Stuart Barnes, the former Lions stand-off, has welcomed the inclusion of all three Scotland players in the tour opener against the Barbarians tomorrow.

Full-back Stuart Hogg, winger Sean Maitland and lock Richie Gray have all been named in Warren Gatland's first line-up for the Hong Kong run-out and will be eager to lay down an early marker as they seek selection for the first Test against Australia in three weeks' time.

With a number of England and Ireland-based players, including the likes of Brian O'Driscoll, Jonny Sexton, Manu Tuilagi and Tom Croft, having joined up with the squad late due to club commitments, there is a heavy Welsh influence in the side, with nine starters and two on the bench. However, Barnes, who toured with the Lions to New Zealand in 1993, is happy to see the Scots trio given an opportunity to shine.

The 50-year-old former Bath back said: "Gatland could have gone for an all-Welsh combination, to say 'let's win this match'. But this is not about the game against the Barbarians in Hong Kong, this is the first game in a stage towards the Test series and I think the balance is pretty good there.

"He's got some Welsh combinations but it's interesting to see all the Scots playing – to see Gray and [Paul] O'Connell in the second row together and the two Scots in the back three along with Alex Cuthbert. I like the look of it."

Gray has already made a strong impression on team-mates ahead of the match, having returned to fitness after sustaining a hamstring injury in the RBS 6 Six Nations.

Adam Jones is used to seeing a show of strength in the gym from Wales team-mates Dan Lydiate, George North and the Lions captain Sam Warburton, but the Ospreys prop has revealed his astonishment at Gray's brute force.

"Our first camp was probably around 70% fitness work – power, endurance, conditioning. At this time of the season there's not so much need to be running around, it's more grappling and pushing and strength work. You can see in the weights room how the level of intensity goes up with the Lions. Everyone is trying to push a few kilos more. The likes of Dan Lydiate, George North and Sam Warburton are freaks in that area, but Richie Gray has impressed me.

"He is such a tall lad but phenomenally strong, dead-lifting 200-odd kg straight off the floor. That is a fair old weight for someone who's 6ft 10in and he is obviously very athletic too."

While Gray is catching the eye in the gym, fellow-Scot Hogg will be hoping his thrilling counter-attacking skills will catch the selectors' eyes in today's encounter. The Barbarians match could easily see him find full throttle, although sweltering temperatures and stifling humidity at Hong Kong Stadium will test players on both sides.

"Being a Scotsman and being used to rain all the time, it's pretty tough coming out here," he said. "But I'm enjoying it. It's massively important to take on water when you are out here. Every stoppage [in training] we've got the strength and conditioners and the nutritionists on with the water, so it's much appreciated. The Under-20s World Cup when we were in Italy was probably the warmest I have experienced, but it is nothing compared to what it is like here."

Hogg, though, can only hope the Lions tour does not go the same way for him as that junior World Cup.

"From a personal point of view, it was a bit of a nightmare. The first against South Africa I got yellow-carded and I ended up getting cited after that. I got banned for two games, which wasn't ideal. It was a massive learning curve there. I was cited for a spear tackle, which was pretty stupid. You learn from your mistakes and I'm a better player for it now."