Warren Gatland drops in on Ireland to check on potential Lions

Down there, in the rugby madlands of New Zealand, the appetite for the summer tourists is surging. Warren Gatland knows antipodean expectancy better than most.

“Look, New Zealanders are incredibly excited about the Lions. We’ve got to a little bit of PR (to repair) from 2005 because people keep asking me if Alistair Campbell is coming, or if we are bringing two teams and two coaching set-ups. (But) that apart, they are really excited, they see it as a big challenge the way the northern hemisphere teams played in the autumn.”

Though he says preparation is “full-on” after a recent reconnaissance trip to the home of the All Blacks, the British and Irish Lions head coach knows that, 100-odd days out from the June 3 tour opener, the water’s only around his ankles now. By the first test in Auckland on June 24, he’ll be knee deep in something.