BACKS

Lee Byrne (Wales & Ospreys)

A devastating runner and solid in defence with booming boot.

Age: 28. Position: Full-back. Height: 6ft 3in. Weight: 15st 4lb. Wales caps:27. Lions Test caps: 0

Rob Kearney (Ireland & Leinster)

Boasts sharp attacking instincts and strong kicking game.

Age: 23. Position: Full-back. Height: 6ft 1in. Weight: 14st 2lb. Ireland caps:16. Lions Test caps: 0

Leigh Halfpenny (Wales & Cardiff Blues)

Searing pace and natural try-scoring instincts.

Age: 20. Position: Wing. Height: 5ft 10in. Weight: 13st 1lb. Wales caps: 6.Lions Test caps: 0

Ugo Monye (England & Harlequins)

Combines extreme pace with power and commitment in defence.

Age: 26. Position: Wing. Height: 6ft 2in. Weight: 14st 3lb. England caps: 6.Lions Test caps: 0

Tommy Bowe (Ireland & Ospreys)

Offers pace, power, clinical finishing and versatility.

Age: 25. Position: Wing. Height: 6ft 3in. Weight: 15st 2lb. Ireland caps: 23.Lions Test caps: 0

Shane Williams (Wales & Ospreys)

Elusive Welsh winger was 2008 world player of the year.

Age: 32. Position: Wing. Height: 5ft 7in. Weight: 12st 13lb. Wales caps: 65.Lions Test caps: 5

Luke Fitzgerald (Ireland & Leinster)

Scored three tries in Ireland's triumphant Grand Slam campaign.

Age: 22. Position: Wing. Height: 6ft 1in. Weight: 13st 7lb. Ireland caps: 12.Lions Test caps: 0

Keith Earls (Ireland & Munster)

The tour bolter brings electricity to the Lions back division.

Age: 21. Position: Centre. Height: 5ft 11in. Weight: 14st 2lb. Ireland caps: 2.Lions Test caps. 0

Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland & Leinster)

Inspired Ireland to first Grand Slam triumph since 1948.

Age: 30. Position: Centre. Height: 5ft 9in. Weight: 15st 0lb. Ireland caps: 93.Lions Test caps: 10

Riki Flutey (England & Wasps)

Will be the first to play both for and against the Lions.

Age: 29. Position: Centre. Height: 5ft 11in. Weight: 14st 3lb. England caps: 9.Lions Test caps: 0

Jamie Roberts (Wales & Cardiff Blues)

Brings power and direct running to the midfield.

Age: 24. Position: Centre. Height: 6ft 4in. Weight: 16st 10lb. Wales caps: 11.Lions Test caps: 0

Stephen Jones (Wales & Scarlets)

Renowned for astute game management and consistency.

Age: 31. Position: Fly-half. Height: 6ft 1in. Weight: 14st 12lb. Wales caps:80. Lions Test caps: 5

Ronan O'Gara (Ireland & Munster)

Intelligent with bags of experience but sometimes temperamental.

Age: 32. Position: Fly-half. Height: 6ft. Weight: 13st. Ireland caps: 92. LionsTest caps: 11

Mike Phillips (Wales & Ospreys)

Strapping scrum-half who will relish the physical duels.

Age: 26. Position: Scrum-half. Height: 6ft 3in. Weight: 16st 3lb. Wales caps:38. Lions Test caps: 0

Harry Ellis (England & Leicester)

Hard-working scrum-half who returned to form in Six Nations.

Age: 26. Position: Scrum-half. Height: 5ft 10in. Weight: 14st 4lb. England caps: 27. Lions Test caps: 0

Mike Blair (Scotland & Edinburgh)

A fine technical scrum-half with an ability to boss a game. Replacement for the injured Tomas O'Leary.

Age: 28. Position: Scrum-half. Height: 5ft 11in. Weight: 13st 5lb. Scotland caps: 58. Lions Test caps: 0.

FORWARDS

Gethin Jenkins (Wales & Cardiff Blues)

Flies to South Africa as the first-choice loosehead prop.

Age: 28. Position: Prop. Height: 6ft 2in. Weight: 18st 9lb. Wales caps: 68.Lions Test caps: 7

Andrew Sheridan (England & Sale)

Destructive on his day and improved during Six Nations.

Age: 29. Position: Prop. Height: 6ft 4in. Weight: 18st 8lb. England caps: 32.Lions Test caps: 5

Adam Jones (Wales & Ospreys)

Made huge strides for Wales working under Warren Gatland.

Age: 28. Position: Prop. Height: 6ft. Weight: 20st 5lb. Wales caps: 56. LionsTest caps: 0

Euan Murray (Scotland & Northampton)

The tighthead is a favourite of scrum coach Graham Rowntree.

Age: 28. Position: Prop. Height: 6ft 1in. Weight: 18st 9lb. Scotland caps: 28.Lions Test caps: 0

Phil Vickery (England & Wasps)

Veteran of the 2001 Lions will be a major influence on tour.

Age: 33. Position: Prop. Height: 6ft 2in. Weight: 18st 4lb. England caps: 73.Lions Test caps: 6

Jerry Flannery (Ireland & Munster)

Precise at the lineout and dynamic force in the loose.

Age: 30. Position: Hooker. Height: 5ft 11in. Weight: 16st. Ireland caps: 31.Lions Test caps: 0

Matthew Rees (Wales & Scarlets)

Industrious hooker but concerns over his lineout reliability.

Age: 28. Position: Hooker. Height: 6ft. Weight: 16st 9lb. Wales caps: 30. LionsTest caps: 0

Lee Mears (England & Bath)

Impressive Six Nations and his lineout accuracy is vital.

Age: 30. Position: Hooker. Height: 5ft 8in. Weight: 15st 3lb. England caps: 34.Lions Test caps: 0

Alun-Wyn Jones (Wales & Ospreys)

Agile lineout operator and impressive all-round athlete.

Age: 23. Position: Second row. Height: 6ft 5in. Weight: 18st 9lb. Wales caps:31. Lions Test caps: 0

Donncha O'Callaghan (Ireland & Munster)

Practical joker off the field but a serious beast on it.

Age: 30. Position: Second row. Height: 6ft 6in. Weight: 17st 4lb. Ireland caps:55. Lions Test caps: 7

Paul O'Connell (Ireland & Munster, captain)

Munster and Ireland's second-row totem leads by example.

Age: 29. Position: Second row. Height: 6ft 6in. Weight: 17st 7lb. Ireland caps:62. Lions Test caps: 5

Simon Shaw (England & Wasps)

Impressive handling skills for a lock and immensely powerful.

Age: 36. Position: Lock. Height: 6ft 8in. Weight: 19st 4lb. England caps: 52.Lions Test caps: 12

Nathan Hines (Scotland & Perpignan)

His aggression and experience will be vital to face down the Springboks.

Age: 32. Position: Second row. Height: 6ft 7in. Weight: 18st 9lb. Scotland caps: 58. Lions Test caps: 0

Stephen Ferris (Ireland & Ulster)

Hard-running, hard-tackling back row who came of age this season.

Age: 23. Position: Flanker. Height: 6ft 4in. Weight: 17st 2lb. Ireland caps:13. Lions Test caps: 0

Joe Worsley (England & Wasps)

Bone-crunching defence on England return earned him the call.

Age: 31. Position: Flanker. Height: 6ft 4in. Weight: 17st 5lb. England caps:72. Lions Test caps: 0

Alan Quinlan (Ireland & Munster)

The Munster man's hopes of touring South Africa hang by a thread. Only a successful appeal will save him from a 12-week ban for making contact with the eye area of Leinster skipper Leo Cullen in a Heineken Cup match.

Age: 34. Position: Flanker. Height: 6ft 3in. Weight: 16st 7lb. Ireland caps:27. Lions Test caps: 0

Martyn Williams (Wales & Cardiff Blues)

The gilt-edged 'Nugget' is a forager and a supreme link man.

Age: 33. Position: Flanker. Height: 6ft. Weight: 15st 13lb. Wales caps: 88.Lions Test caps: 11

David Wallace (Ireland & Munster)

Can play across the back row and a Test Lion in the making.

Age: 32. Position: Flanker. Height: 6ft 2in. Weight: 16st 2lb. Ireland caps:55. Lions Test caps: 2

Jamie Heaslip (Ireland & Leinster)

Lit up Six Nations with ball-carrying and eye for the tryline.

Age: 25. Position: No 8. Height: 6ft 4in. Weight: 17st 11lb. Ireland caps: 18.Lions Test caps: 0

Andy Powell (Wales & Cardiff Blues)

Direct and powerful number eight made Test breakthrough this year.

Age: 27. Position: Number eight. Height: 6ft 4in. Weight: 17st 6lb. Wales caps:8. Lions Test caps: 0