Farrell, while the visitors also had a couple of standout performers, even in defeat. A strong Scottish contingent still feels likely and Gregor Townend’s side opened with victory against Italy, but few in Welsh red emerged with credit from a difficult night in Paris.

Here are five players who furthered their case for Lions selection in round one:

Dan Sheehan (Ireland)

What a welcome sight it is to see Sheehan back in action ahead of schedule after that serious knee injury last year. If a spritely return at club level for Leinster last week had allayed fears over the lingering impact of his ACL tear, his match-turning appearance off the bench against England showed just what a pivotal figure he may prove to be in Australia. He contributed to a perfect day for Ireland at the lineout, too.

His all-court excellence could be seen in his score. A delicate tip-on put Jack Conan into a hole to create the initial burst before Sheehan produced a pass that most playmakers would be proud of to set James Lowe away. Add in a brilliant support line and muscular finish, and Ireland look all the better for having Sheehan back available.