The mind games between New ­Zealand and the British and Irish ­Lions escalated last night when All Blacks coach Steve Hansen questioned Warren Gatland’s decision to call up extra players and mocked suggestions that the tourists have been holding something back ahead of the first Test next Saturday.

The Daily Telegraph understands that Gatland is poised to call up four players from the Wales squad that defeated Tonga 24-6 at Eden Park in Auckland - hooker Kristian Dacey, tighthead prop Tomas Francis, lock Cory Hill and scrum-half Gareth Davies.

Two more are expected to be called up from the Scotland side that face Australia on Saturday in Sydney to join up with the squad on Sunday night - they are expected to be fly-half Finn Russell and prop Allan Dell. They will all go straight on the bench in the side selected to play the Chiefs on Tuesday as Gatland seeks to protect his 23-man Test squad.

England players have been overlooked apparently because they are much further away on tour in Argentina, a logic that drew sharp criticism from England coach Eddie Jones on Friday night. “It’s only a 13-hour trip from here to New Zealand,” Jones told the BBC. “The [England] boys could be there. The Lions is a prestigious team – when you become a Lion, you’re remembered for life. I would like to see it picked on merit rather than geographical proximity.”