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Published 09:30 3 May 2017 BST
Updated 11:40 3 May 2017 BST
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"We'll do a little bit of work with those players, in terms of understanding. "The following week, in Ireland, we should have 20 odd players so, again, it's a bit like putting meat on the bones in terms of calls and understanding. The challenge, then, is bringing everyone together after the two finals before we fly to New Zealand."With Munster and Leinster both in PRO12 semi finals, eight Irish players are likely to miss out on the first training camp. That leaves just three Ireland players likely to be available for the camp - Rory Best, Iain Henderson and Jared Payne.
Ulster are in miracle territory in the PRO12, needing to beat Leinster and claim a try-scoring bonus point while Ospreys would have to lose heavily to third place Scarlets. Assuming Ulster miss out, 15 players in the Lions squad should make the training squad.
Indeed, one could just about make out a starting XV from the 15 men with little in the diaries from May 14 to 17:
FORWARDS: Joe Marler (Harlequins), Rory Best (Ulster), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins); Iain Henderson (Ulster), Courtney Lawes (Northampton); Toby Faletau (Bath), Sam Warburton (Cardiff), Ross Moriarty (Gloucester). BACKS: Jonathan Joseph (Bath), Jared Payne (Ulster), Ben Te'o (Worcester), George North (Northampton), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow), Anthony Watson (Bath), Stuart Hogg (Glasgow).Lions captain Sam Warburton may not be fully fit in time for the first camp, following his April knee injury, but Gatland will be pleased to have so many of his Lions players on hand. Saracens are in the Aviva Premiership semi finals and Champions Cup final so their six Lions unlikely to make any of the camps. The likelihood is that most of the players that feature in those two training camps will feature against Barbarians. That means Best, Henderson and Payne should get an early opportunity to stake a claim for the Test Series.
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