It is hard to overstate the importance of Saturday’s first Test at Eden Park and the purposeful British & Irish Lions team named by Warren Gatland to face New Zealand reflects the intensely physical showdown in prospect. There are no faint hearts in the XV led by the hard-nosed Irish flanker Peter O’Mahony and sufficient power and ball-carrying dynamism to raise hopes of a thunderous start to the three-match series.
Gatland is well aware the Test will shape everything that follows and has cut his cloth accordingly, conscious stout defence will not be enough on its own. While it is a tough decision to list the outstanding Maro Itoje among the replacements, the selection of Alun Wyn Jones to start is not a complete surprise. Among other things it allows the management to name the same starting pack who squeezed the life out of New Zealand’s leading provincial team the Crusaders, with four of the All Blacks tight five in their lineup.
With Itoje offering a potential game-changing impact off the bench, Gatland is also clearly mindful of the need to counter the second-half surge that is the All Blacks’ signature. In the back three, too, he has made two calculating selections with Liam Williams at full-back and Elliot Daly on the wing both comfortable under the high ball and proactive going forward.
With Owen Farrell back fit at fly‑half, the goalkicking skills of Leigh Halfpenny have earned him a place among the replacements alongside Johnny Sexton but George North, currently battling for form, has missed out completely.
When they toured New Zealand in 2005, the Lions lost the first Test in Christchurch convincingly having picked more on reputation than form. Gatland has not made the same mistake, with players such as Jamie George and Ben Te’o included despite not being regular starters for England. The coach, however, did admit the final selection meeting had been a “lively” one.
“We have picked a side based on form with a lot of players putting their hands up, especially from the Crusaders and Maori All Blacks games,” he said. “We have continuously been strong at the set piece and have been good defensively in the last two or three outings but to beat the All Blacks you have to be courageous and play some rugby. You have to score tries and I think we have picked a team capable of doing that.”
There are seven Englishman and four Welsh and Irish players apiece in the XV, with seven previous Test Lions in the starting side and three more on the bench. Gatland has resisted the temptation at this stage to pair Farrell and Sexton at 10 and 12 but that remains a clear second-half option. Kyle Sinckler has leapfrogged his compatriot Dan Cole to join Itoje on the bench alongside the tour captain Sam Warburton who, as anticipated, has proved unable to shift O’Mahony or Sean O’Brien from the back row. “It’s a reward for how the back row has gone,” Gatland said. “There is a nice balance there. Peter captained the side against the Maori All Blacks and has done a good job.”
The All Blacks have made a couple of interesting selections, in particular the decision to omit the prolific Julian Savea in favour of the 20-year-old Rieko Ioane, who will be winning only his third cap. The Lions have already developed a healthy respect for the talented Ioane, who scored a try for the Blues against the touring team, but Savea has scored a remarkable 46 tries in his 53 Tests.
The return of Ryan Crotty at the expense of Anton Lienert-Brown, excellent last week against Samoa, will also not displease the Lions unduly, with Steve Hansen having opted for the calm, steady Crusaders man who has not played since 3 June, in the expectation of a furiously tough contest. “It’ll be a physical Test but just as importantly, it will be a mental test,” Hansen said.
As expected Kieran Read is also back to lead the All Blacks but the No8 has also not played a competitive match since breaking a thumb at the end of April. It is a further sign that they want all their coolest heads involved. “We know this is a very good British & Irish Lions team; probably one of the best to have toured here,” Hansen said. “It’ll be a battle of contrasting styles which makes it an intriguing Test to prepare for and to be part of.”
British & Irish Lions squad
Liam Williams, Anthony Watson, Jonathan Davies, Ben Te’o, Elliot Daly, Owen Farrell, Conor Murray; Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Tadhg Furlong, Alun Wyn Jones, George Kruis, Peter O’Mahony (capt), Sean O’Brien, Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: Ken Owens, Jack McGrath, Kyle Sinckler, Maro Itoje, Sam Warburton, Rhys Webb, Jonathan Sexton, Leigh Halfpenny
New Zealand squad
Ben Smith, Israel Dagg, Ryan Crotty, Sonny Bill Williams, Rieko Ioane, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith; Joe Moody, Codie Taylor, Owen Franks, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Jerome Kaino, Sam Cane, Kieran Read (capt).
Replacements: Nathan Harris, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Scott Barrett, Ardie Savea, TJ Perenara, Aaron Cruden/Lima Sopoaga, Anton Lienert-Brown.
