It is a soul-crushing inevitability that in the weekend before the Lions squad announcement some desperate misfortune will befall a leading candidate. And so the shoulder injury that Caelan Doris duly suffered in Leinster’s defeat by Northampton will have felt like a gut punch to Andy Farrell.

Caelan Doris' injury has led to the inclusion of Willis in the British and Irish Lions squad, Planet Rugby understands.