Coach: Lions will throw everything at us

– New Zealand coach Steve Hansen (right) yesterday said he was expecting the “kitchen sink” from the British and Irish Lions – but scoffed at suggestions the All Blacks weren’t much better than a Super Rugby team.

Hansen played down the Lions’ lacklustre start to their tour, after their narrow victory over the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians and 22-16 loss to the Auckland Blues.

Hansen blamed poor scheduling and teething problems among the composite side for the Lions’ performances, as he named a 33man squad for the three-Test series starting on June 24.

But he dismissed Lions coach Warren Gatland’s claim that the

Auckland

All Blacks would play at a similar level to Super Rugby, saying his opposite number must be “trying a bit of humour”.

“I don’t think there’s any comparison between Super Rugby and Test rugby. I don’t know what his thinking is,” said the All Black coach.

Rather than criticise the visitors after Wednesday’s defeat to the Blues – New Zealand’s weakest Super Rugby team – Hansen called them “the best Lions side to come here”.

“They’re in the infancy of this tour, they’ll only get better, and they’ll be a good side when the Tests come round,” Hansen said.

“It’s well documented they only want to win the Tests.” –