Sam Warburton will captain a powerful British & Irish Lions team in Saturday's tour-opener against a Provincial Barbarians XV in Whangarei.

Warburton returns from a knee injury that sidelined him in April, and will start alongside other national captains such as Wales' Alun Wyn Jones, Ireland's Rory Best and Scotland's Greig Laidlaw.

Coach Warren Gatland said he wanted the Lions to lay down an early marker, and therefore included a number of stalwarts in the lineup, including Johnny Sexton at flyhalf.

The starting XV includes five players from England, four from Wales and three each from Ireland and Scotland.

'The balance of the squad is really good, we have selected the majority of players who were together for the training weeks in Wales and Ireland, and they have worked together and prepared well for a number of weeks,' Gatland said.

Interestingly, Gatland's son Bryn will start at flyhalf for the Barbarians, and could also turn out for the Blues in the second tour match next Wednesday.