Lions risk falling to pieces, insists Jake White

Brumbies coach Jake White says the Lions will “crumble” and lose the series if they fail to win the First Test in Brisbane on Saturday.

The World Cup-winning coach, whose side are depleted for tomorrow’s clash with the Lions due to Wallaby call-ups, said: “Whoever wins the First Test will win the series and Lions head coach Warren Gatland knows that.

“If they don’t win then they will crumble because they have staked everything on winning the First Test. The Wallabies are performing at Brisbane where they love playing and they know that if they are going to win any Test it will be the Brisbane one first up.

“If they win then they will say that the recipe for success is not to play your players against the touring team [in the warm-up matches] and keep them in a training camp. But if the Lions win because they are more battle hardened, then people will say that’s the way to go.”

White is convinced that Gatland should have brought more players from the start of the trip and needed to create two distinct teams. He added: “I would have brought 44 players and have said this is my first team and that is my second — just as Clive Woodward did in 2005 [in New Zealand] but on that tour he changed his mind about who would be in the team.

“I know that because he came to my house and asked me about how to beat the All Blacks.

“There is no harm coming on a tour and telling Owen Farrell you are No2 to Jonny Sexton. Players then get opportunities in the tour matches to change that ranking.”