British and Irish Lions

Gavin Hastings was delighted to hear of Mike Blair's call up to the 2009 Lions squad, both from the point of view of Blair himself and for the sake of the entire Scottish nation.

The former Lions skipper and Grand Slam winner believes Blair's selection ahead of the likes of Danny Care and Dwayne Peel is fully justified after Ireland's Tomas O'Leary succumbed to injury shortly after the original tour party was announced.

The Edinburgh scrum-half has followed in Hastings' footsteps in captaining his country and he will now turn his attentions to emulating the legendary full back's achievements as part of a winning Lions side in Australia back in 1989.

"Mike will certainly not take a step back against South Africa," said Hastings, after Blair joined fellow Scots Nathan Hines and Euan Murray in Ian McGeechan's 37-man squad.

"He'll relish the battle and that's what will be needed out there.

"I'm delighted the tartan contingent has gone up. Three's better than two but once you're out there you become a Lion, irrespective of your nationality and the players all have to bond."

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.