Lions Tour 2017: Warren Gatland calls up six players

The British and Irish Lions have called up six players to join their squad.

The Welsh quarter of Cory Hill, Kristian Dacey, Gareth Davies and Tomas Francis joined the squad this afternoon following their test against Tonga in Auckland last night.

Scotland pair Allan Dell and Finn Russell will link up with the squad in Hamilton tomorrow after playing in their nation's win over Australia today.

"We have said all along that we need to give ourselves the best chance of winning the Test series and that could potentially involve calling up players," said Lions coach Warren Gatland.

"Bringing in these players from an identical time zone, who can hit the ground running and step straight in rather than having to adjust following long-haul travel will help us manage players before the 1st Test, give us quality training numbers to prepare properly as well as offering us options for selection for the Chiefs match.

"These are players currently on international duty who we are looking forward to welcoming into the Tour party as we did with several players in 2013. I spoke to all the Home Union coaches prior to departure and explained our thinking and they were all supportive."

Gatland has selected Scottish and Welsh only because they are in location to make short-haul trips from Sydney and Auckland.

England, meanwhile, are on tour in Argentina and Ireland are in Japan.

The composition of three front-rows, one lock, one scrum-half and one fly-half will, in theory, allow Gatland to rest his entire 23-man Test squad against the Chiefs.

Despite Stuart Hogg's departure with a facial injury, the half-dozen arrivals will leave Gatland with a 46-man squad - two larger than Sir Clive Woodward's 2005 party.

The Lions have been maintaining a "one squad" mentality but All Blacks coach Steve Hansen pre-empted the call-ups and mischievously hinted at a split in the camp.

"I think he is about to bring a few extra players out to give himself the ability to play with two squads," said Hansen.

"He's at the stage where he wants to do that. I guess he will bring them out from the UK."

Lions lock George Kruis, however, claimed Hansen is in no position to comment on what is going on behind the scenes.

"He's entitled to his opinion and he's obviously a well-respected coach, but he doesn't know what's going on inside the camp," said Kruis. "He can have his own opinion but we've bonded pretty well.

"If we win, we celebrate together. If we lose, we're all upset. There will be a big emphasis on any new guys having to add to the group. They'll obviously be helped out in getting up to scratch."

- NZ Herald and Daily Mail