Lions’ fans match of tour
innovative and Gatland has certainly picked a team full of attacking promise. Stuart Hogg to shine... Gatland has already questioned the suspect defence of the Scotland star but Hogg is a superb attacker, possessing vision, awareness, speed and timing.
All the best teams have a full-back who can ignite them by picking the right moments to counter and pierce defences. Think 2015 World Cup finalists New Zealand and Australia.
If Gatland is serious about the Lions needing to score 30 points a Test to beat the All Blacks, he will have to pick players who can unlock defences with off-the-cuff moments of magic. A big win and a clean bill of health... The Provincial Barbarians have picked some decent players and up-andcomers, and they will be pumped up to fly into the Lions with the aim of doing as much damage as possible in a tour that will be a war of attrition.
But the power of four should be able to comfortably weather an expected early storm and run away with it in the second half.
It’s essential, for confidence, the Lions score some tries and emerge unscathed because the last thing Gatland will want is to suffer an early casualty or casualties.
This a crucial match, not just for Hogg, Sexton and Warburton, but the attacking verve and skill of England pair Jonathan Joseph and Anthony Watson, and Scotland wing Tommy Seymour.
It’s also an opportunity for the likes of New Zealand-born England inside-centre Ben Te’o, Wales back-row forward Ross Moriarty, Ireland lock Iain Henderson and hooker Rory Best, and England props Joe Marler and Kyle Sinckler to really enhance their Test credentials.