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Sexton, Best and Henderson start the Lions' first game of 2017 tour

Warren Gatland’s men face the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians on Saturday.

Murray Kinsella reports from Auckland

IRELAND INTERNATIONALS Jonny Sexton, Rory Best and Iain Henderson have been named in Warren Gatland’s Lions team for their tour opener against the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians on Saturday [KO 8.35am Irish time, Sky Sports].

Jonathan Sexton Sexton starts at 10. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

Tadhg Furlong and Jared Payne will be on the bench for the clash at Toll Stadium in Whangerai.

Gatland has named a strong team for the first game of this year’s tour, after the Lions arrived in New Zealand yesterday.

Best is in the front row with Englishmen Joe Marler and Kyle Sinckler, while Henderson partners Wales’ Alun Wyn Jones in the second row. Captain Sam Warburton is in the seven shirt, with Ross Moriarty at blindside and Taulupe Faletau completing on all-Welsh back row.

Scotland’s Greig Laidlaw partners Sexton in the halfbacks, while Ben Te’o and Jonathan Joseph of England get first crack at the midfield spots and Tommy Seymour, Anthony Watson and Stuart Hogg make up an exciting back three.

Joining Furlong and Payne on the bench are Jamie George, Mako Vunipola, George Kruis, Justin Tipuric, Rhys Webb and England’s Owen Farrell.

Lions (v NZ Provincial Barbarians):

15. Stuart Hogg
14. Anthony Watson
13. Jonathan Joseph
12. Ben Te’o
11. Tommy Seymour
10. Johnny Sexton
9. Greig Laidlaw

1. Joe Marler
2. Rory Best
3. Kyle Sinckler
4. Alun Wyn Jones
5. Iain Henderson
6. Ross Moriarty
7. Sam Warburton
8. Taulupe Faletau

Replacements:

16. Jamie George
17. Mako Vunipola
18. Tadhg Furlong
19. George Kruis
20. Justin Tipuric
21. Rhys Webb
22. Owen Farrell
23. Jared Payne

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19 Comments
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    Mute Al Delaney
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    May 31st 2017, 8:21 PM

    Arrive in New Zealand Wednesday and first game on the Saturday. Its gonna be about two weeks before they click into gear. Id say the main priority for a lot of players is just don’t get injured early doors.

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    Mute Pat Noone
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    May 31st 2017, 8:38 PM

    @Barry Dunne: would suspect that Sexton is really on trial in this game after (relatively) poor finish to the season. Hope he has a blinder.

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    Mute Gary
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    May 31st 2017, 8:54 PM

    @Barry Dunne: I wouldn’t mind if he played badly and was dropped. He has little to prove at this stage. It would prolong his career until the next heir whether it be Jackson/Carbery/Byrne or Tyler B. (Can’t spell his name.)

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    Mute sup
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    May 31st 2017, 8:59 PM

    @Pat Noone: sexton had a bad game against the scarlets after a month of sitting on his arse.
    He was in fine form before that especially in the six nations games he played in. I’d expect management to focus more on six nations performances than on a rabo semi.

    Either way,the lions will be well served with either sexton or Farrell at 10. It’s what’s outside that which will be their downfall.

    34
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    Mute Paul O Mahony
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    May 31st 2017, 9:17 PM

    @Barry Dunne: Im pretty certain your faith isnt going to get him a start against the All Blacks. Has to be Farrell starting. Has been the stand out 10 now for a couple of seasons (galls me to say it) but he is just head and shoulders above anyone else.

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    Mute Keaneland
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    May 31st 2017, 10:12 PM

    @sup: IMO I would suspect that this team is Gatlands preferred B side. Everyone chosen is on trial, their last chane to get into the test side. Sexton has had a poor finish to his regular season, Farrell has had the opposite finish to his season. In the no 10 role confidence has a massive role to play in performance.

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    Mute bog wars
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    May 31st 2017, 11:23 PM

    @Keaneland: think this is just a team that was in camp first and are more up to date on plays etc

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    Mute Paul O Mahony
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    Jun 1st 2017, 8:31 AM

    @Martin Quinn: we have to take off greentimted glasses. Farrell is like Sexton in his prime and actually more versatile.

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    Mute Tony O'Sullivan
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    Jun 1st 2017, 10:32 AM

    @Al Delaney: The less Sexton plays the better for Ireland and Leinster – screw the Lions – its a amatuer british tradition

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    Mute Tony O'Sullivan
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    Jun 1st 2017, 10:36 AM

    @Martin Quinn: Was he not needed in the semi finals for Leinster? Restarts not going 10, kicking out on the full and dropping passed. I love Sexton – and at his best he’s world class – but he hasn’t been great in last few weeks – so Gatland rightly wants to assess him – that said – I hope he continues his form and doesn’t get smashed up so he’s spared a mauling in the tests. Let Farrell take those hits.

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    Mute sup
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    May 31st 2017, 9:04 PM

    I used to enjoy the lions tours but now the obsession over analyzing every single play and game for the 12 months leading up to it really does my head in.

    “What does Ireland win in Chicago mean for the lions tour?” – I couldn’t give a fu(k, we just beat the all blacks!
    “What does Ireland win over England mean for the lions and the sexton/Farrell debate” I don’t care we just beat England in the six nations
    “What does wales victory over Ireland mean for the lions. Is Rhys Webb now ahead of Conor Murray?” – I’m too upset to think about this crap, we just lost to wales. I don’t w

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    Mute sup
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    May 31st 2017, 9:08 PM

    @sup: and now this is going to be intensified even more. For every dropped pass or missed kick in the provincial games, it’s all going to be “oh that won’t impress gatland and co”, “ooh that poor performance from CJ might open up the door for Haskell” Yawn.

    I just want to enjoy some good rugby and what will be some really fascinating games against the super 15 teams, and hopefully a competitive test series.

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    Mute Rhonda
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    Jun 1st 2017, 10:20 AM

    @sup: fair play lad this is hilariously accurate. I agree entirely but still love the lions tour. As you say the analysing is so tedious and Stuart Barnes in particular needs to retire. The man talks out his hole far more than the other pundits.

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    Mute clubber lang
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    May 31st 2017, 9:20 PM

    How did Te’o and Laidlaw make the squad ahead of Scott Williams and Gareth Davies? I think Gatland must have an anti-Welsh bias

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    Mute Eamonn coughlan
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    May 31st 2017, 8:38 PM

    Exciting back 3

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    Mute Julian
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    May 31st 2017, 9:05 PM

    Can’t see the Lions doing anything on this tour!! NZ teams on fire at the moment and probably better individual players overall

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    Mute Gustave H
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    May 31st 2017, 10:17 PM

    I think this squad has absolutely no relevance to anything regarding the test side.

    Grieg Laidlaw would want to perform though. Not a clue how he’s made the squad.

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    Mute Glenbower
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    May 31st 2017, 8:57 PM

    Looking forward to some Mystic Meg Kremlinologist reading significance into this team and working out the planned 1st Test team !

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    Mute clubber lang
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    May 31st 2017, 8:59 PM

    Looks weak

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