World Cup winner and British & Irish Lions legend Neil Back has thrown his support behind Wales flanker Jac Morgan, tipping him as his choice to start against Australia on Saturday.
As the Lions gear up for their opening clash of the Test series in Brisbane, Back believes Morgan’s fearless playing style and turnover prowess could force head coach Andy Farrell into a major selection call.
Back, who won the 2003 World Cup with England and toured three times with the Lions, sees parallels between himself and the dynamic Welsh openside.
"I'm a big Jac Morgan fan," said Back.
"I would love Morgan to get in because I sort of feel it's wrong if there's not a Welsh player in the Lions 15,” he told TalkSport.
The Lions have endured a mixed build-up to the Test series, with a disappointing defeat to Argentina in Dublin still fresh in memory.
Back believes the selection for that warm-up fixture exposed some tactical mis-steps in the back row.
"Andy Farrell picked three sevens for his first game against Argentina, Curry, Morgan and Ben Earl," he explained.
"But the Lions forgot that you need that extra line out option in attack and defence. As a result we didn't get enough ball or enough gain line and we didn't have that line out options in attack or defence."
Despite the competitive depth in the back row, Back believes Morgan’s physicality at the breakdown could earn him a Test jersey.
"I think Ollie Chessum will be the six, Jack Conan at eight and that leaves the seven. So does he stick with Josh van der Flier, or does he go with Tom Curry or Jac Morgan, who's been particularly good at turning over the ball and sort of throws his body in there?"
Back was also quick to deflect blame from the back row alone for recent struggles at the breakdown, calling for more collective responsibility across the team.
"The team collectively have not been good enough at the contact area, simple as that.
"But the point is that's not the back row’s sole responsibility. The best teams in the world, and I'd put New Zealand up there, all of their players are fantastic at the contact area."
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With Morgan praised for his ability to jackal and create turnovers, Back believes his impact can be crucial in delivering the kind of quick ball that wins Tests.
"In the big games it is really important to win fast ball because it denies the defence time to realign. Getting in there, over the ball is key but the seven can't be at every breakdown or the six.
"Richie McCaw, one of the best sevens to play the game, was often the second or third player in there at the breakdown to secure possession for the All Blacks. At the moment the Lions aren't good enough at securing their own ball and producing quick ball."
Meanwhile, Lions captain Maro Itoje echoed the ambition within the squad, responding to comments from Henry Pollock that the tourists were eyeing a 3-0 clean sweep.
"I think that's definitely the ambition. It goes without saying, no one wants to lose a game," said Itoje.
"It would be a bit weird if one of my team-mates said 'we want to win two and lose one', that would be a bit odd.
"I hope it's Australia's ambition too, to win all the games. We want to win every game we play. But all our focus is this Saturday, the other two games will look after themselves."
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