Writing in the Telegraph, Lions legend Sir Ian McGeechan has selected the star-studded England squad he’d pick for the fast approaching 2021 Six Nations.
Speaking about the smaller squad size, he said: "Eddie’s job is simplified. Effectively, he needs to decide his likely starting XV and then provide cover.
"You would imagine a 16-12 split if only so they have two full scrums with which to train and provide opposition.
"The more I think about it, the more I think a focused and concentrated squad inside a bubble could work very well for England."
Here is the squad that McGeechan selected, with the likes of Sam Simmonds and Jack Willis missing out on his selection.
DID YOU KNOW? During his playing career, Sir Ian McGeechan was also a Geography and PE teacher for over two decades.
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Sir Ian McGeechan's Lions Squad
BACK-THREE:
- Elliot Daly (Saracens)
- Jonny May (Gloucester)
- Anthony Watson (Bath RFC)
- Max Malins (Bristol Bears)
CENTRES:
- Joe Marchant (Harlequins)
- Ollie Lawrence (Worcester Warriors)
- Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
FLY-HALVES:
- Owen Farrell (Saracens)
- George Ford (Leicester Tigers)
SCRUM-HALVES:
- Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
- Dan Robson (Wasps)
PROPS:
- Mako Vunipola (Saracens)
- Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears)
- Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers)
- Will Stuart (Bath RFC)
- Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs)
HOOKERS (2):
- Jamie George (Saracens)
- Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)
SECOND-ROW:
- Maro Itoje (Saracens)
- Joe Launchbury (Wasps)
- Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
- Jonny Hil (Exeter Chiefs)
- Charlie Ewels (Bath RFC)
BACK-ROW:
- Tom Curry (Sale Sharks)
- Sam Underhill (Bath RFC)
- Ben Earl (Bristol Bears)
- Billy Vunipola (Saracens)
