Height: 6′ 4″

Weight: 107kg

Date of Birth: November 8th, 1986

Birthplace: Newport, Wales

Wales under Warren Gatland have been epitomised by their policy of selecting their internationals based on their club form. It was therefore of no surprise that in Wales’ 2008 Grand Slam winning team, a certain 21 year old made his debut on the wing against Scotland. Since then, it’s been a non-stop ride for Jamie Roberts, which has seen him cement his place in the Wales matchday 22 and help Cardiff to the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup.

Roberts was educated at Ysgol Gyfun Glantaf and studied medicine full time at the University of Wales, Cardiff from 2005 to 2007, and he now combines his studies with training at the Cardiff Blues.

In an impressive first season for Cardiff in 2005-06 he scored five tries in 11 games and was a regular for Wales’ under-21s before injury curtailed his campaign. It’s Roberts’ size (at 107kg he wouldn’t be out of place in the back row) and adaptability that have singled him out as one of Wales’ most promising prospects in the last 12 months. In his relatively short international career he has played at win and full-back, as well as at both inside and outside centre.

He scored his first try for Wales in a defeat against South Africa in June 2008 whilst playing on the wing and in the next game in the tour to South Africa he was surprisingly selected at inside centre (despite playing the majority of his rugby for the Blues in the back three).

His size and ability to cross the gain line at 12 led to Gatland continuing the experiment during the course of the Autumn Internationals – plus his first choice 12, Gavin Henson was in the middle of yet another absence due to injury. It was in the match against Australia (which Wales went on to win) that Roberts’ talent (and head) came to the fore. A collision with the Wallabies skipper Stirling Mortlock in the 2nd minute of the game led to Roberts sustaining a fractured skull. However, unlike Mortlock, who left the field immediately, Roberts initially played on and was crucial in the build-up to Shane Williams’ try, but was later replaced by Andrew Bishop in the 18th minute.

Roberts returned to the Blues set-up 2 months later and played an instrumental role in the 14-man Blues away victory to Gloucester which saw the Blues become the only team to maintain a 100% group stage record in the Heineken Cup.

His Heineken Cup form upon his return from injury, as well as his superb form in the Summer and Autumn internationals led to the resumption of his duties in the 12 channel during the 2009 Six Nations, but the return to fitness of Gavin Henson, and the superb effort of Joe Worsley’s man marking of Roberts meant that Roberts wore the 22 shirt for the final game of the Six Nations.

Roberts’ impressive performance leading Cardiff’s comeback in the Heineken Cup semi-final was timed superbly, and must have played a part in Ian McGeechan’s decision to include him in the Lions squad. Jamie Roberts should look forward to the hard pitches of Bloemfontein and the High Veldt this summer, and the young trainee doctor could well come back a seasoned Lion.

The start of Vickerman’s promising career has been blighted by injury, but having recovered from two serious knee operations that kept him off the pitch for two seasons, he is back and raring to go. And he’s still only 23.

“Two years ago was my breakthrough season when I was regularly starting in the Leeds first team and I loved playing Premiership rugby. Then I had this knee injury, recovered and got injured again so didn’t play for ages.”

As part of Vickerman’s rehabilitation, he used supplements from the Seven Seas JointCare range which includes Glucosamine and Cod Liver Oil, both found to benefit joint health in a number of ways.

“I discussed using these products with my physio and did a lot of research before taking them, but they really helped with my recovery, keeping my knees flexible but also helping to build cartilage as well.”

Now fully fit, Vickerman has just completed a season in National One, playing at centre for Leeds and helping them secure promotion to the Guinness Premiership, whilst also being a key member of England’s Sevens Squad.

“I’ve loved playing on the Sevens tour, it’s so great to be a part of it. We’ve done quite well and are currently second in the standings behind South Africa. If we win both of the remaining tournaments, we might just win the Series, but as you’ll see on Saturday, South Africa are a pretty handy side.”

Once the Sevens season has finished, Vickerman will have two weeks off before registering for duty at Newcastle, where he has just signed a new contract.

“Steve Bates is looking to build a young, English squad and has got me, Tom Biggs and Charlie Amesbury from Quins all joining for next season. Newcastle had a great run after Christmas this year, and next year we will be targeting a European Cup place.”

“For me, I just want to get a decent run of games over the next couple of years. I’m still only 23, but having been injured, you realise how quickly time goes by. If I can play well for Newcastle, hopefully I’ll get noticed and I’m targeting a place in the England Saxons squad at the end of next year.”

“I like the way Newcastle play, and I’m looking forward to playing up there. I’ve had a few battles with Dan Hipkiss and Mathew Tait over the years, so I’m looking forward to playing against those guys again.”

The Rugby Blog thinks that Vickerman is certainly one to watch. An impressive season a couple of years ago will have put him on many people’s radar, and now with experience of the hard graft in National One as well as the colourful Sevens circuit, he’s likely to be a more rounded player, and is likely to be knocking on England’s door before too long.

For more information on the Seven Seas products used by Rob Vickerman, click here to visit their website.

Height: 6′ 1′

Weight: 90kg

Date of Birth: March 26th, 1986

Birthplace: Dundalk, Ireland

Kearney has showed huge amounts of promise from an early age – he played for Leinster at both schoolboy and U-19 level before going onto represent them as a senior, scoring a hat-trick of tries on his debut for Leinster in the pre-season friendly win over Parma.

He then made his Celtic League debut for Leinster in 2005 in a 22-20 defeat away to the Ospreys. He would go on to make 32 appearances in the competition, scoring 8 tries, with 3 penalties during a period in September 2006, when usual place kicker Felipe Contepomi was injured. Kearney then played in his first Heineken Cup game in a 19-22 defeat against Bath at the RDS later that same season. It was the first of 10 appearances scoring 4 tries in the process.

His early CV at international level also reads well representing Ireland at schoolboy, U-19 and A level before he was called up to the senior squad for the 2008 Six Nations Championship. He was first called into the Irish training squad for 2005′s Autumn Internationals and toured with Ireland A in the summer playing in the Churchill Cup. In April 2007, he was named in the Irish squad to tour Argentina in the summer – during which he made his debut. During the 2008 Six Nations Championship he scored 2 tries, one against Scotland and one against England, primarily playing on the wing.

Despite drawing rave reviews as Ireland’s established full-back, it’s easy to forget the bizarre early-season scenario which had Rob Kearney consistently out of position on the left wing. After two superb turns at No 15 against New Zealand and Australia on Ireland’s summer tour – performances which earned lavish praise from a hard-to-impress Australian and New Zealand rugby media – it was widely expected Kearney would be locked in his preferred position for the foreseeable future.

However, Michael Cheika’s attempts to juggle his resources at Leinster meant Kearney was forced into the No 11 jersey as Girvan Dempsey and Isa Nacewa alternated at the back. The upshot was that, when Declan Kidney was picking his team for the November series, the Louthman had no run of games in the position and was back on the touchline as the Ireland coach selected Keith Earls, Dempsey and Geordan Murphy at full-back on successive Saturdays.

It wasn’t until a run of games at fullback for Leinster in the New Year that Kearney had the chance to win back his preferred shirt. Fast forward a few months, and after assured displays against all teams in Ireland’s Grand Slam-winning Six Nations campaign, and Kearney is being touted as the Lions No 15 for this summer’s tour.

Can he fend off Lee Byrne to don the Test jersey?

Height: 6′ 6′

Weight: 111kg

Date of Birth: October 20th, 1979

Birthplace: Limerick, Ireland

Right up there as one of the best second rows in the world, O’Connell is one of the first names on an Ireland teamsheet such is the quality he possesses, both in a playing and leadership sense.

He scored a try on his Ireland debut against Wales in February 2002, in what was Eddie O’Sullivan’s first game in charge. O’Connell became a permanent fixture in the Irish side the following year, starting all five games at the World Cup. He has been virtually ever-present since then, taking his caps tally to 44 with six tries, including the last ever Test try at the old Lansdowne Road which he dotted down against the Pacific Islanders.

He made his breakthrough at the 2003 World Cup, impressing in all five of Ireland’s games. He played on the same Ireland Schools side as Gordon D’Arcy and played in five consecutive games for the Irish Under-21s with Donncha O’Callaghan as his second row partner – a partnership that has blossomed for Munster, Ireland and the Lions.

O’Connell though is not just a European phenomenon. He was the only European player to be nominated for the IRB World Player of the Year award in 2006, which was won by New Zealand’s Richie McCaw. He was voted the Guinness Rugby Writers’ Player of the Year in 2006, and, during the 2005/06 campaign, was also named as the IRUPA Player of the Year, the Munster Rugby Supporters Club Player of the Year and the Irish Rugby Supporters Club Player of the Year.

O’Connell stepped into the Captain’s role in 2007 to lead Ireland out for the historic first game against France in Croke Park when Brian O’Driscoll was injured. He featured in every game in the 2007 Rugby World Cup but injury limited him to only three games in the 2008 RBS 6 Nations.

It was in the 2009 Six Nations that O’Connell cemented his legend amongst the rugby fraternity. The appointment of Declan Kidney as Ireland coach led many to believe that the former Munster boss would instantly switch the Ireland captaincy from the beleaguered and off-form O’Driscoll to the talismanic O’Connell. However, despite these clamourings, Kidney stuck firm with O’Driscoll – however, the calibre of O’Connell and the respect he holds amongst the Ireland team was shown when he lifted the Triple Crown trophy at the Millennium Stadium after the Grand Slam winning game against Wales.

However, despite the stellar CV and the unquestionable leadership abilities, O’Connell has not enjoyed an entirely easy ride during his international career. Panned by critics for his lacklustre performances for the Lions in 2005, and for a series of off games during the 2007 World Cup, O’Connell has had to answer the critics with his performances. And he was back to his best in the 2009 Six Nations Grand Slam winning campaign – particularly in the decider against Wales.

O’Connell now has the opportunity to put his name among the greatest Lions of all time by leading his men to a series win in South Africa and the whole of Britain and Ireland will be behind him.

Height: 6′ 4′

Weight: 109kg

Date of Birth: December 15th, 1983

Birthplace: Tiberias, Israel

Jamie Heaslip, the Leinster and Ireland number 8, is fast becoming the Superman of Irish rugby and, if Ian McGeechan is listening to the clamoring from the rugby fraternity, could be the Superman of the Lions as well.

Born in Israel thanks to the wanderings of his father, retired Brigadier General Richard Heaslip, who was there on duty with UNIFIL, Heaslip was late to arrive on the International and club scene despite impressive beginnings.

He starred in the 2004 U21 World Cup in Scotland leading to a nomination for the IRB Under-21 World Player of the Year award after Ireland finished as runners-up to New Zealand, but didn’t make his debut for his provincial side, Leinster until March 2005. He has since gained 70 official senior games, scoring over 90 points, including 2 tries in the Heineken Cup. Therefore, after some strong performances in the Magners League, it wasn’t long until the young tyro was called into the Ireland set-up by the then coach Eddie O’Sullivan in 2005 – first with Ireland ‘A’ then into the first team in 2006.

Heaslip’s astronomical rise to the top was attained in the Autumn tests in 2006 where he made his debut against the Pacific Islanders whilst also having the honour of being the 1000th Irish cap in the last international to be played at the old Lansdowne Road (Luke Fitzgerald became the 999th in the same match).

However, the consistent form of Dennis Leamy at number 8, Ireland’s steady progression prior to the World Cup, and, more specifically, Ireland’s back row meant that Heaslip was more of a squad player in the run-up to the World Cup, and then missed out on selection for the tournament altogether.

It wasn’t until the 2008 Six Nations, and some barn storming performances in the Autumn Internationals in 2008 – including a dynamic performance against the Barbarians at Kingsholm – that Heaslip began to come to the fore. The injury to Munsterman and number 8 incumbent, Dennis Leamy at the end of the 2007-08 season allowed Heaslip to announce himself on the International stage against New Zealand and the Springboks.

This step-up at international level was mirrored with Leinster. Heaslip was fast becoming a key member of the Leinster 1st XV, and was one of the new age of Irish players coming through the provinces’ youth systems (others include Rob Kearney, Luke Fitzgerald and Cian Healy). His Six Nations appearances in the 2008 tournament were based on the Magners League form that both he and Leinster were showing on the way to claiming the title.

And Heaslip has kept up this form into the new season with Leinster, but most notably with Ireland. His super, side-step laden try against the French in the opening fixture of the 2009 Six Nations announced his talent to the rest of the European nations – a talent which Irish fans were all too familiar with. It remains to be seen whether Ian McGeechan will opt for Heaslip as the backbone of his scrum in South Africa this summer, but with the performances he’s showing, the dynamism he’s playing with, and the confidence that he’s gained, Geech could do a lot worse!

By John White

Height: 1.83m (6′ 0”)

Weight: 85kg (13st 5 lbs)

Date of Birth: 22nd July 1985

Birthplace: Chester, England

His rugby career to date has been plagued by an inconsistent positioning selection, and although he had decided that the 9 shirt should be his, he has been making more of an impact at full-back.

Sale Sharks coach Philippe Saint-André saw him primarily as a full-back, commenting after a strong performance from Foden against Newcastle Falcons, “If he’s not a full-back I’ll eat my French beret; at full-back for England there is not a lot of competition. I think he deserves to go on tour with England – at full-back.”

Despite these ringing words of endorsement from his coach, Foden’s desire to play scrum-half saw him sign for Northampton Saints on the basis of a promise to play him at his preferred position; a promise that Sale Sharks could not give him considering his fantastic performances at full-back, the presence of England international scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth and the arrival of Welsh international Dwayne Peel.

That promise didn’t actually materialise, and Foden has made the full-back jersey his own at Franklin’s Gardens, regularly combining with wing Chris Ashton to give the Saints a real attacking threat.

Foden’s reputation as a hugely talented rugby player is not in doubt and certainly has not hindered his development. He made 45 appearances for Sale Sharks between 2004 and the end of the 2007-08 season and this total was hindered by the small matter of representing the England Sevens team for the past 2 seasons.

However, despite the debate surrounding his best position, and his time away with England, Foden still managed to rack up European appearances in the Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup (which he helped Sale win in 2005), as well as securing a Premiership winners medal in the 2005-06 season.

Despite Foden’s bit part role at Sale, he still secured a place in the England Saxons Churchill Cup touring squad to America and Canada in the summer of 2008, and he has since graduated to the full England Elite Player Squad, making his first start against France in the 2010 Six Nations.

Height: 1.83m (6′ 0”)

Weight: 95kg (15st 0 lb)

Date of Birth: 29th October 1985

Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland

Joe Ansbro has been catching the eye in the midfield of Northampton Saints so far this season, and The Rugby Blog believes he will be one to watch for the future – Martin Johnson: no doubt you read this blog regularly, so take note if you haven’t already.

Despite being a member of the Saints Academy since 2006-07, Joe has been a more familiar face around the cobbly streets of Cambridge during his recent undergraduate years in which he read Natural Sciences at Robinson College. His raw pace, coupled with his quick feet and solid defence earned him top university honours and were the stamps of a solid rugby upbringing at Stonyhurst College, whose past pupils include Iain Balshaw and Kyran Bracken.

Ansbro played a starring role in the U21 Oxford v Cambridge varsity match when one of his trademark scintillating breaks led to the decisive winning try in the last minute for the Light Blues at Twickenham. He went on to win two Blues representing the university first team against Oxford in one of rugby’s oldest fixtures. In his second year, he started at outside centre in the Blues game, and again, was a cut above the Dark Blues backline, but it was in the 2006 Varsity Match that Ansbro stood up to be counted by completely outclassing his opposite man – a certain Mr. Joe Roff (yes, that’s right, the same World Cup-winning Australian international that Johnno selected in his all-time greatest World Cup side).

Since graduating from Cambridge, Ansbro has come up through the ranks of the Saints Senior Academy, stepping up into the first team during the 2007-08 season to great effect, despite an injury-plagued end to the previous season. Ansbro made his Saints debut away at Moseley and a try-scoring first start against Rotherham at Franklin’s Gardens. During the last third of the season, he became a mainstay in the number 13 shirt and a regular on the scoreboard, including in the EDF Energy National Trophy final win against Exeter at Twickenham.

Ansbro will now have his resolve tested by the best that the Premiership and European Challenge Cup have to offer, and has already graced the scoresheet in Saints’ opening matches – definitely one to watch for the future.

Height: 1.70m (5′ 7”)

Weight: 80kg (12st 8 lbs)

Date of Birth: 26th February 1977

Birthplace: Swansea, Wales

Diminutive in stature, but huge in reputation, Shane Williams, the pint-sized assassin is easily one of the best wingers in world rugby, and one of the best Welsh rugby players of all time.

Known throughout world rugby for his raw pace, his jinking runs, and his unreadable side step, Shane has dazzled fans and players alike since his international bow at the age of 21. During that time he has accumulated 58 caps for Wales, scoring 215 points in the process, as well as becoming the all-time highest Welsh try scorer with 43 tries and counting.

Incidentally, his 41st try against France in the 2008 Six Nations pocketed Williams a cool £25,000 following a £50 bet he placed when he was 21 that he would one day become Wales’ leading try scorer. He also was awarded the RBS Six Nations Player of the Tournament accolade – not a bad Six Nations for Shane.

Williams was also one of the stars of the 2005 RBS Six Nations campaign, touching down against England, Italy and Scotland. He was then selected to the British and Irish Lions for their 2005 New Zealand tour earning one Lions cap and he equalled a single-game Lions record by scoring five tries in a tour match against Manawatu.

Williams started his career as a scrum half at Amman United, later moving to Neath and to the wing. He currently plays regional rugby with the Ospreys, having moved into the side with the inception of regionalism. To date Williams has made 68 appearances for the Ospreys and scored 27 tries and one dropped goal.

The 2007 RBS Six Nations saw Williams partake in three games: the win over England and matches against France and Italy, in which he scored a try against the Azzurri. Williams was rested from the touring squad of Australia in May 2007 but was named in Gareth Jenkins’ 41-man preliminary Rugby World Cup 2007 summer training squad in June. He made the final 30-man RWC squad in August and played against France in the Invesco Perpetual Summer Series at the Millennium Stadium.

Williams was included in the starting line-up for all of Wales’ Pool B matches at the Rugby World Cup, and enjoyed a successful tournament personally. He scored six tries in total, two against both Canada and Japan (during which he earned his 50th cap) and one each against Australia and Fiji, making him the joint third highest try scorer of the entire tournament (on a par with Doug Howlett, behind Bryan Habana and Drew Mitchell).

In January 2008 Williams was included in Warren Gatland’s RBS Six Nations squad, and the winger proved a revelation in the championship. Williams amassed an impressive six tries, equalling Will Greenwood’s Six Nations try-scoring record (in the Lloyds TSB Six Nations, 2001), playing in all five matches of the Grand Slam campaign and gaining braces against Scotland and Italy, and single efforts against Ireland and France.

This season promises to continue the meteoric rise of Shane Williams with a grueling Autumn international schedule with Wales, the defence of their Six Nations crown, and the tour to South Africa with the Lions.

Height: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)

Weight: 14 st 2 lb (90 kg)

Date of Birth: November 2, 1987 (1987-11-02) (age 20)

Birthplace: Roehampton, England

Daniel Cipriani, the Golden Boy of English rugby made his long awaited Wasps bow in the 2006-07 season predominately at full-back in the Wasps Heineken Cup winning side of 2006-07, during which he also made the step-up to the England Saxons side. However, Cipriani’s rise to the pinnacle of English rugby has been on the cards since an early age. Spotted as a young talent at the Wimbledon College Prep School, Donhead, Cipriani was nurtured into a prodigious young talent whilst playing at a junior level at Rosslyn Park, before moving up through the ranks at the Wasps Academy – representing England at U16 and U19 level along the way, and making his Wasps first team debut at the age of 17.

After Alex King left Wasps in the summer of 2007, the fly-half position at the club became vacant, and, after playing in a series of positions for Wasps in the early games of the 2007-08 season, he played 2 games in a row at fly-half, against Gloucester and Munster, London Wasps winning both, not only due to their prowess but also due to Cipriani.

He has played in most of London Wasps’ matches in the first half of the season at fly-half. His mixture of good vision, kicking and pace has earned him praise from many sources.

It was this good form that led to his call up to the full England set up in the summer camp prior to the 2007 World Cup. However, the disappointment that resulted from missing out making his debut at the World Cup was not apparent in Cipriani’s explosive form in the 2007-08 season. His performances led to a call up to the full England set-up in the 2008 Six Nations. He made his full debut as a replacement for Mike Tindall in the 2008 RBS 6 Nations match against Wales at Twickenham in February and then also came on a week later against Italy in Rome. His starting debut for England was due to be realised when he was picked at full-back for the game against Scotland on 8 March 2008. However, two days before Cipriani was to make his full England debut, he was axed from the squad due to “inappropriate behaviour”, believed to relate to a late night visit to a London nightclub. He started against Ireland on 15 March 2008, which England won 33-10, replacing Jonny Wilkinson at fly-half.

On Sunday 18 May 2008, Cipriani suffered a serious injury during Wasps’ semi-final play-off victory over Bath. Cipriani was tackled by Olly Barkley and got trapped at the bottom of a ruck in the 49th minute at Adams Park. His ankle was severely disfigured. He needed oxygen on the pitch before being taken to hospital, where he underwent surgery on his ankle. He was ruled out of England’s tour of New Zealand but made a comeback from his horrendous injury over a month sooner than expected in Wasps recent defeat to Bath in the Guinness Premiership.

He is due to return to international rugby with the England Saxons.

Height: 1.81m (5′ 10”)

Weight: 93kg (14st 10 lbs)

Date of Birth: 29th March 1987 (age 21)

Birthplace: Wigan, Greater Manchester

Chris Ashton is a rugby league convert plying his trade for newly-promoted Northampton. This 21-year-old try-scoring dynamo is a great hope for English rugby union going into the new Johnson era.

Ashton’s rugby calibre seems to be in his blood. His father, Kevin Ashton, was a rugby union footballer for Wigan RUFC, and his grandfather was a successful Gaelic footballer. In addition, Ashton’s brother, David, is a rugby league footballer for the Swinton Lions. It was therefore no surprise when Chris broke through into the Wigan Warriors first team at the tender age of 18.

Ashton came through Wigan’s scholarship programme and played in Wigan’s Academy U18s in 2003. He was selected for the 2004 Academy Origin Series and the 2004 victorious England Academy U-18s tour to Australia. After impressing in the academy, where he scored 27 tries in 23 games, he made his Super League debut against Hull in June 2005.

Ashton was brought into the Wigan Warriors squad at the start of 2006 as replacement for the injured Kris Radlinski. He had impressed on his debut in 2005, but in 2006 he showed good skill, pace and talent and impressed many Wigan fans and people within rugby league.

He finished the 2006 season as Wigan’s leading try scorer, his support play throughout the season was second to none, and although some criticisms were made about his defensive abilities, he earned a call into the England squad at the end of the year.

On March 19, 2007 it was announced that Ashton had signed for Northampton Saints for a reported £140,000 a year, more than double the offer that Wigan put in to retain his services, although this figure was fiercely denied by Northampton. Wigan granted Ashton an early release from his contract, freeing him to complete his cross-code move – this cross code switch was not part funded by the RFU.

On September 1, 2007, Ashton made his debut for Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens as a late substitute for Will Harries against London Welsh in National Division One. He scored his first try for the club with his first touch of the ball in the same game, which Saints won 44-11.

Ashton went on to break the National Division One try scorer record, scoring 39 tries (and one conversion) from only 25 appearances. He has firmly established himself as a first team regular at Franklin’s Gardens – only time will tell whether he can replicate his awesome strike rate in the Premiership.