Lions not ready to sing the Blues

TOUGH: TOURING SIDE FACE ACID TEST IN AUCKLAND

Gatland wields the axe as eight All Blacks lie in wait in their second match in New Zealand.

Auckland

British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland knows his side will have to be put through hell if they are to be ready for the All Blacks on June 24 and the Blues will provide the perfect trial by fire for his side tomorrow.

The Lions got off to a stuttering start to their tour on Saturday, limping to a 13-7 victory over the Provincial Barbarians in Whangarei with a performance that was roundly criticised by pundits both in New Zealand and back home.

While Gatland agreed it was not the ideal way to begin their 10-match tour, he said it was important to keep getting tough games under their belt to prepare for three Tests against world champions New Zealand.

“We know we didn’t play too well on Saturday (and) ... there are some things we need to work on,” he told reporters yesterday when he named his side for the Blues clash.

“We have been saying all along how strong New Zealand rugby is at the moment ... (but) these games are helping us prepare and coming to grips with what New Zealand rugby brings.

“And that is only going to help us for the Test matches.”

Gatland had promised wholesale changes for each of the first three games of the tour in order to give all of the 41 players an opportunity to press for Test selection.

He stuck to his word for the Blues game with an entirely different starting side from that which played the Barbarians and indicated there could be up to 11 changes to the run-on side for the next game against the Crusaders on Saturday.

“You know you have limited preparation time so you’re putting out the strongest team you can,” he added.

In the Blues, they will undoubtedly be put under more pressure than they faced against the Barbarians.

Apart from dropping lock Patrick Tuipulotu to the bench and with Jerome Kaino still recovering from knee surgery, Tana Umaga named eight All Blacks in arguably his strongest starting side. – Reuters

Picture: AFP BATTLELINES DRAWN. Coach Warren Gatland and the rest of the British and Irish Lions team are welcomed with a traditional Maori challenge and powhiri at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds in Waitangi.