The British and Irish Lions named their 41-man squad for their tour of New Zealand on Thursday [NZT], and while the All Blacks won’t be naming their squad till June, there is one player the Lions will fear according to BBC rugby reporter James Burridge.
Speaking to Andrew Gourdie and Jim Kays on RadioLIVE’s Sunday Sport, Burridge said he fears first-five Beauden Barrett more than any, as he has the ability to turn the match on its head with the click of a finger.
"Beauden Barrett is unbelievably talented and I think any rugby pundits look at what Barrett can do and are terrified," said Burridge.
"I have watched him and nothing fazes him and he is not much of beefcake. He can be stale and then he can rip your heart right out.
"A fully fit Beauden Barrett is Warren Gatland’s worst nightmare."
One man who won't be on the plane to New Zealand is Kiwi-born hooker and England captain Dylan Hartley. Burridge believes that the 31-year old should have got the selection nod as he brings much-needed experience.
"Dylan Hartley for me should be touring. He is part of the reason why England are playing a better brand of rugby.
"He has huge experience and when you playing New Zealand you need bucket loads of that.
"Another one I’m surprised about is Joe launchbury. How you can have a player who played out of his skin every game for England and somehow can’t make the lion’s squad is beyond me.
"Gatland has his reasons and he doesn’t care what I think."
However former All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry believes that Gatland made the right decision, telling RadioLIVE that Hartley is simply ‘not good enough.’
"On pure ability, I don’t think Hartley is good enough as a football player," said Henry.
Many expect the All Blacks to win the three-match test series against the Lions and make light work of their opposition.
If the tourists are to have any chance of winning, Burridge says they have to dominate the set piece which will frustrate New Zealand’s backline.
"You can’t outplay New Zealand playing like New Zealand," said Burridge.
"I think Gatland will take a piece out of Eddie Jones’ book and work around the set piece.
"If you can disrupt the lineout, you disrupt Barrett and the backline. If you can win the set piece battle it makes things easier."
The first match of the tour for the Lions is against a New Zealand Barbarians side on June 3 in Whangarei.
Newshub.
