Spare a thought for the travelling loved ones of the collection of British and Irish Lions who have spent the Test series with a watching brief. The pride will not at all be dimmed for those fans in question, and there has been plenty to enjoy about their kin’s contributions to a trip upon which history is within reach, but it is a long way to come for family and friends to not see them feature.
But perhaps that is an overly cynical view – and it is certainly not one shared by the wider squad. Four fewer (27) players have featured in this Test series than four years ago in South Africa, but the buy-in from each and every member of a bloated travelling party has been, according to Andy Farrell, outstanding. “We all came together from day one and said it’s not just about the [match-day] squad, the only thing that matters is the squad and that’s it, full stop,” the Lions head coach explained.
