Lions schedule ‘exactly what they wanted’

New Zealand Rugby is making no apology for the demanding itinerary facing the British and Irish Lions, saying ‘‘they got exactly what they wanted’’.

The Lions play all five Super Rugby sides and New Zealand Maori as well as three tests against the All Blacks as Warren Gatland’s tourists look for their first success on Kiwi soil since 1971.

The schedule that includes taking on the Maori side before the first test and Super Rugby champion Hurricanes between the first and second and tests, has raised eyebrows in the northern hemisphere.

‘‘The Lions asked for a tougher itinerary than they got in Australia in 2013,’’ New Zealand Rugby chief executive Steve Tew told Sky’s The Breakdown rugby show.

‘‘They wanted to play the five Super Rugby sides. They deliberately chose to play the Maori All Blacks game the week before the first test. They got exactly what they wanted,’’ Tew said.

The British media have labelled the itinerary ‘‘loaded’’.

Gatland himself was highly critical of it before he was officially named as the coach. ‘‘Whoever agreed to that schedule from the Lions point of view, it’s crazy,’’ Gatland said in 2015 when the itinerary was announced.

‘‘I don’t see how you could even win that. You’re playing five Super Rugby sides, the New Zealand Maori and three tests, and another game, all in a five-week period.’’

In 2013, Gatland’s Lions played the five Australian Super Rugby teams – losing to the Brumbies 14-12 but blitzing the others, as

well as romping to a 64-0 win over a ‘‘Combined Country’’ side. The Lions won a pulsating test series against the Wallabies 2-1.

The 2017 tour schedule has been made even tougher with New Zealand coach Steve Hansen allowing the Blues and Crusaders, the two opening Super Rugby opponents, to have their All Blacks involved.

And any hopes the Lions had of catching the All Blacks cold in the opening test in Auckland appear dashed with Tew confirming plans for a warmup for Hansen’s side with Samoa the likely opponent.

They were wanting to follow a blueprint from the last Lions tour where the All Blacks completed a 3-0 whitewash, helped by a warmup test against Fiji.

‘‘’Steve and [assistant coach] Ian [Foster] are keen to do something pre-lions [and] ... the option of Samoa is something we are definitely looking at.’’