It’s the first time since the opening Test with South Africa in 2009 that no Scot has even featured on the bench
● O’mahony to captain side but even on the bench there’s no Scottish involvement
PETER O’MAHONY will lead a British and Irish Lions side with no Scottish involvement at all against the All Blacks on Saturday.
Scotland’s wait for a Lions Test start has stretched to ten games after no Scots were named in head coach Warren Gatland’s squad for Saturday’s first clash with the All Blacks in Auckland.
Prop Tom Smith against Australia in Sydney 16 years ago remains the last Scot to appear in a starting Lions Test XV and it is the first time since the opening meeting with South Africa in the 2009 series that none have even featured on the bench.
As had been widely predicted, Peter O’mahony will captain the Lions in Saturday’s first Test. The Ireland flanker has won selection ahead of tour skipper Sam Warburton, who takes a seat on the bench for the Eden Park opener and becomes the first tour captain who has not led the Lions in an opening Test since England’s Doug Prentice missed out in 1930.
The lack of Scottish involvement was not unexpected either, but it does add to frustration over representation on this current tour. Despite a strong showing in the Six Nations, with wins over Ireland and Wales, only two Scots, Stuart Hogg and Tommy Seymour, were named in Gatland’s initial squad.
Greig Laidlaw was called up when Ben Youngs withdrew before departure for New Zealand and Hogg’s tour came to a disappointing end when he suffered a facial injury against the Crusaders. Loosehead prop Allan Dell and stand-off Finn Russell were drafted in last weekend, although the latter was kept on the bench during Tuesday’s win over Waikato Chiefs.
Cardiff and Wales flanker Warburton, who led the Lions in the triumphant series win over Australia four years ago, has been struggling for full match fitness ever since suffering an ankle problem in the tour-opening 13-7 win over the Provincial Barbarians.
So now Munster’s ferocious back-rower O’mahony will captain the Lions in a Test match – just three months after he was named only on the bench for Ireland’s closing Six Nations match against England in Dublin.
When Jamie Heaslip suf- fered a back injury in the warm-up for that game, O’mahony came in and went on to produce a stormer in the 13-9 win which denied Eddie Jones’s men back-to-back Grand Slams.
O’mahony will form a back row with compatriot Sean O’brien and Wales’ Taulupe Faletau. England’s Owen Farrell starts at stand-off, partnered by Ireland’s Conor Murray, while the English duo of Anthony Watson and Elliot Daly get the nod on the wings. Liam Williams of Wales completes the back three at full-back having been preferred to fellow Welshman Leigh Halfpenny.
Ben T’eo and Jonathan Davies form an Anglo-welsh midfield partnership.
Gatland has stuck with the same pack which performed so well in the impressive 12-3 win over runaway Super Rugby leaders Crusaders in what was the toughest of the tour games so far. “It’s a reward for how the back row has gone,” said Gatland.
“There is a nice balance there while Peter captained the side against the Maori All Blacks and has done a good job.”
Halfpenny’s omission from the starting XV suggests that stand-off Owen Farrell – fit after a thigh injury scare – will kick at goal, though Wasps star Daly is a strong long-range kicking option.
Daly’s strong showing in the 36-4 win over the Chiefs on Tuesday night appears to have swayed Gatland’s mind to start him for
the first Test, with Saracens-bound Williams also having impressed in Hamilton at full-back.
“Elliot has been very accurate in the way he has played and we saw some excellent attacking play from Liam on Tuesday night,” said Gatland.
“We are excited about the 15 that take the field but also the very strong and experienced bench players who will have an impact.”
Kieran Read has recovered from injury and will captain New Zealand in Saturday’s first Test. The Crusaders No 8 last played more than seven weeks ago, when he suffered a broken thumb while on Super Rugby duty.
But he is fit again to pack down in the All Blacks’ backrow alongside Jerome Kaino and Sam Cane as New Zea-
land look to extend their long unbeaten run at Eden Park.
All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen has sprung a surprise on the left wing, though, handing Rieko Ioane a first Test start instead of the more experienced Julian Savea.
Elsewhere, World Cup winner Sonny Bill Williams lines up in midfield with a fitagain Ryan Crotty, with Crotty replacing Anton Lienertbrown following last week’s 78-0 victory over Samoa.
Hansen said: “There is a real understanding that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The players are well aware of the history of the All Blacks and the Lions and are determined to respect that history with their performances.
“We know this is a very good British and Irish Lions team; probably one of the best to have toured here. It will be a battle of contrasting styles, which makes it an intriguing Test to prepare for and to be part of.
“It will be a physical Test, but just as importantly, it will be a mental test. There will be a unique and electric atmosphere on Saturday.”