British and Irish Lions: 'Third choice' Biggar aims to overhaul Test rivals

Dan Biggar says British and Irish Lions fly-half rivals Owen Farrell and Johnny Sexton deserve to be a "fraction" ahead of him in the race for Test selection.

The Wales and Ospreys stand-off, who starts against the Highlanders on Tuesday, says he has "a tough ask" to make up ground before the first Test against New Zealand on 24 June.

"It's not nice to be probably the third choice at the minute," said Biggar.

"It's my job to try and force the order [to be] a little bit different."

Biggar has been cleared to return to action having gone through the return to play protocols after he failed a head injury assessment (HIA) when he was injured in the loss to the Blues on Wednesday.

England's Farrell and Ireland's Sexton are the subject of debate over who should start for the Lions, and Biggar described his rivals as "world class".

Farrell switched to centre and Sexton took over at 10 following Wales centre Jonathan Davies' departure during the Lions' 12-3 win over Crusaders on Saturday.

Davies later failed an HIA.

Biggar, who starts alongside Wales and Ospreys half-back partner Rhys Webb against the Highlanders, said: "I think those two [Sexton and Farrell] probably deserve to be just that fraction ahead at the minute.

"That's being brutally honest.

"But my nature is not to sort of want that to happen. My nature is to sort of really try and close that gap and put some pressure on the two of them.

"And that's the chance that I've got on Tuesday night."

Biggar 'frustrated' by injury

Biggar failed his HIA after leaving the field following a heavy tackle in the tourists' 22-16 loss against the Blues.

"It's a tough ask for me to make up ground," he said.

"I suppose I'm a little bit frustrated at having to come off after 35 minutes on Wednesday when we were going OK.

"So it's just up to me really to try and just do the basics well enough and bring the other guys into play as well outside me [on Tuesday]."

The fixture against the Highlanders in Dunedin (kick off 08:35 BST) is the Lions' fourth of the tour, with matches against Maori All Blacks and Chiefs to follow before the first of three Tests against New Zealand on Saturday, 24 June.