The British and Irish Lions won their final warm up game ahead of the opening test with the All Blacks at Eden Park on Saturday, as the tourists controlled a Chiefs pack, recording a 34-6 win at the Waikato Stadium in Hamilton.

Exeter Chiefs man Jack Nowell enjoyed a profitable outing after a tough tour, scoring a double, to add to penalty try and a further Jared Payne score, as Warren Gatland now is tasked with picking his strongest XV for the might of New Zealand in just four days time.

In a wholly rotated line up from the XV that cruised to a dominant win versus the Maori All Blacks in Rotorua on Saturday, Gatland rang the changes.

As expected, all six of the Lions call-ups in Kristian Dacey, Cory Hill, Gareth Davies, Finn Russell, Tomas Francis and Alan Dell were named but only on the bench.

Elliot Daly and Liam Williams made the back line looking to cement their names for this weekend's opening test.

Early setback

In what was a cagey start, Dan Biggar had given the tourists a penalty lead in the ninth minute. The early cheer was rather subdued, as Joe Marler was then sent to the sin-bin after a late shoulder tackle on Nepo Laulala.

The man deficit did not hinder Lions progress however, as the Welsh flyhalf doubles the advantage when the hosts infringed from a line-out. The Chiefs did pull three back shortly after through Steven Donald.

Nowell opens account

As the England prop returned to the field, the Lions pounced on their prey.

After silky play from Liam Williams to scamper through the Chiefs' defence, Jack Nowell who had endured a tough tour thus far, was the man on hand to pick up the pieces and dove over from close range after the breakdown.

The Lion pack looked to ram home their advantage before the break, but instead conceded a late penalty to reduce their advantage to 13-6 at the break.

Tourists take command

After a scoreless ten minutes of the restart, Courtney Lawes was initially forced off with a head injury as Allan Wyn Jones stood in.

The hosts were again guilty of sloppy possession play and after being unable to prevent the maul pushing on, the hosts were penalised for throwing bodies at the ruck, with Jerome Garces awarding a penalty try.

To compound matters With the man deficit this time for the Chiefs, Gatland's men seized their chance.

As Lawes returned to the fold, the Lions roared on as Elliot Daly evaded a string of blocks. His work found Nowell out wide and the Exeter man showed his tricky feet and sold a delightful dummy, to dive over for his second score of the evening.

Lions roar on

With places still on the line for ahead of the trip to Auckland, the Lions began to dominate the tiring Chiefs.

Nowell and Williams were again involved on the break, with the Welshman jinking inside and out, Jared Payne was left with an easy run in to add a fourth try.

The Irishman should have added a second score but racing arriving on the flanks, fumbled yards short of the line.

As the final whistle blew in Hamilton, the Lions mid-week side had cantered to a win versus a ragged Chiefs outfit.

With eyes now switching to all together stronger opposition ahead, the likes of Liam Williams, Iain Henderson but particularly Jack Nowell did themselves no harm in pushing for selection in the cauldron atmosphere that will greet the Lions, this Saturday.

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About the author
Neil Leverett
33 year old writer living in London. Arsenal fan but all rounder, specializing in sporting analysis, in particular football.