READ IS FEELING AT HOME

KIERAN READ insists his squad are ready to embrace the pressure that comes with their home record when they take on the Lions in today’s first Test. His side are unbeaten in 46 Tests at home and have not lost at Eden Park since 1994 — before wing Rieko Ioane was even born. ‘We will go out there and expect to win,’ said Read. ‘Probably everyone in New Zealand will expect us to win but we have got to make sure we go out there and do that — it doesn’t just happen. ‘There is always pressure on us, we don’t mind pressure. Losing would be pretty bad. From our perspective it is a massive challenge. As All Blacks we want to take that head on and embrace it.’ He also spoke about the special nature of Eden Park. ‘Essentially it is our home,’ he added. ‘We play across the venues in New Zealand but this is probably the one we feel the most at home at. We have won the World Cup here.’