LIONS TOUR

VOICE OF RACING DAY THIS FRIDAY HANDICAP HURDLE (LADY AMATEUR RIDERS) (Class 4) £4,523 2m 167y THE British and Irish Lions play the final midweek game of their New Zealand tour this morning when they face Super Rugby champions Hurricanes.

Here Record Sport looks at five talking points ahead of Saturday’s second Test against the All Blacks.

1. COACHES’ COMMENTS PROVIDE LIVELY BACK-DROP

All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen reacted angrily to Lions boss Warren Gatland’s demand that refs clamp down on New Zealand’s “dangerous” targeting of scrum-half Conor Murray by phoning a radio station to call him “desperate”. It’s an issue likely to rumble on this week.

2. A FINAL PUSH FOR SECOND TEST PLACES

Liam Williams and Elliot Daly set the tone, starring in an impressive win over Chiefs and securing starting spots in the first Test. Their achievement should inspire the squad today.

3. HURRICANES CAN GIVE THE LIONS THE HURRY-UP

The Lions have already lost two midweek fixtures and the Hurricanes are more than capable of making it a treble.

4. LIONS FANS WILL HOPE FOR A BACKLASH

Not only did the Lions lose the first Test they were heavily outgunned physically. The All Blacks’ dominance left a mark and today will be about addressing that.

5. WESTPAC DOES NOT HOLD GREAT MEMORIES

The last time the Lions visited the “Cake Tin” they were baked to a cinder – the All Blacks running out 48-18 winners in 2005.w

PASSING THE PHYSICAL Henshaw, in action against the Chiefs, reckons New Zealand are playing rough but not breaking rules UP FOR IT Lawes insists there will be a reaction from Lions