Warren Gatland expands on logic behind Lions rotation policy

Maro Itoje claims a lineout during a Lions squad session in Johannesburg. Warren Gatland yesterday stuck to his stated selection strategy of using all 37 players over the first three games. Picture: Billy Stickland

If Warren Gatland has on previous British & Irish Lions tours shown his hand in advance of the Test series it was pure coincidence and the veteran head coach insisted he has no intention of fielding his chosen line-up ahead of meeting South Africa for the first time in Cape Town on July 24.

Gatland yesterday stuck to his stated selection strategy of using all 37 players with him in Johannesburg over the first three games of the 2021 tour, handing Lions debuts to the three remaining unplayed members of the party for tomorrow evening’s match against the Cell C Sharks at Emirates Airlines Stadium.