Johnny be good as Lions sweat on Farrell

WELLINGTON: The spotlight will be firmly on Johnny Sexton when the British and Irish Lions play the Maori All Blacks on Saturday, with the Lions unsure if top fly-half Owen Farrell will be fit for the first Test.

Farrell, the Lions’ leading playmaker, was almost certain to start in the first Test against the All Blacks next weekend, until he suffered a thigh strain at training on Thursday.

“He will be back on the field as soon as possible,” was all assistant coach Steve Borthwick could offer as a heavily bandaged Farrell watched the Lions train on Friday.

It is an injury that usually sidelines a player for seven to 10 days. But Borthwick would not put a time frame on Farrell’s return, saying: “He will be back as soon as he is able to be back.”

Gatland had almost settled on his match-day 23 to face the All Blacks next weekend until Farrell’s plight threw open the pivotal 10 slot.

Ireland’s Sexton, 31, the Lions’ star when they toured Australia four years ago, had already been named to start against the Maori.

Farrell was on the bench, possibly to partner Sexton in the secondhal f playmaker combination which the Lions used against the Canterbury Crusaders.

But if Farrell does not recover in a week then an out- of-form Sexton is likely to wear the 10 jersey in the first Test.

“Johnny needs more rugby,” Gatland admitted when he named his side to face the Maori.

“He knows he hasn’t been playing the best but he’s got some mojo back and we wanted to give him the start.”

Although Gatland has said he did not want to show his Test hand too early, he has telegraphed the core of his top line up by naming 11 players from the team that beat the Canterbury Crusaders last weekend in the side to play the Maori. — AFP