Howley’s open book policy on Test selection

Having been at the core of the British & Irish Lions coaching staff for the past three tours, Warren Gatland and Rob Howley know a thing or two about how to keep a squad of players from four different countries united.

Which is why the selection of Liam Williams and Elliot Daly in the back three for this morning’s first Test against the All Blacks following their performances in Tuesday’s emphatic win over the Chiefs sent out all the right signals to the players who presumed they had been handed the poisoned pre-Test chalice of midweek duty in Hamilton.

Gatland caught even his players by surprise with his Test selection and a fortunate by-product will be that those names for Lions duty against the Hurricanes on Tuesday have an increased incentive to put their best foot forward.