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Eight Scotland stars press cases for British & Irish Lions starts with Six Nations win over Wales

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EIGHT Scots have pressed their case for a British and Irish Lions start against the All Blacks this summer, according to a quartet of touring legends.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Scotland Grand Slam hero Gavin Hastings picks out the highest number of Scots for his XV to face New Zealand in the three-Test challenge.

But there is also a healthy quota from Vern Cotter’s on-form team in the selections of Irish legend Paul O’Connell, England’s World Cup skipper Martin Johnson and Wales favourite Shane Williams.

(Pic: Twitter @SLI_Global)

Hastings believes full-back Stuart Hogg, lock forward Jonny Gray, new skipper John Barclay, centre Huw Jones and winger and try scorer in Saturday’s 29-13 win over Wales, Tim Visser, are all in with a chance of making it into Warren Gatland’s side.

O’Connell also chooses Gray, Barclay and Hogg, but goes for winger Tommy Seymour, the scorer of Scotland’s other try at the weekend, in his team.

Williams agrees with the selection of Gray, Visser and Hogg, but Johnson opts for Richie Gray instead of his younger brother and centre Alex Dunbar, as well as Seymour.

With the quartet asked by Lions sponsors Standard Life Investments to come up with a starting XV after each round of this year’s Six Nations, the biggest surprise is Johnson’s decision to go with Leigh Halfpenny at full-back instead of the inspirational Hogg.

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