They got the British & Irish Lions over the finish line in Wellington to keep this Test series with the All Blacks alive, now Warren Gatland has backed the same players to go out and make history in the decider at Eden Park on Saturday.

Simon Lewis looks at the key areas where Warren Gatland will have a selection headache going into the first test. 

Neil Jenkins has assured Joe Schmidt and his Irish team there will be no more dithering from Leigh Halfpenny if he gets the chance to shoot for goal against them next week in the Six Nations battle at the Principality Stadium.

Here's your evening update.

Former England internationals Andy Farrell and Steve Borthwick look set to be among the assistant coaches announced today for next summer’s British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand.

Jonathan Sexton may remain intrinsic to Joe Schmidt’s Ireland plans but Conor Murray is confident Paddy Jackson is ready and able to step into the elder man’s shoes if required during the Six Nations.

After much speculation, Leinster Rugby yesterday confirmed that Jonathan Sexton passed his Head Injury Assessment (HIA) following his early withdrawal against Wasps at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Neil Jenkins believes England will “work ways out” to deal with the pressure and expectation that accompanies being a World Cup host nation.

Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny has been ruled out of the World Cup after suffering knee ligament damage on Saturday.

George North’s return to rugby has been delayed by a further three weeks.

Italy v Wales

Leigh Halfpenny has warned that Wales will need "to be on the money for 80 minutes" this weekend in their pursuit of a prize that has eluded them for six painful years.

Everyone is a fan of James Coughlan because, with Munster, he did his talking on the pitch.

Scott Williams is relishing the challenge that awaits him today as he prepares to face one of the all-time greats.

Warren Gatland and his British and Irish Lions think-tank emerged from their night of the long knives convinced they have a match-day squad to win the third and final Test against Australia on Saturday.

SOMETIMES it takes a shortage to appreciate water. Or a power blackout to get the fundamental importance of electricity.

Penalty-taking decided the first Test in favour of the British & Irish Lions and the art of bisecting the posts will again be massively influential in Saturday’s second encounter with Australia, believes Lions legend Neil Jenkins.

Neil Jenkins today described his remarkable crop of British and Irish Lions goalkickers as “the best of the best”.

WHEN does a tour really become a tour? The first match? The first bust-up? The first grind-it-out victory?

Lions head coach Warren Gatland admitted that the strength of opponents in the build-up to the first Test against Australia is a cause for concern after crushing Western Force 69-17.

WESTERN FORCE 17 BRITISH & IRISH LIONS 69

Cian Healy did his best to feign, not indifference, but peace of mind at the thoughts of tomorrow’s announcement of a British and Irish Lions touring squad but such equanimity will surely be in short supply come the appointed hour.

I’m especially good at expectorating, sings Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, and the hunter’s skill with a well-aimed spit is just one more indication that he’s the villain of the piece.

Newport Gwent Dragons 37 Zebre 6

Joe Schmidt would be “flattered” if offered a coaching role for the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia but the Leinster chief doesn’t expect such a call from his Kiwi compatriot Warren Gatland.

Wales coach Warren Gatland broke bones in both his feet in a fall from a ladder in New Zealand.

Forwards coach Graham Rowntree is determined to make life even tougher for England’s new Rugby Football Union chief executive Ian Ritchie as he prepares the Red Rose to face Ireland at Twickenham.

WALES are continuing to play a waiting game with their injured players ahead of Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations opener against Ireland in Dublin.

Wales are continuing to play a waiting game with their injured players ahead of Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations opener against Ireland in Dublin.

WALES were left kicking themselves after suffering their third narrow defeat of a World Cup campaign that could easily have seen them contesting tomorrow’s final against New Zealand.

Wales are hopeful that fly-half Rhys Priestland and lock Luke Charteris will be fit for Saturday’s World Cup semi-final against France.

Neil Jenkins welcomed the return of Wales’ World Cup injury casualties today as preparations continued for a quarter-final showdown with Ireland.

Wales coach Warren Gatland has made two enforced changes for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations finale against France in Paris.

Wales 19 Ireland 13

FROM one Lions fly-half to another, Neil Jenkins paid tribute to Ronan O’Gara as he prepared to join his Welsh star in the 1,000-point club.

WITH a record in Cardiff like Ireland’s it is no wonder Brian O’Driscoll considers the Millennium Stadium one of the best venues in world rugby.

Ronan O’Gara has been hailed as “a legend of the game” as he prepares to join an exclusive club in Test match rugby.

Dan Lydiate admits there is no hiding place from the damaging number of penalties Wales have conceded in this season’s RBS 6 Nations Championship.

WALES’ injury-hit RBS 6 Nations campaign has claimed another victim with Wasps forward Andy Powell ruled out of the clash against Scotland next Saturday.

HE’S worked with Jonny Wilkinson and Luke Donald, and if you want to know why you can’t kick frees in Gaelic football, he can tell you. Michael Moynihan spoke to Dave Alred.

Newport Gwent Dragons 17 Connacht 16

Warren Gatland will remain as Wales coach until after the 2015 World Cup after agreeing a four-year extension to his contract with the Welsh Rugby Union.