British and Irish Lions 2013: Barbarians selection row cast shadow over opening tour match Yet the Baa-Baas made their decision on rugby grounds, sensitive to the damage their reputation had suffered when performing so abjectly against England. Varty was considered a luxury choice and they selected accordingly. Alarm bells had already sounded as Barbarians coach Dai Young shaped to read out the team. He was summoned from the room by Baa-Baas committee member Mike Burton. Later, a hastily summoned meeting of Lions and Baa-Baas power brokers was convened in the lobby of the Barbarians hotel which butts up to where the Lions are based. Lions chief executive John Feehan was present, as was Barbarians chairman John Spencer, a highly regarded figure who also sits on the IRB and home unions committees. Neither party was prepared to comment. There is little doubt, though, that extreme pressure was brought to bear on the Barbarians. The Lions vehemently deny that there was any contractual obligation to select Varty but, equally, the response to his initial omission shows just how sensitive the subject is. There has been a mixed response to the presence of the Lions in Hong Kong. The stadium, which attracts a 40,000 capacity crowd for the annual sevens event, is likely to be only two-thirds full. Varty's presence might lift that figure to around 30,000. Ticket prices are around £100, trading at roughly the same levels as a whole day sevens ticket. It is a pity that there has been such a ruckus off the field for the entertainment on it promises to be lively. So intent are the Barbarians on putting on a show after the horrors of Twickenham that an alcohol ban has been self-imposed by the players. "The players know that last weekend wasn't good enough and it was a kick up the backside for us," said manager Derek Quinnell. They know, too, that if they don't look after their bodies in this sort of heat [27C, 80F], they've got a problem coming. The Barbarians trailed 40-0 at one point and came back to 40-12 by the end. There are 11 changes from the side who started against England, with Sergio Parisse coming in as captain. There are three uncapped players in Wasps duo Elliot Daly, at centre, and back-row forward Sam Jones as well as Ulster's New Zealand-born Jared Payne. "That performance against England hurt me," said Young. We do not expect to win every game but we do expect to be better than that. We are not going to shy away from the fact that we let ourselves down. Reputations take a long time to build but can be lost very easily. We will have to be a lot better against the Lions. Wales prop Paul James and Perpignan's James Hook will have an added incentive after being overlooked by the Lions.