Brisbane beckons. Just as in 2013 the cemetery turned sports cauldron will welcome tourists and home fans to the fast track bermuda-rye speedway after they wave to the Suncorp statue of nobody but John Eales.

The Wallabies will not want to have a flank forced into the centres, a slip-sliding kick gone awry, and a losing player named Man of the Match.

The only potential player to straddle these tours will be James O’Connor, currently on crusade in Christchurch and still hopping.

Who might we see face-off, based on a changing of the guard Six Nations in which England supplanted Ireland in every way except in their opening round head-to-head in Dublin? On attack, in defence, in comparable matchups, and at set piece, Steve Borthwick’s side was better than Simon Easterby’s, but how much of that edge had the shape of Andy Farrell, absent and plotting the tour?

The Queensland to Victoria to New South Wales narrative is rerun as well. Joe Schmidt has the easier mission in selection, with a November side still mostly intact, in-country, and playing for just four clubs (mostly three). However, he is thus more constrained, whilst Farrell can field several varying styles.

Lions teams are better than their constituent parts at beating the traditional three Southern Hemisphere teams they tour: lesser cohesion is made up for by being able to hide holes, strengthen the bench, and use iron to sharpen iron, like rival regiments in one army.

Predicted Lions 23 for Brisbane

Up front, Dan Sheehan was one of the few Irish forwards burnishing his credentials. He has recovered from devastating injury and even seems to have added strength. He will surely start, with backups coming from Ronan Kelleher, Jamie George, or Luke Cowan-Dickie. Cowan-Dickie’s younger age could allow him to nip George, who would be a popular tourist.

Ellis Genge. (Photo by Will Russell – RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

England has the props in best form: Ellis Genge sledging and shutting down attacks, and Will Stuart stepping and scrummaging like never before. Tadgh Furlong is just now back from injury: he will need to show daylight between himself and Zander Fagerson, whilst Andrew Porter’s problems with pictures shown referees put him in a straight shootout with dynamic carrier Pierre Schoeman.

In the second row, Maro Itoje is a genuine candidate to skipper the side. He played every second of England’s good campaign in the Six Nations. Farrell could pair him with Tadgh Beirne, who is just the kind of clever ruckman with good hands who can take on the Wallaby pack and clean out Fraser McReight. But he has options in James Ryan, Ollie Chessum, George Martin, Joe McCarthy, and Jonny Gray which include work rate (Gray) and nastiness (McCarthy) and one feels the latter will matter.

England’s flanks, the Twindaloos, Tom and Ben Curry, outplayed Josh van der Flier and Peter O’Mahony over the tourney, but Farrell will surely want more size at blindside to cope with Rob Valetini. Tom Curry seems to have seen off the challenges of Rory Darge, van der Flier, and Jack Morgan if he is seen an opensider. The Top 14 schedule likely rules Jack Willis out for Brisbane, at least.

At big six, Chessum or Chandler Cunningham-South are shouts, both lineout operators of note, but Chessum just picked up an injury. Sam Underhill is on the mend as well. Farrell has never felt constrained by provincial starting picks; might he go left field with an Irish option like Tom Ahern or Ryan Baird, or slide Beirne over to the side, banking on the depth of taller locks? I reckon a lineout lineup of Itoje, McCarthy, Beirne, and Doris is appealing.

Number eight has been printed in with Caelan Doris’ name for a year. Ben Earl has not locked down that spot away from Tom Willis in his own side, so the big, clever Leinsterman should have it, if not the captaincy.

A backline anchored by Jamison Gibson-Park (understudy surely is Alex Mitchell, with both experts at the box kick) up front and irrepressible Blair Kinghorn (his length of leap, stride, kick and tee work) at the back just needs a general.

(Photo By Sam Barnes/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

This is the major issue facing the Lions: Finn Russell is a seasoned winner at club level and tough even behind Scotland’s often beaten pack. Fin Smith is just 22 but looks the real deal in tight or loose situations, having wrested the white ten jersey from George Ford, Marcus Smith and maybe even Owen Farrell were he to return. Father and son Farrell could be reunited. Or one or both of the Irish successors to Johnny Sexton, brilliant but mercurial Sam Prendergast and tough as teak Jack Crowley could make the list. A Finn-Fin combination seems balanced, but Farrell must be turning this choice over in his mind every day.

The midfield might have included Sione Tuipulotu and Ollie Lawrence, but both were cruelly injured, and therefore Bundee Aki surely starts at 12 with either Garry Ringrose or Huw Jones outside him, depending on the style of defence. Old reliable Robbie Henshaw or new star Tommy Freeman are possibilities as backups, but so is Lions stalwart Eliot Daly.

The starting wings are probably three of these four: James Lowe, Darcy Graham, Freeman or Duhan van der Merwe. Mack Hansen is tricky but could be a bit slow and light against the Wallaby fliers.

Predicted Lions (1-15): Ellis Genge, Dan Sheehan, Will Stuart, Maro Itoje, Joe McCarthy, Tadgh Beirne, Tom Curry, Caelan Doris, Jamison Gibson-Park, Finn Russell, James Lowe, Bundee Aki, Huw Jones, Tommy Freeman, Blair Kinghorn.

Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Pierre Schoeman, Tadgh Furlong, James Ryan, Jac Morgan (but if 6-2, add Ollie Chessum, and if 7-1, add Ben Earl), Alex Mitchell, Fin Smith (unless 6-2) and Marcus Smith (unless 7-1).

(Photo by Paul Devlin/SNS Group via Getty Images)

Schmidt’s Wallabies should not deviate much from November, having shown disinterest (right or wrong) in shipping in overseas players at the first instance. If he is to go abroad, second row is a possibility, or a player like Pete Samu for a 6-2 or rare 7-1 setup.

Super Rugby Pacific has not articulated much of a change at 15, 12, ten, five or two, which may be problematic. Schmidt would surely have loved to see more of a Jake Gordon-Tane Edmed combination, but Dan McKellar has chopped and changed at 9-10-12 a bit.

The incumbents have likely held on to their jerseys, but my sense is still that Lukhan Salakaia-Loto has more upside up against the Lions than younger Jeremy Williams. A wild card could be loading speed on the left wing: more than Dylan Pietsch possesses.

Derbies are incoming: perhaps Reds locks will have a say, and maybe Charlie Cale’s added heft will tell a tale.

Predicted Wallabies (1-15): Angus Bell, Matt Faessler, Taniela Tupou, Nick Frost, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (captain), Jake Gordon, Noah Lolesio, Dylan Pietsch, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Andrew Kellaway, Tom Wright.

Replacements: Brendon Paenga-Amosa, James Slipper, Allan Alaalatoa, Jeremy Williams, Charlie Cale (with either Carlo Tizzano or fellow Force forward Nick Champion de Crespigny, if a 6-2 or 7-1 presents), Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Max Jorgensen.