The players who pull the strings and dictate play, selection at half-back will have a huge bearing on how The British & Irish Lions shape up in Australia.

Over the last few Tours, the likes of Mike Phillips, Conor Murray and Ali Price have been setting the tempo from scrum-half, while Johnny Sexton and Dan Biggar have been the players getting the backline clicking.

Following on from our look at the forward options (check out the contenders piece on the props, hookers, second row and back row), Andy Farrell has a wealth of candidates in the half-backs.

Here is a closer look at those options:

PREVIOUS TOURISTS

On his third Tour, Conor Murray took over the Lions captaincy four years ago when Alun Wyn Jones went down, and then called time on his Ireland career at the end of the Guinness Six Nations.

He and Ali Price split game time in the Test series four years ago, although both have since dropped down the pecking order for their countries.

There is perhaps more chance of a fly-half with previous experience being part of the squad on Thursday, with Finn Russell looking to build on his impressive performance off the bench in the third Test against the Springboks.

Now Scotland co-captain, he has also helped Bath into an EPCR Challenge Cup final, as well as to top spot in the Gallagher Premiership.

Like Murray, Owen Farrell has been on three previous Tours, although injury has limited his appearances since moving across to France to play for Racing 92.

Last but not least, Marcus Smith was called up mid-Tour in 2021, and has since added an extra string to his bow with a number of starts at full-back for England.

FIRST-TIME CANDIDATES

With a changing of the guard at scrum-half, there is a good chance that there will be a whole crop of new faces challenging for the No.9 jersey in Australia.

Jamison Gibson-Park has established himself among the world’s best for both Leinster and Ireland, winning back-to-back Six Nations titles in 2023 and 2024, the first of which was a Grand Slam.

Meanwhile, Alex Mitchell has emerged as England’s first-choice option, while he is part of the Northampton Saints side that are through to an Investec Champions Cup final following Saturday’s win against Leinster.

For Scotland, Ben White has taken over from Price as first choice under Gregor Townsend, while also helping Toulon to a top-three place in France, with Wales and Gloucester’s Tomos Williams in flying form as he looks to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Gareth Edwards, Rob Howley and Mike Phillips.

At fly-half, a pair of young bucks have thrust themselves into contention, with Saints’ Fin Smith and Leinster Sam Prendergast having gone up against one another at the weekend after both playing a big role for their respective countries during the Six Nations.

Prendergast’s Ireland rival Jack Crowley has a Six Nations title to his name in 2024, as well as steering Munster to a United Rugby Championship title the previous year.

And there is also George Ford, hoping for a first Lions Tour after winning 99 caps for England, the most recent off the bench in a record win over Wales.