Johnny Sexton looking over his shoulder at Test rivals

Warren Gatland this week told of a moment on the Carton House training field last week when he called in his fly-halves for a meeting. 

He was standing close to two of them, Dan Biggar and Johnny Sexton, but the third, Owen Farrell, was on the other side of the pitch at the time, prompting the Irishman to tell the British & Irish Lions head coach that the Englishman was a midfielder and his presence would not be required.

Sexton insisted with a smile that he was only joking but it is clear that given the respective players’ form on arrival in New Zealand this week that the Leinster playmaker may have his work cut out if he is to retain the Lions number 10 jersey in which four years ago he guided the tourists to their first series victory since 1997.