The importance of New Zealander, Ben Te’o to the British and Irish Lions backline has just increased significantly following the thigh injury to Owen Farrell which has ruled the Englishman out of tomorrow’s match against the Maori All Blacks.
Te’o, who grew up in Orewa, north of Auckland, played rugby and league before leaving for Australia and the NRL as a 17‑year‑old, has already shone on this tour as a player who will almost certainly be in the mix for the first test against the All Blacks.
He is, in other words, perfect for coach Warren Gatland’s game‑plan of putting the opposition in a vice and squeezing until the mistakes come.
The Maori All Blacks will host the British and Irish Lions at 7.35pm tomorrow.
Source: stuff.co.nz
