Greenwood trusts Lions selection for All Blacks

Will Greenwood says that ‘we have to trust’ the Lions selection for Saturday’s first Test against New Zealand because of what Warren Gatland and his coaches have achieved.

Gatland named his team on Wednesday evening which includes four changes from the side that beat the Maori All Blacks last Saturday.

“The Lions tour party is growing in confidence and self-belief,” Greenwood told TRU.

“When you have a coach that won a Lions tour four years ago, a defensive coach that has beaten the All Blacks with England and Ireland and a line-out coach who was part of a world record attempt with England, you just have to trust these people.”

Liam Williams was one of the surprise selections made by Gatland as he starts ahead of Leigh Halfpenny at full-back while Elliot Daly is also included in the back three when the tourists meet the All Blacks in Auckland.

Greenwood added: “I did expect Halfpenny to start, but you can see why Williams is in. He was excellent against the Chiefs on Tuesday and really put his hand up.

“In terms of Daly, he is a heck of a player. He has done everything which has been asked of him on this tour. He has focused his mind on being a winger and you can tell because he is so quick and sharp.

“On Tuesday, he played brilliantly, but there also has to be some sympathy for George North. He is not in the 23, but I will put my house on the fact that he will be in the 23 at some stage on this Lions tour.”

One of the other areas of selection contention is in second row as pre-tour favourite Alun Wyn Jones has been given the nod ahead of the in-form Maro Itoje, but Greenwood can see why Gatland has gone with the Welshmen.

“I think Gatland is thinking about impact,” the former Lions tourist added. “Get to the 50-55 minute mark and unleash Itoje, but what an embarrassment of riches we have got in that position.

“Wyn Jones has been the standout player in the northern hemisphere at second row in the recent era. He was huge in 2013 and he has been a great leader on and off the pitch in this tour. He is a player Gatland trusts and his experience may well be vital.”

Elsewhere, Ireland's Peter O'Mahony will skipper the Lions at Eden Park after impressing in the back row and Greenwood championed the captaincy, highlighting his aerial ability as well as his ‘worth ethic and integrity.’

All Blacks Team News

While O’Mahony will lead out the Lions, opposition captain Kieran Read returns to the New Zealand squad after recovering from a thumb injury. In the backs, Blues winger Rieko Ioane has been selected ahead of Julian Savea, Waisake Naholo and Nehe Milner-Skudder with all three not even included in Steve Hansen’s 23-man squad.

Other standout team news includes Sonny Bill Williams who will start at inside centre whilst Ryan Crotty is at 13 and Greenwood says he can understand the choices which Hansen has made.

“Sonny Bill Williams hasn’t played that much rugby at the calibre he did against the Lions for the Blues but he is a big game player,” added Greenwood who toured New Zealand with the Lions in 2005.

“On the wings, Hansen has taken a little bit of a chance in Ioane. He was very quiet against the Lions for the Maoris, but it wasn’t a night for wingers and he also showed his extraordinary ability to score and make ground for the Blues. They have such strength in depth on the wing.

“They have also gone with [Israel] Dagg who has all the experience. He is also a good full-back and they know the Lions will kick so he is out there to defuse Owen Farrell and Connor Murray’s kicking games.”

‘Lions will be remembered for what happens over the next three weeks’

The first Test between the sides will take place at Eden Park, a venue at which the All Blacks are undefeated in 23 years.

The Lions have certainly started to peak at exactly the right time as they prepare for arguably the toughest challenge in sport, but Greenwood believes that the Lions’ improvements on this tour will not be remembered unless they beat the All Blacks.

“A Lions series is remembered for the results in the test matches,” he added. “In 2005, the midweek team were unbeaten, but you tell me how that tour was judged?

“This tour, the guys have lost two out of three midweek games but if they win the series, no-one remembers that.

“It is about picking the right battles to win. In the Oxford v Cambridge boat race, you have a simple W or L next to your name which doesn’t tell you about your season and the same applies at the Olympics where you get gold or you don’t for four years work.”

“For the Lions, it is all about a series win. Anything else, unfortunately, is deemed a failure and that is how we are judged in the 21^st century.”

The second Test takes place in Wellington next weekend before the teams meet again at Eden Park on Saturday, 8 July.

Teams

New Zealand: B Smith; I Dagg, R Crotty, SB Williams, R Ioane; B Barrett, A Smith; J Moody, C Taylor, O Franks, B Retallick, S Whitelock, J Kaino, S Cane, K Read (capt).

Replacements: N Harris, W Crockett, C Faumuina, S Barrett, A Savea, TJ Perenara, A Cruden/L Sopoaga, A Lienert-Brown.

British and Irish Lions: L Williams (Wales); A Watson (England), J Davies (Wales), B Te'o (England), E Daly (England); O Farrell (England), C Murray (Ireland); M Vunipola (England), J George (England), T Furlong (Ireland); AW Jones (Wales), G Kruis (England); P O'Mahony (capt, Ireland), S O'Brien (Ireland), T Faletau (Wales).

Replacements: K Owens (Wales), J McGrath (Ireland), K Sinckler (England), M Itoje (England), S Warburton (Wales), R Webb (Wales), J Sexton (Ireland), L Halfpenny (Wales).