British and Irish Lions schedule questioned by All Blacks coach Steve Hansen

By PA Sport

Image: New Zealand coach Steve Hansen is unconvinced by the Lions' tour schedule

New Zealand head coach Steve Hansen has cast doubt on the British and Irish Lions' schedule ahead of their three-Test series against the All Blacks.

The Lions are due to arrive in the country on Wednesday and play their first warm-up match against the Provincial Barbarians XV in Whangarei on Saturday - live on Sky Sports - ahead of the first Test in Auckland on June 24.

However, All Blacks coach Hansen says he would have wanted longer to prepare a tour party overseas.

"You'd want to be there a week at the minimum [ahead of the first Test]," he told The Times.

"It's nicer to be longer than that. When we tour we have total control over when we leave the country."

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The New Zealand Provincial Barbarians are promising a fast, exciting style of play when they take on the Lions on Saturday

Former Wales coach Hansen also suggested the majority of the Lions squad could have flown to New Zealand earlier, with most of them not involved in either the Aviva Premiership or Guinness PRO12 finals.

"If most of them are not playing, what's stopping them getting on a plane now with most of the squad, for example?" Hansen added.

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"The option you've got is for the sake of the team. We'll get over there and we'll see [the rest of] you when you get here.

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"What they are asking them to do is pretty difficult, get here Wednesday, play Saturday."

However, he acknowledges Warren Gatland's Lions will not be a pushover, adding: "This Lions squad is one of the best to have been picked for a long, long time.

"We assume Warren is not going to have an epiphany and change the way he plays - but we're only assuming that, we're not believing it until we see them play.

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"With a tour you do get to see the opposition play a bit, so we'll be able to confirm one or two things prior to that first Test."

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