Wynne Gray: Gatland's troops about to hit trenches

Fitness reports on five-eighths Johnny Sexton and loose forward Sean O'Brien, above middle, were upbeat and also assessments about training progress. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The Lions arrive on Wednesday and play their first game on Saturday in Whangarei.

All the conjecture, assumptions and speculation is about to get aired as coach Warren Gatland and his troops look to cast aside the 2005 results and ill-feeling from that visit in their bid to dethrone the All Blacks.

For the last week, the Lions have been in camp west of Dublin with the coaching staff and about 30 players who will make the trip for the 10-game three-test tour.

Those numbers were higher than expected because Ospreys, Saracens and Leinster were bumped out of their competitions and defence coach Andy Farrell explained they'd been able to make some good progress with their plans. It also meant the bulk of the side to play the Barbarians in the opening match would come from those who'd been to the training camps with those involved in this weekend's Pro12 and Premiership games given some respite.

Burly No8 Billy Vunipola became the second casualty because of a shoulder injury and was replaced by James Haskell but halfbacks Conor Murray, Rhys Webb and Greig Laidlaw all attended to drive the team's style and strategy.

Fitness reports on five-eighths Johnny Sexton and loose forward Sean O'Brien were upbeat and also assessments about training progress.

It was the Lions' second camp where the players' work on the computers and their intensive efforts on the training grounds told Farrell that when they hit New Zealand "we'll roll in with a good couple of weeks under our belt".

There were difficulties preparing an unfamiliar group of players in a short time for such a demanding tour of New Zealand but the Lions were all high-class athletes who grasped new concepts quickly. It would be logical to favour those who had been at the camps to start the opening game.

The remainder will get into action in the second tour match against the Blues who play in Apia against the Reds next Friday before jetting back for their midweek sortie against the tourists.

The Blues are tail-gunners in the New Zealand conference but will bring enough clout to acquaint the Lions with Kiwi standards before they play the front-running Crusaders.

That should be an epic clash between two fiery packs but hopefully referee Mattheu Raynal will have enough control so there are not the levels of violence which marred the infamous 1971 duel at Lancaster Park. It should give us a better gauge on the Lions' overall quality and how they are going to go in the test series.