My difficult start will not get me down, claims Wilko

Wilkinson said: "I am not going to over analyse these things and be to be self-critical. You cannot afford to sit there and think about the negatives that have come out of a game and, in the past, I have given myself a mental bashing.

"I was speaking to some of the other players today about the fact that when you play No10 or No9, you are involved constantly and there will be things that you know you could have been done better - decisions that should have been different.

"I don't mind being a little bit analytical and inward after a game because that's how I have always been and if I stopped then it would probably be the time I worried most!

"If this was the end of the season I might dwell on the performance against Wellington more, but there are games coming up. Do I want another game before the Test start? I would welcome that as much as training because I love being out there."

Wilkinson was switched to inside centre against Wellington and could still appear in that position at some point in the First Test. He is not phased by the tactical move and only realised it was being implemented when Wales No10 Stephen Jones appeared on the pitch.

He said: "I am not reading anything into it. I played there quite a lot when I was younger and the only major difference is that you stand a bit further out.

"The last time I started a game at centre was for the Falcons in the season leading up to the World Cup. For England, it would be back in 1999. I was told to be aware that this may happen before the game started and I am just happy to be on the pitch. I don't sit down and think about having moved to centre, I am more likely to be thinking about how I kicked.

"I don't think we will be underdone going into the First Test because we are coming together and the feel is of being part of one squad not different teams."

Lewis Moody, the Leicester and England flanker who damaged his knee in the week, plays against Otago alongside Welsh No8 Ryan Jones, who has replaced the injured Simon Taylor.

Prop Andrew Sheridan, having shrugged off an ankle problem, is on the bench while the half back combination of Hodgson and Chris Cusiter are reunited following their excellent form against Taranaki. Scotland's Gordon Bulloch captains the team for the first time. England wing Mark Cueto is ignored having only appeared in the first game of the tour.

Lions team: G Murphy (Ireland); D Hickie ( Ireland), W Greenwood (England), G D'Arcy ( Ireland), S Williams (Wales); C Hodgson (England), C Cusiter (Scotland); G Rowntree (England), G Bulloch (Scotland, capt), M Stevens (England), S Shaw (England), D O'Callaghan (Ireland), L Moody (England), M Williams (Wales), R Jones (Wales). Replacements: S Thompson (England), A Sheridan (England), D Grewcock (England), S Easterby (Ireland), M Dawson (England), O Smith (England), R O'Gara (Ireland).