Steve Richardson has three bets for the second Lions tour game on Wednesday.
Blues v British Lions - Wednesday 08:35, Sky Sports 1
The Lions should be in the zone against the Blues at Eden Park on Wednesday after lacking intensity and precision in Saturday's tour-opener against the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians in Whangarei. Media criticism will have stung and the internal discussions will have been piercing even if outwardly, Head Coach Warren Gatland and players were relaxed about the 13-7 victory, citing jetlag and missed chances rather than lack of creativity.
However, another close encounter is on the cards with the Blues boasting eight past and present All Blacks and conditions are likely to be slippery with a rainy Auckland afternoon forecast. The Blues are the worst New Zealand side in Super Rugby, needing a miracle to make the playoffs, but this description belies their recent efforts and they should be inspired to perform on this once in a career opportunity.
The Blues have lost only three of their last 21 matches against non-Kiwi outfits and all of those defeats have been on their travels. And while they have won only one of their last 22 all-Kiwi clashes, they have been beaten by 13 points only once in the last ten and drew 16-16 with the Chiefs at Eden Park two weeks ago.
Gatland bit at the 'Warrenball' bait in media conferences but this Wednesday team is about power at the set-piece, hustle in the tackle and breakdown area and strong defence and direct running lines in midfield with Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne. A back three of Jack Nowell, Elliot Daly and Leigh Halfpenny is as much about containment as cutting bursts. Rhys Webb offers fizz at Scrum-Half.
A win's a win will be a meaningful post-match Lions mantra from now on on the tour and they will know that they are most likely to achieve this by breaking the Blues up front and by minimising broken field and ball-in-hand opportunities for the hosts, who prefer free-flowing, loose games.
World Cup-winning All Black Sonny Bill Williams, who has been declared fit to feature, Centre-partner George Moala and ten Super Rugby-try Wing Rieko Ioane are the obvious Blues Anytime Tryscorer candidates. However, the 3-1 about older brother Blindside Flanker Akira Ioane crossing appeals.
Akira has scored four Super Rugby tries and is a strong ball-carrier as well as having an understanding of the running lines of Williams and his younger brother honed on the World Sevens circuit.
The Lions will be wanting to improve their cohesion at the driving maul and short-range ruck after spurning chances close to the line on Saturday and barnstorming No.8 CJ Stander heads the list of likely scorers. However, 7-2 is a tidy price about Openside Flanker Justin Tipuric touching down. Tipuric looked lively in his runout off the bench on Saturday, is comfortable in the red shirt after featuring six times in Australia four years ago and does plenty of hard work close to the line as well as making bursts in open field.
