MY 11-POINT PLAN TO BEAT THE ALL BLACKS
1 SCRUM
Watching Graham Rowntree put the Lions through their paces before kick-off proves how vital the scrum is. The three Test referees have seen this power close up, and the Lions will want to reinforce the view that they are the good guys.
2 LINE-OUT
The odd blip, including a howler on the final whistle against the Blues. But the exception is not the rule. This is an area where the Lions can dominate and look to make game-winning opportunities, with five second rows in the full squad who are true experts.
3 RESTARTS
Now regarded as the third set-piece. Errors here can cost you games. The Lions have been very good chasing and receiving. All the wings are proficient, with Elliot Daly an expert in the fast chase and tackle to ground the receiver from the deep kick-off.
4 GOALKICKING
Owen Farrell is nerveless. He may have missed a couple in the warm-ups but if you wanted to put your house on a man to nail the clutch kick then I would back Farrell every day. Leigh Halfpenny has not missed on tour. Daly can kick goals from his own 10-metre line. Enough said.
5 DEFENCE
All New Zealand is talking about the Lions’ suffocating press. If it is damp expect a ferocity to their defensive appetite that will have rarely been seen on a rugby field.
6 TAKING CHANCES
The Lions’ Achilles heel has been their failure to put teams
away when chances have been created. It is a major concern because if you do not take them against the All Blacks, you will lose, so this has to improve, and quickly. 7 BREAKDOWN Not crazily good early in the tour but the defence has gone up a gear. The Lions are beginning to isolate ball carriers and win penalties. The Lions are very direct, but not one-trick ponies. They are improving each game, creating width and opportunities with the pack happy to handle in and around the contact area. The pull-back ball is one area when passes are made behind decoy runners. 9 SHORT SIDES ATTACK The Lions have shown great accuracy and are increasingly comfortable with square shoulders to the opposition, knowing men will run great inside shoulder lines outside them. They now have the confidence to float the ball through their hands if defenders step in. 10 DISCIPLINE A potential weakness for the Lions but there is enough experience to fix this. Gift more than 10 penalties, often used as the benchmark for a disciplined performance, and chances of victory are limited. 11 KICKING GAME Off the charts good, with length, accuracy and control. Conor Murray is the best on the planet and his box kicks versus the Crusaders had the crowd talking. The All Blacks cannot counter-attack if they get hit man and ball by the kick-chase.