The bear has been poked – now let’s find out how fierce its roar is

Can the Lions go to another level? They will need to, otherwise it could be difficult for them. New Zealand have not lost successive home Tests since 1998, and they will be thirsting to avenge last Saturday’s defeat in Wellington when they played for 55 minutes with 14 men after Sonny Bill Williams was sent off. The Lions were far more physically intense than they had been in Auckland seven days earlier, but their biggest challenge yet awaits.

Lions head coach Warren Gatland said his players had “poked the bear” with their Wellington win. They now

have to silence the inevitable roar.

How will New Zealand respond in adversity? There is no doubt that the All Blacks have got it all to do. They face the Lions a final time on tour without three players – Ben Smith, Ryan Crotty and Williams, pictured – who started the series just 13 days ago, while the Wellington defeat was a first loss on home soil since South Africa won in Hamilton eight years ago. Many people feel it is unthinkable

they will lose again, but there is no doubt the Lions rattled them in the rain last Saturday. Flanker Jerome Kaino has likened the decider to a World Cup final, which gives an idea of how the All Blacks are approaching it.

How big a factor is Eden Park? It cannot be discounted. New Zealand have never lost there in rugby union’s professional era, reeling off a 39-match unbeaten run

since France beat them 23-20 in 1994. The Lions’ record at Eden Park is dismal, losing nine, winning one and drawing one of the Tests played there, while the All Blacks have scored 30 points or more in each of the last four matches they have hosted against Britain and Ireland’s finest at a venue where they also won the 2011 World Cup final. Ultimately, it is just another stadium and just another pitch, but is a record that cannot be ignored.

Will the Lions keep their discipline? New Zealand began the second Test with a chronic show of indiscipline, seeing Williams red-carded for a shoulder charge into the head of Lions wing Anthony Watson. But it was a totally different story during the third quarter as the 14-man All Blacks dominated. At one stage, the Lions conceded five kickable penalties to New Zealand flyhalf Beauden Barrett during a 15-minute spell, and had prop Mako Vunipola sin-binned fol-