Saturday's clash in Rotorua should provide a stern test for Warren Gatland's side.
New Zealand Maori v Lions - Saturday, 08:35 Sky Sports 1
When the New Zealand Maori beat the Lions 19-13 in 2005, there was seemingly a slight shrug of the shoulders from the touring camp as it was their first and only non-Test defeat. However, it was a portend for the shambolic 3-0 Test whitewash to follow. If the Maori All Blacks beat the Lions in Rotorua on Saturday, like the Blues and Highlanders have already this tour, then there will surely be real panic in the Lions camp at their prospects for the Test series.
Head Coach Warren Gatland has selected a near first-choice set of forwards and a number of the backline would have been heavy-pencilled in for berths in the Tests against the All Blacks. And there is a real threat of a third tour reverse. Since 2015, the Maori All Blacks brand has become more formalised and has taken off as a significant step between Super Rugby and the national squad. They have played 27 matches and won 23 with the four defeats coming against Munster, Leicester, a similarly-Super Rugby packed New Zealand Barbarians and the England Saxons.
In Munster and Leicester at Thomond Park and Welford Road, the Maoris came up against well-drilled clubs equally steeped in heritage, passion and tenacity. Last year the Maori put 50 points on the USA and Fiji, Japan, Canada, Ireland and England outfits have all been beaten since June 2010.
The Lions will be hoping that was excellent in last Saturday's 12-3 success over the previously unbeaten-for-the-season Crusaders - the set-piece, the rush defence, the discipline in not conceding penalties and the controlling of possession and territory - will finally be the building block for a concerted attacking performance. But they are unlikely to get much leeway with nine recent All Blacks in the Maori matchday 23 including Nehe Milner-Skuder and Rieko Ioane on the Wings, the Chiefs' Damian MccKenzie and Tawera Kerr-Barlow as the Half-Backs and Elliot Dixon and the veteran Liam Messam in the Back Row.
Skipper Ash Dixon is throwing in to Highlanders teammates Joe Wheeler and Tom Franklin, while Openside Flanker Akira Ioane was a menace with his breakdown work and offloading out of the tackle for the Blues against the Lions. The Lions have a pack to put the squeeze on but a six-point start for the Maori looks the bet.
Injury problems have disrupted Nehe Milner-Skudder's Super Rugby season and Test career but there is no doubt about his talent and his standing in the eyes of All Blacks Head Coach Steve Hansen even though he has been left out of the squad for the up-coming Lions series.
His only tries for the Hurricanes this year were a hat-trick against the Rebels and after claiming a brace on Test debut against Australia in Sydney, he made the 2015 World Cup squad and crossed for six more tries including one against France in the quarter-finals and the Wallabies in the Twickenham final.
He has to be backed at 9-5 to score a try in Rotorua when fellow wide men Rieko Ioane and Waisake Naholo scored tries for the Blues and Highlanders and were also denied in the final strides and by the TMO on the occasions.
Hooker Jamie George is value at 15-4 for a try too. The Lions will want to use their forward power to subdue the Maori and the rolling maul and pick-and-go drives are key part of that pressure.
George is one of the main ball-carriers in this area for back-to-back European Champions Saracens and England with good try-scoring effect and in his outings for the Lions so far on tour, he has been stopped close to the line on a couple of occasions.
George also has a knack of knowing when to stand out from a collapsed close-range drive ready for recycled ball or the unexpected. This was best demonstrated by his third-Test try for England against Australia last July.
