British and Irish Lions

Italy entertain Sir Clive Woodward's world champions at the Flaminio Stadium on Sunday with Kirwan facing a mounting injury list and he will give his walking wounded every chance to prove their fitness.

"I still need another day to decide on the 22 players for the first match against England.

"At present there are a few players under observation from our medical staff - like Silvio Orlando and Santiago Dellape, who has just recovered from an ankle problem. We want be sure he is fully fit.

"Mirco Bergamasco has picked up a slight knock and I have spoken with Gonzalo Canale who is ready to return to training but we are still waiting on Alessandro Troncon.

"He has been out for a while and it is better for him to return for his club before joining up with the Azzurri so Andrea De Rossi will be our captain."

The Lions of Leicester and Leinster will bring domestic bragging rights with them to tomorrow's farewell dinner after they helped their respective sides to league titles on Saturday.

Assistant coach Graham Rowntree says The British & Irish Lions will have to be fully focussed to avoid a potential banana skin when they face The Barbarians a week today.

Lions skipper Sam Warburton says the lessons he and his Welsh colleagues learnt in Australia last summer will stand them in good stead for their return visit with Britain and Ireland's elite next month.