Warren Gatland’s challenge: Get off to a winner

Warren Gatland has thrown down a challenge to his Lions to get the tourists off to a winning start this Saturday after last night naming a strong team to face the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians.

Sam Warburton, who led the Lions to their first series victory since 1997 four years ago in Australia, will captain the first matchday squad of the 2017 tour in Whangarei on Saturday in a side featuring three current Test captains, six 2013 Lions in the starting XV and three more on the bench.

Wales lock Alun Wyn Jones, Scotland scrum-half Greig Laidlaw and Ireland hooker Rory Best all skippered their countries during this season’s Six Nations and help to form a very strong spine of the team with Johnny Sexton will start at fly-half as another of the three Irishmen in head coach Gatland’s first selection of this 10-match tour. Iain Henderson is the other Irish and will make his Lions debut against the provincial side this weekend with tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong and outside back Jared Payne hoping to join the second row in earning their Lions numbers at the first opportunity.