Gatland set for several Lions call-ups

Head coach Warren Gatland is expected to draft as many as six extra players on to the British and Irish Lions tour.

The Lions’ reinforcements would be primed to take seats on the bench in Tuesday’s Waikato clash against the Chiefs, to ease the pressure on the tourists’ Test match 23.

The three-test series against New Zealand starts a week today and the Chiefs game represents a heavy burden following today’s Maori All Blacks encounter in Rotorua.

Gatland is now set to add a clutch of players to his squad with Wales currently in New Zealand and Scotland touring Australia and Fiji. Ireland are in Japan, while England’s Argentina Test series ends today.

Lions assistant coach Steve Borthwick refused to be drawn but All Blacks boss Steve Hansen said: “I think he [Gatland] is about to bring a few extra players out to give himself the ability to play with two squads

“He’s at the stage where he wants to do that.”

England stand-off Owen Farrell is a serious doubt for the first All Blacks Test due to a quadriceps strain. Borthwick said: “He ’s had a grade one muscle strain. The medical team will take great care of him. Hopefully he’ll be back on the field as soon as possible.”