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With the recall of Steve Thompson to the England squad, Lee Mears could find himself slipping down the rankings while on tour with the Lions in South Africa.

While the Lions will be looking to get their tour off to a winning start on Saturday, Thompson (pictured) will be hoping for a chance to re-establish his international credentials against a Barbarians side at Twickenham.

Hooker has been a problem position for England since a now-healed neck injury forced Thompson into retirement in 2007 after winning 47 caps and the 2003 World Cup. But with Thompson's return it could become a position of relative strength, at the expense of Mears.

Mears and George Chuter were the first to contest the vacant hooker's jersey when Thompson retired, though it was the ever-competitive veteran Mark Regan who rose to prominence during the 2007 World Cup.

Mears has been first choice for the last year, during which time England have also nurtured the rich talents of Dylan Hartley, who has been in fine fettle for Thompson's former club Northampton this season.

Mears is otherwise engaged this summer, so Thompson will be competing with Hartley and Chuter for the Barbarians clash and two-Test series with Argentina.

Although Thompson will be 31 in July, his best years could still be ahead of him. Front rowers tend to improve with age and many do not reach a peak until their early 30s.

England manager Martin Johnson certainly thinks Thompson has plenty to offer, and went out of his way to compliment the Brive player for "looking in tremendous nick" at last week's get-together.

England's form towards the end of the Six Nations showed signs that they were coming through a difficult start to Johnson's reign, and Mears impressed with his lineout work in victories over France and Scotland.

But there are many who believe Mears does not have the physical stature to succeed at the highest level. How the Bath player performs against sizeable opponents in South Africa over the next six weeks will have a huge bearing on his England future.

At club level, Mears's mobility makes up for his lack of size, but there are question marks over whether he can make a similar impact against the biggest and best packs in international rugby.

'A big good 'un' is often preferred to 'a small good 'un' at the highest level of the game, and if Thompson can recapture the form that made him the most feared hooker in world rugby then Mears's days as England's first choice will be numbered.

Thompson may not quite have the mobility of Mears, but as a converted flanker he was no slouch when wearing the Red Rose.

Both are outstanding lineout operators, but Thompson's superior scrummaging and carrying at close quarters could move him ahead of Mears.

An England front row of Andrew Sheridan, Thompson and Phil Vickery has a far more menacing look about it than one with Mears in the middle.

Of course there is no guarantee Thompson is the same player that last wore the England shirt in the 2006 Six Nations, but his form for Brive this season suggests he is not far from his best.

Hartley will also be looking to make the most of any chances that come his way over the next month.

Although he is only 23, Hartley has all the requirements to succeed on the Test stage. At 6'1" and more than 17 stones, he is a big unit and, like Thompson, has decent pace and excellent hands.

It is inconceivable that England would jettison the feisty Saint and not continue with his development.

None of which bodes well for Mears.

If Thompson and Hartley do impress over the summer, then Mears could find himself slipping down the England rankings, irrespective of how things go for him in South Africa.

Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport