British and Irish Lions head coach Warren Gatland would have no hesitation in leaving his tour captain out of the Test side in Australia next summer.
French connection
Gatland has also faced questions over whether he would be prepared to select players plying their trade with French clubs.
Steffon Armitage, Andrew Sheridan and Jonny Wilkinson have all impressed for Toulon this season, with Wales' Mike Phillips, Gethin Jenkins and James Hook also cross-Channel candidates.
The French Top 14 final takes place on June 1, the same day the Lions begin their tour with a fixture against the Barbarians in Hong Kong, and Gatland's preference is for all players to already be with the touring party for that game.
But the former Ireland, Wasps and Waikato boss also hinted that fitness issues may also have a detrimental impact on the Lions aspirations of those based in France.
He said: "We had an experience with Mike Phillips on the weekend (against New Zealand) where he was blowing after 52 minutes and we had to get him off.
"He was not there, and playing in France you run the risk of not being looked after in terms of our standards and expectations.
"They have a different philosophy out there. They are quality players, but the preparation and approach is different.
"If they do fitness it's normally with one fitness guy who puts a programme up on a wall and the players are not monitored as keenly as clubs in the UK and Ireland probably do, and that is what players have to look at.
"Are they physically in the best shape to compete at the highest level even though they may be playing quite well in France?"
