The Morning Sports Briefing

Owen Farrell is expected to pip Johnny Sexton to the Lions number 10 jersey for Saturday’s opening Test against New Zealand.

In Gerry Thornley's probable XV, and he's rarely too far off with these things, Farrell's inclusion is the only change to the team that overcame the NZ Maori last weekend. The official team announcement is due this evening.

There’s an interesting piece in this morning’s pages from Rob Cole, about the Irishman Ronnie Dawson; the only captain to lead the Lions to victory over the All Blacks at Eden Park.

"As far as omens go for the British and Irish Lions in their Test opener against the All Blacks this weekend, Warren Gatland could do no better than to pick Munster's Peter O'Mahony as his captain . . . "

Godolphin Power back to life with Royal Ascot hat-trick

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Peter O’Mahony hoping to emulate Ronnie Dawson as a winner in Auckland

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Kiwis 'stunned to see such ambition and skill' from the Lions

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Frankie Dettori ruled out of Royal Ascot

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In his column this morning Darragh Ó Sé asks; who in their right mind would be a manager?

He feels for the likes of Andy McEntee and Rory Gallagher this week - “watching a total non-performance and that goes deeper than trying to make a few switches. You may as well be standing in front of a train asking it politely to stop.”

Wexford manager Davy Fitzgerald is considering staying in the stands after serving his suspension.

“I felt back that night I could see the game way better. There must be logic in why the rugby managers do what they do. Soccer, it’s a little different, it’s a lot slower.”

Meanwhile Irish success on Tuesday on day one at Royal Ascot was confined to jumps maestro Willie Mullins who won the Ascot Stakes with 4-1 favourite Thomas Hobson.

Racing correspondent Brian O'Connor thinks that Queen's Trust could ultimately prove a value alternative at double-figure odds for today's Prince Of Wales's Stakes. The "drop back to mile-and-a-quarter makes Highland Reel and Jack Hobbs vulnerable."