Rory Best will captain the Lions in Tuesday’s clash with defending Super Rugby champions, the Hurricanes, but his lack of presence in the matchday squad for the first test, and potentially the next test, is puzzling.

Before analysing what sort of impact Best could have, however, it may be pertinent to look at which players have made the cut before him in order to see why Best’s exclusion is just so puzzling.

Jamie George is England’s number 2 hooker. Whether by talent or necessity, that is a fact. He starts for the Lions.

George cuts an intriguing figure on the rugby pitch - he’s not quite as Stay Puft Marshmallow Man as Andries Strauss (George has rugby intellect), but, physically, he’s not far off, and looks like he’d struggle to go a full 80 minutes in a test match.

All along we’ve heard how great George is at throwing into the lineouts, and if the Lions were to beat New Zealand it would start with the set piece, yet other than this it’s hard to discern if he has any other qualities that make him the man to start a Lions test.

On Saturday, it was telling that it’s going to be mighty hard to beat the All Blacks this way, and that the Lions can play free-flowing rugby with the best of them (when they have the ball.) The Lions should adopt a more aggressive gameplan in the second test as they have to win; if so, George becomes dispensable.

So, I admit, I’m not a massive Northern Hemisphere rugby buff, and I had to google who George’s replacement was on Saturday... Ken Owens, I’m sorry. It was the beer...

The Welsh hooker seemed to do enough to warrant keeping his place on the bench for the second test: okay in the loose, solid in the scrum, but didn’t add anything in terms of impact that could hurt the All Blacks.

Neither one of George or Owens has been in a side that’s beaten the best team in world rugby. Rory Best has, and not only that, he’s captained them.

Ireland’s remarkable feat against them in Chicago last year wasn’t just a fluke either - they ran the All Blacks tantalisingly close in Dublin a few weeks later, the win in March to deny England back to back Grand Slams was an achievement, and even though the Springboks aren’t the side they used to be, leading Ireland to their first ever victory there and being within a score of an historic series win gives Best another serious scalp.

While Peter O’Mahony led the Lions admirably in the first test, it felt a little odd not having one of the home nations’ captains out there. I don’t mind Warburton captaining if he starts, but Best is the only man there who has led a team to victory against New Zealand and this fact cannot go unnoticed.

Leadership aside, Best is a tyrant at the breakdown and should be picked for this fact alone. For the last year I haven’t seen any performances to convince me that the Lions have a genuine fetcher in the back row, and Liam Williams can only do so much at the breakdown from fullback…

The only way to conceivably beat the All Blacks is to stifle their ball and not just slow it down, but turn it over. No team in international rugby has the defence or players to stop wave after wave of an All Black attack if this doesn’t happen, and while the Lions have decent ball carriers in the back row it was painful to watch how easily the AB’s retained the ball on Saturday.

Best is a total nuisance come ruck time: his short, stout frame allows him to get low and not be rucked off with any ease, and as probably the only proven fetcher at test level in the squad, it boggles the mind that he won’t have started all three tests by the time this tour is over.

Warren Gatland would kill for a David Pocock or a Francois Louw to play 6, but in Best he has the next best thing, and he doesn’t have to get rid of any ball carriers to get him in.

Come 12 noon tomorrow, the Twitterverse will officially be launched into complete pandemonium for British and Irish rugby fans. I would strongly advise fans with a short fuse and high blood pressure to lock their phones away for the following 24hrs. 

There will be arguments, there will be verbal diarrhoea and there will be surprise inclusions and big names left at home. So, lets get a few things straight, here are a few pre ‘squad announcement’ warnings from the Top Two Inches:

Nobody, I repeat – NOBODY – will be left 100% satisfied by Warren Gatland’s squad choice. Don’t throw your toys out the pram and go shopping for All Blacks kit if your favourite player doesn’t get in.

There will be more Englishmen than any other nation – deservedly – lets lay off the England bashing when the time comes.

There will be very few Scots. As a Scot myself this is disappointing, but make no mistake, its fair. Expect no more than 3 or 4 players to travel, fellow Scotland fans.

Warren Gatland will pick Welsh players in 50/50 situations – any coach with common sense will go with what he knows. i.e. Biggar over Ford/Russell. Let’s not hold that against him.

Credit in the bank counts. Players like Faletau & POM have credit in the bank. The fact they missed most of the 6N doesn’t mean they should miss the tour.

Steve Borthwick is one of the selectors – English 2nd rows will travel in numbers. If you are a Gray, Toner or Ryan fan then you may have to prepare for disappointment.

Rowntree is the forwards coach – The 6N winning front row will also travel.

WP Nel hasn’t played a significant game of rugby in almost 6 months and still doesn’t have a publicised return to play date. Tough to pick, despite credit in the bank.

The fact that Scotland and Wales beat Ireland is cancelled out by the fact that Ireland beat New Zealand, and vice versa. Lets not use 80/160/240 minutes of rugby to launch arguments for exclusion/inclusion – there is a bigger picture than all 3 of these games.

Players like Daly, Zebo and L.Williams have an edge over the Seymours, Nowells and Ashtons as they play 2 positions. Versatility goes a long way on a brutal Lions tour.

Whatever way you look at it, people will be disappointed. I’m probably pissing into the wind when I say this, but if you are English and JJ doesn’t get picked/Scottish and Gray doesn’t get picked/Welsh and Tipuric doesn’t go/Irish and Ringrose doesn’t go, pretty please don’t be that guy/girl that turns around and says any of the following:

‘The Lions is over’ ‘I’m supporting New Zealand’ ‘There is an agenda against XXX nation’ ‘Gatland is a fool’

Sure, sulk and moan all you want, but get behind the squad that is picked, and enjoy what is one of the greatest events in sport.  

LIIIOOOOOONNNNSSSS!!!!