Dylan Cleaver: Gatland may be making meal of his undercooked captain

Skipper Sam Warburton is a workhorse. Photo / Getty Images

The result against the Crusaders was far more significant to the overall health of the British and Lions than their one-point loss to an admittedly understrength Highlanders.

But that can't absolve coach Warren Gatland from the one big problem of his own creation: he is carrying an undercooked captain.

It was widely anticipated Gatland would select familiarity and pick Welshman Sam Warburton as his skipper for the tour but there is a danger in choosing a leader in a highly contestable position, and the former Waikato hooker is about to enter that minefield.

Fine workhorse player as he is - and a clever individual try against the Highlanders added a splash of colour to what had been a grey display to that point - Sean O'Brien is more dynamic ... and less whipped.

The All Blacks would never publicly admit as much but they would rather see Warburton in the No7 jersey than O'Brien.

Gatland could engineer a range of scenarios in his back row, including starting O'Brien and Warburton, but that would mean leaving their best No6 out of the XV.

Blindside Peter O'Mahony and O'Brien were instrumental in disrupting the All Blacks at Aviva Stadium in 2013, a match they had all but won until the clock ticked 80, and were equally effective against the Crusaders in Christchurch.

Warburton' history against New Zealand teams is less gilded.

Captaincy is one of those things that always matters more than it should. To hear Warburton talk of accepting the fact he might not be picked for the test at Eden Park in nine days was curious. Selfless or defeatist? Depends which set of ears you choose to wear, perhaps.

By not selecting Warburton as his starting No7 in the first test, Gatland sends a signal he made a mistake in April. By selecting him, he sends a signal that he is prepared to double down on that error.