Lions v All Blacks decider like a World Cup final – Jenkins
British and Irish Lions assistant coach Neil Jenkins compared Saturday's tour decider against New Zealand to a Rugby World Cup final.
The Lions – seeking their first series win in New Zealand since 1971 – and world champions the All Blacks will go head-to-head in the third and final Test at Eden Park.
Hosts New Zealand were upstaged by the Lions last week, beaten 24-21 in Wellington after Sonny Bill Williams was shown a red card.
And Jenkins knows there is everything to play for in Auckland as the Lions look to condemn the All Blacks to back-to-back defeats in New Zealand for the first time since 1998.
"Look, we know what's coming. They're incredibly good. We know that. Very rarely do they lose and very rarely do they lose at home so everything is on the line," Jenkins told reporters on Wednesday.
"It's the series decider, World Cup final if you like. Whatever you want to label it as, it's a humungous game. We know how hard it's going to be.
"We've got to focus on ourselves. If we can play the way that we want to play and implement our game plan on the All Blacks, well it's going to be an incredibly ... close game. There's no doubting that."
The Lions have enjoyed plenty of rest following their series-levelling victory in Wellington, spending some down time in Queenstown.
During that period, Warren Gatland's side were free to do whatever they wanted, including drink alcohol, and Lions head of strength and conditioning Paul Stridgeon defended the decision.
"We've not needed to put anything like that [alcohol ban] on the players," he said. "The players made their own rules at the start in conjunction with the coaches. They have been very professional and are all very switched on.
"We had a social night early on in the tour but that was very helpful for bonding. The tour has been very arduous for the boys. Every day off we've had, we've travelled. The boys haven't had any proper days off, so it's great to have the boys refreshed.
"The boys have been enjoying some activities, a bit of mental and physical recovery."
Latest Comments
> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
Go to comments