Warburton loses captaincy for Maori ‘fourth test’
TOUR captain Sam Warburton has been relegated to the bench for the British and Irish Lions clash against the Maori All Blacks tomorrow, just a week before the first test.
Munster and Ireland’s Peter O’Mahony will take over as captain for a match the tourists regard as an unofficial fourth test.
Warburton led the Lions to a disappointing 23-22 loss to the Highlanders midweek.
“Peter is a proven captain with Munster,” coach Warren Gatland said before the match in Rotorua.
“He never takes a backward step and we believe those leadership qualities will serve us well against a quality and determined Maori All Blacks team.”
The Irishman is the fourth player to captain the Lions on tour after Warburton, Ken Owens and Alun Wyn Jones.
The tourists are looking to bounce back after their second defeat of the tour and Gatland’s selection against the Maori team is expected to be close to his first-choice test side. If it is, then losing the test captaincy would be a huge blow to Warburton, who led the Lions to a series win in Australia in 2013 but has struggled for form recently after a run of injuries.
Gatland has shown previously that he will not shy away from big selection calls, famously dropping Irish legend Brian O’Driscoll for the series decider in 2013 and causing outrage in the Emerald Isle.
He has opted for an all-Irish combination at nine and 10 against the Maoris, with Johnny Sexton starting ahead of Owen Farrell at flyhalf and Conor Murray at scrumhalf.
The starting side includes 11 players who started in the Lions’ gutsy 12-3 win over the Canterbury Crusaders.
Leigh Halfpenny replaces the injured Stuart Hogg at fullback, while Liam Williams makes way for Anthony Watson on the wing.
However, lock Wyn Jones, who captained against the Crusaders, did not even make the match-day 23, with Gatland preferring England’s Maro Itoje in the second row backed by Iain Henderson on the bench.
The three-test series begins on June 24. Lions (15-1): Leigh Halfpenny (Toulon/WAL); Anthony Watson (Bath/ENG), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets/WAL), Ben Te’o (Worcester/ENG), George North (Northampton/ENG); Johnny Sexton (Leinster/IRL), Conor Murray (Munster/IRL); Taulupe Faletau (Bath/WAL), Sean O’Brien (Leinster/IRL), Peter O’Mahony (capt – Munster/IRL); George Kruis, Saracens/(ENG), Maro Itoje (Saracens/ENG); Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/IRL), Jamie George (Saracens/ENG), Mako Vunipola (Saracens/ENG) Replacements: Ken Owens (Scarlets/WAL), Jack McGrath (Leinster/IRL), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins/ENG), Iain Henderson (Ulster/IRL), Sam Warburton (Cardiff/WAL), Greig Laidlaw (Gloucester/SCO), Owen Farrell (Saracens/ENG), Elliot Daly (Wasps/ENG).
Meanwhile, the Maori All Blacks named nine New Zealand internationals yesterday for the match.
The backline includes three of the most exciting of the younger generation of All Blacks backs – Nehe Milner-Skudder, Damian McKenzie and Reiko Ioane – and centre Charlie Ngatai and scrumhalf Tawera Kerr-Barlow.
Veteran loose forward Liam Messam (43 tests) adds strength to the pack along with flanker Elliott Dixon and prop Kane Hames, with hooker Hika Elliott on the bench.
“We’ve named a strong group who all have good clarity on how we want to play this match against the Lions,” coach Colin Cooper said.
He indicated the Maoris would be looking for a free-flowing game with the selection of Waikato Chiefs fullback McKenzie at flyhalf.
“We feel Damian will suit the game plan that we want to play, from the number 10 position,” Cooper said. Maori All Blacks (15-1): James Lowe; Nehe Milner-Skudder, Matt Proctor, Charlie Ngatai, Rieko Ioane; Damian McKenzie, Tawera Kerr-Barlow; Liam Messam, Elliot Dixon, Akira Ioane; Tom Franklin, Joe Wheeler; Ben May, Ash Dixon (capt), Kane Hames. Replacements: Hikawera Elliot, Chris Eves, Marcel Renata, Leighton Price, Kara Pryor, Bryn Hall, Ihaia West, Rob Thompson – AFP