Ireland legend backs surprise Lions lock to partner Alun Wyn Jones

"I am picking Jonny Hill in the second row because I think he is a great player," Quinlan told On The Ball.

"Some of the English players have been judged harshly. They were poor in the Six Nations, but there is mitigation around that with a lot of Saracens players not having played matches.

"If Alun Wyn Jones isn’t captain, then it is Itoje and Jonny Hill in the second row.

"Obviously Jones is captain, so he has got to start. That may change, Warren Gatland said that at the beginning when he announced the captaincy as well, but ideally you want your captain starting all three Tests.

"The reason I am going for Jonny Hill is because Itoje’s form in the Six Nations wasn’t great. He is a superb player, he is world-class, and he is someone who will inevitably play well in the warm-up games before the first Test."

Alan Quinlan’s Test XV for the Lions: 

Stuart Hogg; Louis Rees-Zammit, Duhan Van Der Merwe

Elliot Daly, Robbie Henshaw

Owen Farrell, Conor Murray

Mako Vunipola, Ken Owens, Tadgh Furlong

Alun Wyn Jones, Jonny Hill

Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Taulupe Faletau.