This day next week, the British & Irish Lions squad will be settling in to New Zealand and coming to terms with some whopper jet-lag.
The Lions squad play their first tour match against New Zealand Barbarians in Whangerei on Saturday, June 3.
Head coach Warren Gatland has already stated that any players not yet with the Lions squad – their are 11 still on club duty – will be at a disadvantage in terms of getting up to speed with calls.
He is not expected to pick any of those players, including the Munster trio of CJ Stander, Peter O’Mahony or Conor Murray, in the opening tour game.
“They’re going to have to pretty much school themselves,” Gatland said, “or work with the coaches one-on-one and look at the training videos to get up to speed as quick as they can.”
That still leaves Gatland with 30 players to select a matchday 23 from. There will still be room for experimentation against Auckland Blues [June 7] before the guts of a potential Test side face Crusaders in Christchurch on June 10.
Looking to strike a decent balance and ease into the tour with familiar combinations, we have selected a healthy mix to be led by Ireland captain Rory Best [with tour captain Sam Warburton on the bench].
The back row and half back combinations are Welsh with Stuart Hogg getting an early chance to lock down the No.15 jersey. Anthony Watson and George North are our wingers with Robbie Henshaw and Jonathan Joseph getting an early chance to impress in midfield.
Best is flanked by England’s Mako Vunipola and Harlequins prop Kyle Sinckler, who edges out Dan Cole. A lineout caller is needed to keep Iain Henderson company so the fresher George Kruis gets the nod ahead of the excellent Maro Itoje.
Should June 3 prove a game too soon for Warburton, Sean O’Brien would join fellow Ireland internationals Jack McGrath, Johnny Sexton and Jared Payne in reserve.
OUR LIONS TEAM
15. Stuart Hogg
14. Anthony Watson
13. Jonathan Joseph
12. Robbie Henshaw
11. George North
10. Dan Biggar
9. Rhys Webb
1. Mako Vunipola
2. Rory Best (c)
3. Kyle Sinckler
4. Iain Henderson
5. George Kruis
6. Ross Moriarty
7. Justin Tipuric
8. Toby Faletau
Replacements: Jamie George, Jack McGrath, Dan Cole, Courtney Lawes, Sam Warburton/Sean O’Brien, Greig Laidlaw, Johnny Sexton, Jared Payne.
*Let us know, on Facebook and Twitter, what you make of our team and who you would select for the opener.
