Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
‘Battle-hardened’ Warburton ready for big Test
ANDY Farrell believes Sam Warburton is “battle-hardened” and improving day by day as the British and Irish Lions captain inches towards the Test match squad.
Wales flanker Warburton suffered an ankle injury in the tour-opening 13-7 win over the Provincial Barbarians and has been scrapping for match sharpness ever since.
The Lions have left Warburton out of tomorrow’s squad to face the Chiefs in Hamilton however, and now he is edging ever closer to a spot in Saturday’s line-up for the first All Blacks Test.
Peter O’Mahony, Sean O’Brien and Taulupe Faletau have excelled as a back-row combination but Cardiff star Warburton could yet even squeeze into the first Test starting XV.
“Sam by his own account will tell you that he might have been a little rusty at the start but he’s getting better and better every day,” said Farrell. “His body’s in good condition, and he’s battle-hardened like the rest of them.”
Leigh Halfpenny is continuing through return-to-play protocols after a suspected head injury but Lions assistant coach Farrell believes the Wales full-back remains on course to face New Zealand on Saturday.
Fly-half Owen Farrell is now expected to be fit after a thigh concern too, leaving the Lions approaching full strength for the Test series opener.
“We don’t see too much of a problem with that for Leigh, it’s just the process we have to go through,” said Andy Farrell. “And Owen seems to be all good, that seems to have settled down.
“The boys who aren’t playing the Chiefs will have a light hit-out today, an orientation day for the rest of the week, and Owen seems fine enough to take part in that.”