Selectors to pause and think

and Nowell offer more footwork, more energy and more problems to defenders.

“The result was important for those guys,” Gatland said last night. “The result was the first priority and the performance after that and we got a little bit of both and a couple of guys put their hands up.”

When he was asked if the decision to take Daly off with 30 minutes remaining was a sign the Englishman had played his way into the test frame, he said: “Maybe.

“I spoke to them [the back three] a few days ago. Jack Nowell, it just hadn't happened for him in the first couple of games. He is prolific at getting his hands on the ball.

“Elliot looked sharp as did Liam and they looked pretty dangerous, pretty potent as a combination.”

There would have to be some caution about reading too much into a performance against a Chiefs side that were minus most of their usual faces and suffering for it.

But the back three in Hamilton delivered something which is more than the other unit has.

A back three of Williams, Nowell and Daly has more threats and qualities than Halfpenny, Watson and North and the Lions could be making a mistake if they stick with the three they used in Rotorua.

The expectation is that the test will be tight, down to the wire and it could be that a bit of magic is required to ignite the Lions, to stun the All Blacks and to ensure they leave no points on the table.