George North and Courtney Lawes joined the rest of the 2017 British & Irish Lions squad as they visited 12 different sites in the North Auckland community this afternoon.
All 41 players – split up into groups of three or four with nationalities intermingled – set off from QBE Stadium after the Captain’s Run, visiting seven schools, three hospitals and two retirement villages in total on their way to Whangarei for tomorrow’s Tour opener.
At each community visit the players met, mingled and exchanged gifts with the locals.
North teamed up with Liam Williams and Jack McGrath as they headed to Rangitoto College to meet the New Zealand locals and collect souvenirs for the team room.
Lawes was joined by Conor Murray and Jared Payne. The trio went to Waitekere Retirement Village to pay their respects to the elderly community in the country; Lawes handed out gifts and meet the locals.
The Lions first game against a NZ Provincial Barbarians takes place tomorrow (Saturday 3rd). You can catch the action on Sky Sports 1 from 8am (GMT).