Warren Gatland is probably already feeling like everyone in his home country is against him, after touching down in New Zealand this week as the coach of the British & Irish Lions. Even family are lining up for the opposition. His son, Bryn, will be playing for the Provincial Barbarians against the Lions in the first tour match in New Zealand’s northern most city on Saturday. Clearly, it is going to be an uphill challenge for the away side. What questions face the Lions of 2017 as they start their campaign?
Who will make a name for themselves?
Apparently, 78 per cent of New Zealanders cannot name a single player in the Lions tour squad. Which, presumably, is supposed to show the tourists are a bunch of nobodies.
Maybe it shows rugby-mad New Zealanders — much in the way that cricket-mad India is actually only really in thrall to Indian cricket, rather than all cricket — are only really mad about New Zealand rugby.
Or perhaps it is actually a really impressive figure. Could 22 per cent of the population of Britain and Ireland, after all, name a current All Blacks player? Could that many even name a Lions player?
Whatever the relevance of the survey, it does show there is plenty of scope for touring players to go from zero to hero in the coming weeks.
Lions tours have a habit of doing that. John Bentley, Tom Croft and Alex Corbisiero are just some recent examples of players whose middling international careers reached a zenith in Lions red.
The stage is set for Peter O’Mahony, Kyle Sinckler, or any number of others to earn themselves some proper renown.
Sexton or Farrell, or Sexton and Farrell?
When Gatland wanted a meeting with the fly-halves in his squad, Johnny Sexton joked that Owen Farrell need not attend, as he was a centre.
Many a true word is said in jest. Maybe Sexton was trying to safeguard the No 10 jersey he filled with such distinction four years ago, when Farrell was his back up.
Or maybe it spoke of the fact Sexton would quite like to have the Englishman as the next man along from him in the back line.
That appears on paper the most balanced combination for the Lions, but will it fit Gatland’s game plan?
Is Billy Vunipola replaceable?
Probably not. Which is why Gatland opted to bring in a player, James Haskell, who plays a different position altogether when the Saracens No 8 fell foul of injury before the squad had left.
Vunipola was one of the few guaranteed starters from the initial 41-man Lions squad. Whether the prospective XV can be configured to cover his loss remains to be seen.
At least the likely No 8 will be able to represent Vunipola in spirit. Taulupe Faletau, the Wales No 8, is his cousin.
Have the Lions got any chance ... at all?
Is there any real point to this series? Sure, travel companies will do a roaring trade on tour packages. Merchandise sales will go through the roof.
But do Lions tours exist just to make money? What about the actual competition? The Lions have only ever won six Tests in 113 years of trying in New Zealand.
They have already been deprived of arguably their best player, and had just a few days to introduce themselves to each other pre-flight.
Now they are supposed to beat the back-to-back World Cup winners, in their own back yard. Good luck with that.
Does Chicago matter?
No matter that the Lions have just once won a series in New Zealand, in 1971. Sporting miracles do happen.
Ireland, for example, had never beaten the All Blacks at all before they did so in Chicago last autumn.
The Irish players in the Lions party have been among the least commented on ahead of the tour, but they might hold the key to success.
Jared Payne, Robbie Henshaw, Sexton, Conor Murray, Jack McGrath, Rory Best, Tadhg Furlong and CJ Stander all started in that 40-29 win in the US. Each could make the Lions Test XV, too.
pradley@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport