Jonathan Sexton could be playing for the British & Irish Lions in Whangarei. In this shot during the Lions' 2013 tour of Australia, Sexton breaks clear to score a try. Photo / Getty Images
Jonathan Sexton could be playing for the British & Irish Lions in Whangarei. In this shot during the Lions' 2013 tour of Australia, Sexton breaks clear to score a try. Photo / Getty Images
The first opponents of the British & Irish Lions during their tour of New Zealand will feature non-Super Rugby players.
Excitement is building in Whangarei with only one year to go before the British & Irish Lions come to New Zealand.
Toll Stadium will host the first game of the tour between the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians and the Lions.
The Barbarians side will feature players selected from the Mitre 10 Cup and Mitre 10 Heartland Championship who were not eligible to play for an Investec Super Rugby team.
New Zealand Rugby chief executive Steve Tew said they expect to name an experienced coach for the Barbarians side early next year.
"He will work hard to get the best out of the players selected," he said.
The five-week tour starts in Whangarei on June 3, 2017, and ends with a test match between the Lions and the All Blacks at Eden Park on July 8, 2017.
Meanwhile, the Blues clash with a Northland Barbarians side could provide players with the chance to put their hands up for selection in the Northland Mitre 10 Cup side.
The match will be played on Friday, June 24 at Toll Stadium in Whangarei with a 6.30pm kick-off.
Northland Rugby Union CEO Jeremy Parkinson said this game will provide ample opportunity for players to give the Northland selectors something to think about.
Jeremy Parkinson.
"The Northland team will basically come from the current wider high performance squad that has been training since November 2015, who are pushing for selection for the Mitre 10 Cup," he said.
"There is some real competition for places and therefore this game represents an important one for them."
The game provides the Blues with a warm-up game at the end of the international window.
Northland has a record five players in the Blues in their captain Matt Moulds, Kara Pryor, Jack Ram, Sam Nock and Namatahi Waa.
Blues coach Tana Umaga said the game is important for his side as they focus on the rest of the Super Rugby Championship.
Tana Umaga.
"I think everyone can see we have made strides forward this year but it is really important for us to finish strongly and that starts with the game in Whangarei," he said.
"Northland is a key part of our club and we look forward to coming north for the game."
Umaga said the game is a chance to support the Northland region and get some invaluable playing time before Super Rugby returns for their final three games of the season.
