By Tournament / British and Irish Lions

Months of hard work finally paid off with a devastating display of attacking rugby from England against France but despite the red rose's scintillating performance, selecting a Lions XV made up of Celts remains a feasibly simple exercise for the British & Irish Lions first Test against South Africa.

Lions tours are all about momentum and form and on the basis on the Six Nations so far, Tom Croft, Delon Armitage and Riki Flutey could all state strong cases for a starting berth.

Croft's versatility and superior athleticism marks him out as a unique option for Ian McGeechan on the blind-side. Ryan Jones and Stephen Ferris have their qualities but the tantalising opportunity of unleashing Croft on the hard tracks in the Cape could swing the balance in the Leicester Tiger's favour.

Armitage and Flutey were only just flashing upon England's radar eight months ago, but the pair's outstanding contributions during Europe's spring rugby festival, most of all their natural instincts and the ability to beat their man on the outside, should at least see them somewhere near the airpot check-in desk.

Mark Cueto, a previous Lions tourist, and Harry Ellis have been bricks in Johnson's team-building blocks while Ben Foden, a hotly tipped left-field pick, with McGeechan a well-known admirer, offers match-winning class in abundance.

And then there is Jonny Wilkinson, who for the umpteenth time, seems to be planning his timely comeback from injury to perfection. If he’s fit, you can bet your house on England’s golden-boot wearing the number ten shirt.

Ireland and Wales will undoubtedly share most of the jerseys but given a slice of luck and a strong showing in Saturday's Calcutta Cup clash, a few of England's dreamers could well find themselves over in the Rainbow Nation come June instead of walking out at Old Trafford against Argentina.

1. British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa, May 30 - July 4 Ian McGeechan says it's the "ultimate test" in rugby and for fans it presents the ultimate jolly-holiday. 10 games, 3 Test matches, six weeks of South African sun, sea, safari and splendour.  Four nations under one roof, it's not about England beating Scotland - save that for the drinking contests - Lions tours are magical experiences and makes rugby union unique.

2. Rugby World Cup Sevens, Dubai. March 5-7 Free weekend in the middle of the RBS 6 Nations? No such thing! 120,000 fans hit Hong Kong in 2008 and Dubai promises to be bigger, better and twice as glamorous with the inclusion of a women's tournament for the first time. Rugby's Hollywood destination is well known for its high-end temptations and why should it be any different this time?

3. RBS 6 Nations, France v Wales, Feb 27 The first ever game in the competitions history to be staged on a Friday night, just imagine the kind of caper Paris will offer. A quick Eurostar into the Gard d'Nord and whether its beers down the Champs-Elysées, Moules et Frites in St. Germain or champagne on the Seine, it's one of the highlights on the calendar.

4. Bournemouth 7s, May 22-24 Proving you don't need to travel to Hong Kong or Dubai for the biggest party on planet rugby, England's sunny south coast is the place to be on May bank-holiday weekend. Attracting 12,000 people in its debut year, it's a mix between V-Festival, the Cariter Polo Cup and the IRB Sevens roadshow. England & British Lions star Lewis Moody was baffled by its success while Danny Cipriani states it could be Europe's flagship rugby/music festival. Not a bad pair of endorsements to kick-off with!

5. Heineken Cup Final, Edinburgh, May 23 OK, so the Bledisloe Cup hasn't been confirmed for Denver yet but Edinburgh will be the last stop before South Africa and is the perfect teaser. Not just a cracking night out and blessed with a bounty of beauties, the Scottish capital is one of the most picturesque cities in Europe.

The British & Irish Lions coaching team will be packed full of Welsh flavour as five of the Grand Slam winning management team have been earmarked to form the majority of Ian McGeechan's back-room staff.

It's a huge compliment to Warren Gatland & Co and serves as the biggest hint yet that the majority of the playing staff will come from across the Severn Bridge,

If Friday\s rumours are true, then Gatland will oversee the forwards, Shaun Edwards marshaling the defence, Rob Howley bossing the attack while Craig White (fitness) and Rhys Long (analysis) will make up the rest of the team.