After the British & Irish Lions’ win over Crusaders, the latest squad announcement has a look of the dirt-trackers about it.
We are only heading into our fourth game of the Lions tour to New Zealand but the make-up of the Test Series XV is taking shape.
Warren Gatland, this morning, announced his team to face Highlanders in Dunedin on Tuesday [8:35am kick-off GMT] and included five Ireland players, with Jack McGrath on the bench.
The team contains all three Ulster players in the squad, with Jared Payne getting a chance at fullback, Rory Best hooker and Iain Henderson in tandem with Courtney Lawes in the second row.
Robbie Henshaw partners Jonathan Joseph and CJ Stander is named in the back row with James Haskell and captain Sam Warburton. Both players will have been hoping to face the Maori All Blacks on Saturday but will have to take the opportunities on offer here.
There is little doubt that a Test team is taking shape and it would be no surprise to see 12 or 13 of those that started in the 12-3 win over Crusaders getting another chance to build relationships and understandings in the Maori game this weekend. That means the likes of Henshaw, Best and Stander could all miss out on another big match.
It is interesting, then, to see Leigh Halfpenny and Johnny Sexton miss out on even bench places for Tuesday. That would lead one to believe the Welshman and Irishman will start fullback and outhalf this weekend.
LIONS SQUAD TO FACE HIGHLANDERS
15 Jared Payne
14 Jack Nowell
13 Jonathan Joseph
12 Robbie Henshaw
11 Tommy Seymour
10 Dan Biggar
9 Rhys Webb
1 Joe Marler
2 Rory Best
3 Kyle Sinckler
4 Courtney Lawes
5 Iain Henderson
6 James Haskell
7 Sam Warburton (capt)
8 CJ Stander
Replacements: Ken Owens, Jack McGrath, Dan Cole, Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric, Greig Laidlaw, Owen Farrell, Elliot Daly
