Rugby: Lions ready to pick rookie Kyle Sinckler despite not making a single Test start for England

Kyle Sinckler could be a surprise selection for the British and Irish Lions tour when the squad is named on Thursday (NZT). Photo / Getty Images.

Rookie England prop Kyle Sinckler will be named in the Lions squad on Wednesday, despite not yet making a Test start for his country.

The 24-year-old Harlequins tighthead has earned eight caps so far, all of them as a replacement, but he will be selected along with the man he understudies in the Red Rose side; Leicester's Dan Cole.

Sinckler made a name for himself during the RBS Six Nations as one of Eddie Jones' controversially named 'finishers', appearing in four of the five matches en route to winning a second successive title.

While he may not have made his full England debut yet, that was widely expected to be rectified in England's upcoming Test against the Barbarians and later on their tour of Argentina.

However, he now looks set to be unavailable to head coach Jones with Warren Gatland set to name him in his squad this Wednesday.

There is likely to be another surprise 'English' inclusion among the midfield contingent - Worcester's New Zealand-born, cross-code centre, Ben Te'o, who represented Samoa in rugby league.