Lions face a doomsday scenario

14 April 2012

Defeat for the British and Irish Lions today could have massive repercussions for the rest of the tour. A second successive loss would undermine Clive Woodward's plans for the Tests and that is why the head coach is sending the first choice back division into action against Wellington at the Westpac Stadium.

If Brian O'Driscoll and his fellow backs fail to secure a much needed win following the defeat by the New Zealand Maori on Saturday, the pressure on the touring party will become intense.

It appears some of the squad are already losing their cool with two players trading blows in a training ground bust-up on Sunday.

Woodward's men must beat Wellington in some style to convince the many doubters that the three-Test series with the All Blacks will be truly competitive.

The Lions' cause has not been helped by injuries with Lawrence Dallaglio (ankle), Malcolm O'Kelly (groin) and Simon Taylor ( hamstring) all being forced to withdraw from the tour.

Furthermore, England flanker Lewis Moody will discover today if his knee problem will rule him out of the remaining matches. That would be a severe setback for the Lions, who are desperate to field a back row that can match the All Blacks in what has become an intensely physical battle at the breakdown.

Moody is strong enough to stand toe to toe with the best the All Blacks can muster, but he has a history of injury problems that suggest his time on tour may have run out.

If that does happen then the focus will fall with even greater intensity on Neil Back. The Leicester player retires at the end of this tour but is determined to go out on a high.

His competitive spirit was all too evident against London Wasps in last month's Zurich Play-off Final when his punch left Joe Worsley needing 13 stitches in his mouth.

Having served a three-week ban for that loss of self-control, Back is now being asked to produce a backrow performance that proves the Lions can compete at the breakdown in New Zealand.

Back relishes this kind of challenge but it will take more than his gladiatorial spirit to subdue a Wellington team that is desperate to emulate the Maori achievement.

The Lions need the whole pack to step up to the plate and produce a clinical display of European forward power that will send out a very loud message to the All Blacks.

If the Lions forwards can gain the upper hand, we will then see how powerful the Lions back division really is. On paper, it is the most formidable unit assembled on tour with Josh Lewsey at full-back, Gareth Thomas and Jason Robinson on the wings and captain O'Driscoll and Gavin Henson at centre.

If that wasn't good enough, Jonny Wilkinson is making his tour debut at outside-half alongside the impressive Dwayne Peel, the Wales grand slam-winning scrum-half.

The bookies have no doubts about the outcome.

"Punters like the look of Woodward's selections and are convinced the Wellington team will bear the brunt of a Lions backlash," said David Williams of Ladbrokes. "At 1-12 for a Lions win, punters are preferring to bet on the margin of victory. We've already taken bets on a Lions win by more than 46 points."

Despite this support, in the light of the Maori defeat Ladbrokes have lengthened the odds on the Lions winning the Test series to 5-2 and shortened New Zealand to 2-7.

The majority of the 20,000 Lions fans are not due to arrive in New Zealand until the week of the First Test in Christchurch on 25 June and they want to join a winning tour. That is why the Lions cannot afford another defeat today.

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