PLAYER GUIDE – AND THREE CLASHES THAT WILL DEFINE THE TEST

Brodie Retallick v Alun Wyn Jones

You would not find very good odds on a bout of push-and-shove breaking out here. Jones will be central to derailing New Zealand’s important line-out platform. The 31-year-old, who captained the series decider in Sydney four years ago, is a gnarled veteran of

116 Tests, and remains a spiky competitor. Retallick does not tend to take any rubbish, though. He is the All Blacks’ enforcer, a towering presence who does all the dirty work – smashing rucks, stopping carriers – yet is also a distributing playmaker often found at first receiver. If the Lions are to suffocate the hosts, Jones will have to be at his muscular best in the tight exchanges. The driving maul, especially, is an area in which Warren Gatland’s pack will aim to squeeze the All Blacks.

Israel Dagg v Elliot Daly

There are compelling individual tussles across both backlines, with a clash of characters between fly-halves Beauden Barrett and Owen Farrell particularly intriguing. However, Daly’s tussle with Dagg will be fascinating. Both possess similar qualities and began 2016 in relative obscurity. The young Englishman was uncapped, the elder New Zealander miles behind Ben Smith. Since a move from full-back to the wing last June, Dagg has been a vital presence for Steve Hansen. Daly breaks into the side after an eyecatching effort against the Chiefs on Tuesday. As in that game, he must dovetail defensively with Liam Williams in order to defuse New Zealand’s varied kicking game.

Kieran Read v Taulupe Faletau

New Zealand’s captain boasts 97 caps and has won two World Cups. Still, Read would not be human if he did not feel a few nerves as he embarks on a Lions series – the only blank on his CV. The 31-yearold has not played since the end of April, when he broke a thumb. Faletau arrived on this tour relatively fresh following an injury-hit season. And he has been brilliant. So brilliant, in fact, that the absence of Billy Vunipola has been just about forgotten. This pair went toe-to-toe last June when Wales went down to a whitewash, but Faletau impressed in defeat. Although both like to migrate to the wide channels, they will meet plenty of times at the line-out, on the gain-line and around the breakdown.