We are edging ever closer to the British & Irish Lions opening Test match against the All Blacks.
The tourists will take on the world champions at Eden Park and they will need to be beyond even their very best to have a chance in the Test Series.
After four tour games, it is becoming clear which way Warren Gatland and his coaching staff will go in terms of Test squad selection. To our mind, three Irishmen – Tadhg Furlong, Peter O’Mahony and Conor Murray – are all set for the Test XV.
There will be a strong Irish presence https://t.co/QMUS76YMk7
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) June 12, 2017
The team Gatland selects to face the Maori All Blacks, in Rotorua on Saturday, will feature many of his Test definites in what would be their final start before the real fun begins.
Furlong will again start at tight-head and O’Mahony looks set for another stint in the No.6 jersey. Maro Itoje may have been a blindside option but Courtney Lawes’ injury and another middling game from Alun Wyn Jones may now see him get a chance beside George Kruis.
Murray was excellent against Crusaders and is the Test Lions scrumhalf in waiting. We expect Gatland to use Saturday’s game as the opportunity to look at Johnny Sexton and Owen Farrell at 10/12 with Ben Te’o having to content himself with a bench role despite having a decent start to the tour.
Elsewhere, Jack McGrath and CJ Stander featured against Highlanders but did nothing to emphatically suggest they should be straight in as starters. If that is so, both will hope for at least 30 minutes to make an impact.
The big, borderline unfair, casualty here may be Sean O’Brien.
Were the Leinster flanker to lose out to captain Sam Warburton – and we believe he will – Stander could probably edge him out for that bench slot.
The make-up of the team is 6-5-4 in terms of English, Welsh and Irish with another four Welsh players on the bench, along with McGrath, O’Brien and the English duo of Te’o and Dan Cole.
PREDICTED LIONS TEAM TO FACE MAORI ALL BLACKS
Leigh Halfpenny
George North
Jonathan Davies
Owen Farrell
Anthony Watson
Jonathan Sexton
Conor Murray
Mako Vunipola
Jamie George
Tadhg Furlong
Maro Itoje
George Kruis
Peter O’Mahony
Sam Warburton (capt)
Toby Faletau
Replacements: Ken Owens, Jack McGrath, Dan Cole, Alun Wyn Jones, Sean O’Brien, Rhys Webb, Ben Te’o, Liam Williams.
*The Lions matchday 23 will be announced on Wednesday, June 14
