Ulster trio miss Gatland's Lions cut
Best, Payne and Henderson all out for All-Blacks Test
All three Ulster stars have been left out of the Lions squad to face the All-Blacks in the first Test game of the New Zealand tour.
Rory Best, who skippered the side that beat the Chiefs along with Jared Payne and Iain Henderson will play no part in Saturday’s big game.
It is particularly disappointing for Henderson who has impressed in all of the games to date.
And Payne can also feel aggrieved. He was one of the stars against the Chiefs – scoring one try and setting up another.
Head coach Warren Gatland named his squad last night with Ireland flanker Peter O’Mahony taking the captain’s armband.
The 27-year-old could so easily have missed the Lions tour altogether had he not excelled as a last-minute injury replacement in Ireland's 13-9 Six Nations win over England in March.
The Munster player jumped off the bench for the full 80 minutes in Dublin after Jamie Heaslip suffered a back problem, and his relentless showing sealed his Lions tour call-up.
O'Mahony admitted he could never have envisaged captaining the Lions in a Test match when he slotted in for Heaslip on March 18 - but he has vowed to repay Foley and all those who have helped him to this point.
Asked if he could have predicted his captaincy even just three months ago, O'Mahony replied: “No, not at all.
“You would hope he (Foley) would be proud. It's been a difficult season, but you try and take as many positives out of it as you can.
“The experiences I have had and we've all had here, it's about learning and growing.''
O'Mahony missed Ireland's first-ever win over the All Blacks, the stunning 40-29 in Chicago on November 5.
Ireland formed a figure-of-eight line-up to face the haka in tribute to Foley at Soldier Field, with the latent power clearly spurring on Joe Schmidt's men.
While Ireland have toppled the All Blacks, O'Mahony has not - and the Cork native is itching to take on Steve Hansen's side this weekend.
“It's the Lions against the All Blacks and you have got to use everything you have had over your entire rugby career and try and use it all for Saturday,'' said O'Mahony.
“There are guys who are hugely disappointed but they have been out there today training their hearts out to try and prepare the team as best they can. Everyone is rolling in behind us.'