Fit Or Not? Unpicking Lions' Mixed Messages Over Hansen

In nan opaque world of nan British and Irish Lions, nan lawsuit of Mack Hansen's availability, aliases otherwise, for nan first Test against Australia successful Brisbane connected Saturday (kick-off 11.00BST) is simply a funny one.

There had been suggestions that nan Ireland wing, who was expected to beryllium portion of Andy Farrell's squad for lucifer astatine Suncorp Stadium, was carrying a ft wounded aft his awesome nighttime against nan AUNZ Invitational squad connected Saturday successful Adelaide.

On Monday, nan Lions adjunct coach John Dalziel was asked astir Hansen and he indicated nan helping was fine, was taking portion successful nan Lions walk-through convention and was showing nary signs of thing untoward.

A time later and nan image seems to person changed somewhat. Another Lions adjunct coach, Richard Wigglesworth, confirmed that Hansen had, indeed, wounded his ft against AUNZ.

In a confusing question and reply session, Wigglesworth said that Hansen's wounded was thing superior and that nan guidance were not overly concerned astir him while astatine nan aforesaid clip admitting that anybody who didn't train connected Tuesday is "a doubt" for Saturday.

Hansen grounded to play a afloat portion successful training connected Tuesday.

So that makes him a doubt? Well...

With injured full-back Blair Kinghorn besides a concern, Wigglesworth was asked for an update.

"If they [Kinghorn included] get connected nan section tomorrow [Wednesday] and they're better, past they're correct successful contention," Wigglesworth said.

"We've not finalised thing yet, truthful a uncertainty is anyone who didn't train afloat today, but he's decidedly not ruled out."

This is wherever it sewage odd. On nan look of it, we were told, Hansen and Kinghorn could beryllium their fittingness connected Wednesday and put themselves "right successful contention" to make a squad that Wigglesworth, during nan aforesaid question and reply session, suggested has already been settled. These 2 things don't adhd up.

For erstwhile asked astir discussions being had astir nan personality of nan 23 for Saturday, he said: "We cognize we person sewage specified value crossed each positions, truthful we would beryllium lying if we said it was easy.

"In position of really speedy it was, location person been 2 aliases 3 conversations, we person picked and we will show nan lads tomorrow [Wednesday]."

That indicates that Farrell and his coaches already cognize who has made nan 23. So it doesn't really matter really Hansen and Kinghorn train, aliases don't train, connected Wednesday because nan 23 has already been sorted.

Asked if nan wounded to Hansen is why Scotland's Darcy Graham was rushed retired here, Wigglesworth said: "Potentially. We request to make judge we're covered numbers-wise for nan games coming up.

"So that was astir apt expedited a spot quicker because of Blair and Mack not being connected feet coming [Tuesday] and perchance tomorrow [Wednesday]."

Later, Wigglesworth said that Kinghorn had really been connected his feet.

The Lions are truthful secretive astir giving immoderate clues astir their soul workings that they tin necktie themselves up successful knots. The team, you'd hope, would beryllium a full batch much convincing than immoderate of nan chat from Lions coaches these past fewer days, each done successful nan sanction of stealth.

They're present successful Australia but they're thing of a shade squad successful position of nan locals. Winning friends has beautiful overmuch ever been a portion of what a Lions circuit is expected to be, nan very cloth of what makes this point epic and unique.

This 1 is each astir a cold-blooded winning of Test matches. That's nan measurement they're doing it - thing other matters - truthful they had amended win.

The biggest trial of their mettle is looming ample successful Brisbane connected Saturday against a Wallabies broadside who look to beryllium relishing immoderate of nan worldly emanating from nan Lions campy - Henry Pollock's words astir wanting to triumph nan bid 3-0 and Ben Earl's dream of this squad being remembered arsenic nan top Lions statement of them all.

Big Will Skelton was asked astir each of this connected Monday, gathering nan Lions words pinch a grin that seemed to say: "We shall see..."