Former British & Irish Lions captain Martin Johnson believes England’s Owen Farrell can be a vital cog in Warren Gatland’s machine for the Tour to New Zealand – regardless of the position he plays.

Farrell played every game of the RBS 6 Nations starting at 12, earning his 50th cap in the process as he helped his country to a second successive Championship.

The Saracens back has also shown himself to be a more than handy fly-half too, the position he played in the 2013 Lions Tour to Australia as replacement in the in the third and final Test victory which helped Gatland’s charges to a first win in 16 years.

And for Johnson – part of the victorious Lions side in South Africa in 1997 – that versatility could be key come New Zealand.

The former lock also praised the influence of Wales’ Alun Wyn Jones, citing the two-time tourist as a ray of positivity in a disappointing RBS 6 Nations for Wales.

“The overriding thing is getting selection right and getting the right people to understand the challenge of what it is and what they need to do,” said Johnson, who is an ambassador for British & Irish Lions Principal Partner Standard Life Investments.

“You need a group of people you can trust and believe in and give responsibility to, to go and wear the shirt and try and win in New Zealand which, as we all know, about the hardest thing to do in rugby.

“Looking at the backs, I’d probably go with Owen Farrell as someone who has made themselves a key player,” he said.

“He keeps on getting better and he’s an easy choice, whether he plays ten or 12 I think he’ll do the job they think he will, so he’s a guy who’s done pretty well.

“There are a number of forwards who fit that role, but one who stands out is Alun Wyn Jones.

“Like for most teams, it was an up and down campaign for Wales but I think through that he’s maintained his quality and performance, captained them pretty well and handled himself pretty well.”

As well as Lions certainties, the RBS 6 Nations also produced some potential bolters across the forwards and backs.

And with those the last internationals before Gatland names his squad on April 19, there was hardly a better time to make a mark.

That also gave Johnson a bounty of opportunity to cast his eye over the fringe players for Lions selection, with three names in particular standing out as potential late-movers to board the plane.

He continued: “Elliot Daly is a back who’s come from outside, England picked him on the wing and he handled it superbly and has been one of the players of the tournament.

“A guy like Garry Ringrose, he’s played well, consistently pretty well through the tournament at 13 for Ireland.”

“As a forward who’s broken through I’m going to go with Scotland’s Hamish Watson at seven. I like him. Now I don’t know if he’ll go on the Tour and I’m not saying he will but he’s a guy who is very, very interesting.”

Martin Johnson is an Ambassador for British & Irish Lions Principal Partner Standard Life Investments