British and Irish Lions

Wales scrum-half Gareth Cooper has admitted that his current position on the substitute's bench could put an end to his dream of becoming a British and Irish Lion.

The Newport-Gwent Dragons scrum-half has played second fiddle to Dwayne Peel this season, with the Llanelli Scarlet starting in the famous Welsh number nine shirt in all of their last five games.

Cooper has been limited to around 20 minutes as a replacement in this season's RBS 6 Nations.

And he admits that his lack of "game-time" is making it tough for him to stake his claim for a place on this summer's Lions tour of New Zealand.

'It is difficult just getting 20 minutes at the end of the game and especially with all the other scrum-halves playing so well,' he told the Western Mail.

'There's Stringer in Ireland and Cusiter's playing well for Scotland and you've got Dawson and Ellis as well - and then there's Dwayne, who's my main rival in the Welsh shirt.

'Everyone seems to be playing well at the moment and it's up to me now to try and get that place back and put my hand up.

'Dwayne has played really well through the autumn internationals and in the first two games of the Six Nations.

'All I can do is try and play well when I get my chances and hopefully my turn will come,' he added.

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.

Tom Youngs has enjoyed a remarkable rise to the top of the British & Irish game but he won't be resting on his laurels ahead of his first Lions adventure.