Sam Simmonds is expected to be named on Thursday in the British & Irish Lions squad with Warren Gatland ready to spring a surprise and hand the England exile a place on the tour of South Africa. It is also understood Alun Wyn Jones is poised to be named as the tour captain, edging out Maro Itoje for the role. Gatland held his final selection meeting at the Lensbury club in south-west London on Wednesday and Simmonds has emerged as a bolter for the eight-match tour of South Africa, having won the last of his seven England caps in March 2018. Since then he has been overlooked repeatedly by Eddie Jones, despite his superb domestic form, helping Exeter to secure the Premiership and Champions Cup double last season. He is the reigning European player of the year and the Premiership’s top try-scorer but has been unable to force his way back into the international fold with Jones sticking by Billy Vunipola at No 8. Gatland, however, evidently believes Simmonds’s speed and dynamism will be well suited to the task that awaits in South Africa. Speaking on Wednesday, Simmonds revealed Gatland assured him earlier in the season that his selection chances would not be affected by his continued England snub and explained what he would have to offer if he made the final cut. “I would bring energy, whether impact off the bench or starting,” said Simmonds, whose Exeter teammate Luke Cowan-Dickie is also expected to be named as one of three hookers on Thursday. “I might not have the amount of carries as some of the bigger players but I feel every time I touch the ball it is an effective carry. “Whether it is in the wide channels or in traffic, it is not just bulldozing my way through, it is about finding other ways of beating defenders and gaining metres. I think just fitness-wise and workrate I am not just a ball-carrier and try-scorer. I think both sides of the ball, I can have an impact.” As a result of Simmonds’s expected inclusion, it is believed Billy Vunipola will be overlooked, barring a late change of heart. But the latest indications on Wednesday were that his Saracens teammate Elliot Daly would be a surprise inclusion despite his loss of form for England. The rest of the Saracens hopefuls – including the England captain, Owen Farrell, and Itoje – are expected to be selected despite their rustiness being pinpointed as a key reason why Jones’s side finished fifth in the Six Nations. Vunipola was selected for the 2017 tour but had to pull out with injury and has since struggled to consistently find his form. Jones, however, has stuck by the 28-year-old, who has started England’s past 10 matches. Daly looks poised to make the cut despite his loss of form for England in the Six Nations coupled with Saracens’ relegation to the Championship. The 28-year-old was dropped by England for their Six Nations victory against France and has had limited game time for Saracens in the second tier. But Gatland values his versatility and Daly has looked more at home since a recent return to outside centre from full‑back. Ultimately his ability to play in midfield as well as across the back three – he started the three New Zealand Tests on the wing in 2017 – appears to have proved decisive. All the more so since George North was ruled out through injury. Jones’s selection as captain comes as little surprise as he follows in the footsteps of his compatriot Sam Warburton, who has led the Lions on the two previous tours under Gatland. At 35 he is the world’s most capped player with 157 appearances, including nine Tests for the Lions. Meanwhile other members of the England squad expected to be selected include Kyle Sinckler, Tom Curry and Anthony Watson while Gatland was due to make a call on Manu Tuilagi, who has not played since September because of an achilles injury. A fully fit Tuilagi would be a shoo-in but he has a lengthy injury history and there is little wriggle room in a 36-man squad. Courtney Lawes, another on his way back from injury, was on Wednesday night thought to be up against it to make the squad. Marcus Smith, the uncapped 22-year-old fly-half, emerged this week as a potential bolter after receiving a “save the date” letter from Gatland but he will not be part of the 36. He could, however, make the standby list. Joe Marler is expected to be among the list of notable absentees. The 30-year-old withdrew from the Six Nations in January, citing family reasons and though he said on Wednesday he would “have loved to have gone”, it is understood Gatland will turn elsewhere for his loosehead prop contingent.