Ireland have shown us how to win, says Spencer

THE Lions are more than capable of achieving a massive upset against the All Blacks this summer if they can reproduce the sort of pressure that Ireland put on them in their victory in Chicago last autumn.

Tour manager and former England captain John Spencer, a Lions tourist on the successful trip to NZ in 1971, told TRP: “I’m very confident it can be done again. This will probably be the strongest team to leave our shores. It’s great to take Irish players who’ve already beaten the All Blacks.

“The 1971 team are a real inspiration, too. We didn’t know we were making history but we were the first Lions side to win a series there and we haven’t since.

“When you’re playing away, it’s important to have confidence supplied by players who’ve actually beaten them. I think New Zealand have weaknesses because senior professionals have retired. Experience is a great thing in international rugby.

“One of the things the Irish did in Chicago was to keep New Zealand under relentless pressure and any international team will have its less than purple moments if you keep them under consistent pressure. That will have taught our coaches a lot of lessons.

“They have several key players that we need to be aware of. Kieran Read, the captain and No.8 is a good leader. The second rows, Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick, are very experienced and a good combination and fly half Beauden Barrett has made a name for himself.”

The Lions, however, will be focusing more on their own game plan and Spencer,

right, said: “We are not starting our strategy to deal with any individuals. We’re looking to take the game to New Zealand and we want them to adapt to us.” Critical of the lack of preparation time allowed the Lions – they depart on May 29 two days after the Aviva Premiership and Pro 12 finals the previous Saturday and then play New Zealand Barbarians a week later – Spencer insisted changes must be made.

“The Lions need a couple of weeks together at home for proper preparation to have any chance of winning these tours. You can’t be playing a week after domestic finals,” he said.

“What we’ve got to do in the negotiations with World Rugby is to hope that in the future, once every four years, we are given the right opportunity to prepare. We’re hoping for some common sense.”