Andy Farrell keeping faith in ‘missing’ Lions

Andy Farrell believes the late-arriving British & Irish Lions will be able to hit the ground running when they join the touring party bound for New Zealand at the weekend.

The misfortune of last weekend’s losing semi- finalists in England and the Guinness PRO12 has been a boost for Lions head coach Warren Gatland and his backroom team, with numbers rising from 14 at the Vale of Glamorgan in Wales last week to 30 of the 41 selected players participating at Carton House in Co Kildare this week.

That leaves 11 men who will not join the squad until Sunday, following the previous day’s PRO12 final, including Munstermen Conor Murray, Peter O’Mahony and CJ Stander, and Premiership and Champions Cup play-off deciders.