Malcolm O’Kelly is expected to be fit for the British & Irish Lions’ first game in New Zealand as he continued to recover from an abdominal muscle strain.

Clive Woodward insists Neil Back still has an integral part to play in the Lions tour to New Zealand despite being handed a four-week suspension.

Lions head coach Sir Clive Woodward today issued a stinging rebuke to the Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel which handed Neil Back a four-week suspension for punching Joe Worsley in the Premiership Grand Final.

Michael Owen challenged the Lions to “set down a marker” for the 2005 tour of New Zealand with victory and a performance to be proud of in Monday’s Zurich Test against Argentina.