Johnny Sexton v Beauden Barrett

With Farrell struggling for fitness, Sexton looks set to start at 10. On his day, the Irishman is one of the world’s finest fly-halves, with the ability to bring on wide runners while controlling the game with his right boot. His partnership with compatriot Conor Murray has been key and Lions fans will hope his poor form early on tour, when his confidence appeared to desert him, is behind him.

New Zealand’s playmaker Barrett has seamlessly taken on Dan Carter’s mantle and, in some eyes, even raised the levels in the All Blacks’ three-quarter line. A wonderfully gifted runner with an electric turn of pace, Barrett provides a constant threat to defences while also possessing a deadly eye for space to fire passes for New Zealand’s dangerous strike runners to create havoc.