Force is with Brian O"Driscoll and Manu Tuilagi

“The guy tends to make holes wherever he goes. He will create opportunities for others by the lines he runs and the way he carries the ball. But he is one threat among many talented players when you look at our back line,” said the acting captain.

“Now that this has happened, it’s a very exciting prospect to be playing with him. He has a really good range to his game.

“People see the strong ballcarrier and destructive tackler, but he has an array of skills that don’t get the credit they deserve.”

Tuilagi, at 22 to O’Driscoll’s 34, is young and wide-eyed enough to appreciate the privilege of playing alongside “the legend that is Brian O’Driscoll”.

Tuilagi added: “It will probably be the other way round, me following him around. Everything Brian says, I will do.

“I try to develop my skills and learn about the game, but on the field you have to play to your strengths. Last Saturday’s game against the Barbarians went really well. Every player picked for the Lions was at the top of his game and they set the bar very high.”

Full-back Rob Kearney is discounted from Saturday’s selection by a hamstring injury that Gatland admits is causing concern. With a complete change from the XV who melted while putting 59 points past the Barbarians in Hong Kong, that leaves six players – excluding Kearney but including Warburton – who can expect to start against Queensland if Gatland fulfils his pledge to give everyone a chance in the first three games.

Western Force have only two players made unavailable by inclusion in the Wallaby squad.

But as they have a Super-15 fixture with New South Wales on Saturday, coach Michael Foley – once of Bath – will fi eld no more than one-third of a first team against the Lions.

To hold back most of his preferred men for the weekend, he has had to summon Sydney club players from across Australia. If anything is likely to undermine the Lions, both on this tour and as a concept, it is the deliberate paucity of the non-Test opposition.

Force is with Brian O"Driscoll and Manu Tuilagi