‘British & Irish Lions could feature all Scottish back-line’

Chris Ashton believes The British and Irish Lions could feature an all Scottish back-line when they tour Australia next year.

Scotland’s first-choice back-line of Ben White, Finn Russell, Darcy Graham, Sione Tuipulotu, Huw Jones, Duhan van der Merwe and Blair Kinghorn are all likely to be in contention for Andy Farrell’s squad, and indeed the matchday 23, barring injuries.

Speaking on the BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly podcast, Ashton was discussing Lions options with fellow former England internationals Danny Care and Ugo Monye.

“I like Graham,” said Ashton. “There’s a potential for a whole Scotland back-line.”

Care commented: “Jones, he’s so good. If you look at that back-line now, it’s been pretty set now for a couple of years now. Those lads have got 20, 30, 40 caps and 20 of them as a unit. They seem to keep them fit.”

And Monye opined: “If you pick Finn [Russell] and I think [Sione] Tuipulotu plays at 12, shouldn’t you be picking Jones? Scotland were cooking last year.”

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