Peter O’Mahony and Sean O’Brien handed Lions Test auditions

Peter O’Mahony has been asked to provide some ‘Munster mongrel’ to the Lions tomorrow as the tourists bid to get their New Zealand odyssey back on track against the toughest non-Test opposition of the tour.

The Lions have arrived in Crusaders country on the back of Wednesday’s dramatic defeat to the Blues at Auckland’s Eden Park and will have to topple Super Rugby’s most storied and in-form side if they are to start building momentum towards the first Test against the All Blacks 15 days from now.

The size of the task facing them at Christchurch’s AMI Stadium was brought home loud and clear yesterday as Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson named a side containing an all-All Black front five in the pack as they attempt to inflict back-to-back defeats on the 2017 Lions and stretch their winning streak this year to 15 wins in as many starts.