He has opted for an all-Irish combination at nine and 10 against the Maori, with Johnny Sexton starting ahead of Owen Farrell at fly-half and Conor Murray at scrum-half.
The difference between interpretations in the Southern and Northern Hemispheres has always been a subject of debate, but here I think we have a case of the Crusaders not being allowed to do what they are in Super Rugby, where the refs tend to promote continuity and allow the game to flow.
Farrell was tipped to be the Lions' most influential player in the Test series, which kicks off at Eden Park next Saturday.
"Peter will continue to lead the team (if Warburton comes on); I think that's only fair".
With a few Kiwis named in the Lions team Hansen suggested his rival Gatland should have opted to select a few more New Zealanders in his squad.
Now that Farrell has been ruled out of this weekend's match with a grade 1 quadriceps strain, we won't get to see him and Sexton play together until the first Test (we would imagine Dan Biggar will start against the Chiefs on Tuesday). The quicker we can do that we can use that to our advantage on Saturday.
With this game exactly one week out from the first Test against the All Blacks in Auckland, many predicted that the side Warren Gatland picked would be very close to that of the Test side to face Steve Hansen's men. The challenge for them is to repeat it.
"I can't say it will be any more special to playing the Springboks or the Wallabies, or anyone else", he said.
Kabul Truck Bomb Death Toll Rises Above 150
This has been one of the bloodiest weeks in Kabul with more than 80 dead and 450 injured in four days. As it got under way a rocket struck a tennis court in the Indian diplomatic compound.
"It's a quality Lions set piece and we wanted to match that".
In a game which has been billed as the tour's unofficial "fourth Test", O'Mahony will follow Sam Warburton, Ken Owens and Alun Wyn Jones in leading the 2017 Lions.
In the midfield, former NRL player Ben Te'o and Jonathan Davies will be relied upon to put the Lions on the front foot, with George North and Anthony Watson outside them on each wing.
Warburton got better in the second half against the Highlanders on Tuesday, but still looked short of a gallop on his return from injury. We have to do the jersey justice, not just for yourself, but for everything that the Lions stands for.
"His counter attacking and scoring tries has improved significantly, that's kind of what we need from a 15".
Replacment hooker Hika Elliot also brings All Blacks experience to the squad which contains only two players - replacement backs Bryn Hall and Rob Thompson - who have not previously played for the New Zealand Maori.
Leigh Halfpenny has not looked remotely convincing defensively but if he gets a chance against the Maoris, Gatland will pick him.
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