British and Irish Lions

Jones could face a fifth straight loss as national team boss when the Wallabies play the All Blacks in Auckland on Saturday but Connolly believes the Australians should keep faith.

"I am certain Jones is the right man to take us to the next World Cup but he needs skilful technical assistants," Connolly told the Sydney Sun-Herald newspaper.

"He also needs administrators to put together a worthy domestic competition and Super 14 coaches who can produce enough players who are up to international standard.

"With two years until the World Cup, Jones will be looking for cover for some of his ageing players.

"(Prop forward) Bill Young's career is in the balance but Super 12 has thrown up no-one to replace him."

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.