The British & Irish Lions have given a clue to their thinking for the first Test against New Zealand at Eden Park on Saturday by omitting both their tour captain, Sam Warburton, and centre Jonathan Joseph from their midweek squad to face the Chiefs on Tuesday.
The Test 23 will be confirmed on Thursday (Wednesday evening BST) and both Warburton and Joseph now appear firmly in the frame. The presence of Alun Wyn Jones on the bench against the Chiefs also suggests the Saracens pair of Maro Itoje and George Kruis will start together against the All Blacks with the Welshman vying for a replacement’s role.
It is not totally impossible that CJ Stander, Iain Henderson, Liam Williams or Elliot Daly could yet play their way into Saturday contention, with Daly and Williams still candidates for a role in the back three where Gatland’s search for his best combination continues. Joseph also has the pace, footwork and eye for the try-line that the Lions have occasionally lacked on this tour.
All six of the additional players called up over the weekend by Gatland, meanwhile, feature on the bench having barely met the rest of the party. Finn Russell, Gareth Davies and Tomas Francis were all close to being original selections but, if they get on, Kristian Dacey, Allan Dell and Cory Hill will be under a certain amount of pressure to justify Gatland’s faith in them.
The team will be led by Ireland’s Rory Best with Gatland insisting that a Test opportunity could yet knock for his midweek players. “We are five games into the Tour and there is still a lot to play for,” the head coach said. “Those involved on Tuesday will be playing not only for themselves in terms of further selection but also for the whole squad.
“We are here to win a Test series and we have brought cover for the replacements bench so we can limit the number of players who need to double up, which is tough to do at this level of rugby. We know it is going to be another big challenge against the Chiefs who have won the Super Rugby title twice in the last five years.”
Owen Farrell is expected to be fit for the first Test after sustaining a thigh injury last week. The 25-year-old had been in doubt for the game at Eden Park but is a strong contender at fly-half or inside centre.
“I was always confident about Owen being fit for the weekend,” Gatland said. “I was never unconfident about that.”
British & Irish Lions Williams; Nowell, Payne, Henshaw, Daly; Biggar, Laidlaw; Marler, Best (capt), Cole, Henderson, Lawes, Haskell, Tipuric, Stander. Replacements Dacey, Dell, Francis, Hill, Warburton, Davies, Russell, Seymour.
