The Lions will head into Wednesday’s meeting with the Blues desperate for improvement.
The Tour opener against the Provincial Barbarians may have ended in a win, but it was far from convincing.
In the face of undoubtedly their poorest opposition on the 10-game Tour, Warren Gatland’s men struggled for long periods, only opening up the Baabaas once Owen Farrell had replaced Jonny Sexton early in the second half.
Even then, they were grimly holding on to a 13-7 lead in the closing stages after Farrell missed an easy penalty.
It was scrappy and it was underwhelming, with Toby Faletau and former Leinster centre Ben Te’o, the only starters to really put up their hands for Test selection.
Showboating #LionsNZ2017 https://t.co/W4h9ZsIR0D
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) June 3, 2017
It is early days but that did not stop one New Zealand journalist from seriously questioning the selection of one Irish player.
Iain Henderson did not have his greatest game. Selected alongside the experienced Alun Wyn Jones in the second row, he was one-eighth of a pack that failed to dominate. The Ulster man missed two tackles during his 50 minutes on the pitch – including one on Sam Anderson-Heather as the Baabaas captain burst through to score.
Columnist Mark Reason of Stuff.co.nz said Henderson looked “overawed” by the occasion in Whangarei and insisted Donnacha Ryan could feel hard done by to be left at home following his Ireland team-mate’s display.
“Gatland said circumstances had forced his opening selection, but by halftime it was looking like absolute madness. Poor Iain Henderson probably wanted to crawl into a hole. He looked completely overawed by the occasion. Donnacha Ryan must have been sitting at home in Ireland and wondering how he was ever left off the tour.”
Ryan is not touring with Ireland this summer either after confirming his move to Racing 92 from Munster, so he is available, should Gatland feel his engine room needs some more grunt.
For his part, replaced by George Kruis, Henderson will be keen to get back on the pitch and show Reason and the rest of the doubters why exactly Gatland put faith in him.
