WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland hasn’t allowed selection plans to be derailed by Wednesday’s loss to the Auckland-based Blues, picking a lineup below test strength for Saturday’s match with the Crusaders at Christchurch.
Gatland said he would give all 41 members of his touring squad a chance to play in the first three matches of the Lions’ New Zealand tour and would not reveal his test lineup until the fifth tour match against the New Zealand Maori, a week before the first test.
He held to that course Thursday in selecting his squad to take on a Crusaders team which is unbeaten in 14 Super Rugby matches this season and will be the toughest opponent the Lions will have faced on the tour to date.