Wales scrum half Dwayne Peel has revealed the level of desire that the wounded Lions will take in to the third and final Test at Eden Park. Last Saturday’s 48-18 defeat at the Westpac Stadium means tomorrow’s game at Eden Park in Auckland is nothing more than a dead rubber in terms of the series score.
However, Peel believes that the Lions will go home with pride in tact if they can manage to finish the 11-match excursion on a winning note. With the All Blacks having lost four players to injury this week, the Lions are understandably confident about turning around their fortunes and gaining that elusive victory.
Peel said: “We were beaten fair and square in Christchurch and Wellington, but tomorrow is a new day and a new game. If we go out there and improve as much as we did between the first and second Tests, we have a chance of being really competitive. It’s important for us and for all of the Lions fans that we come home with a win under our belts.”
After teaming up with Jonny Wilkinson last weekend, Peel is back in harness at half back with his former Scarlets teammate Stephen Jones. Jones was ommitted from the side in Wellington after disappointing in Christchurch, but finds himself back at the helm in a back division that shows significant change.
Geordan Murphy, Mark Cueto and Will Greenwood come into the side with Jason Robinson, Gavin Henson and Wilkinson missing out. Murphy plays at full back to allow Lewsey to switch back to the wing, whilst Gareth Thomas plays again in the centre alongside Greenwood. It was through Greenwood’s channel that the Lions suffered so many problems in the first Test.
Tomorrow it promies to be even tougher for the Quins’ veteran as All Blacks captain Tana Umaga moves to No.12 to accommodate Conrad Smith at outside centre. With Leon Macdonald out, Luke McCallister plays at outside-half. Smith takes over from Aaron Mauger (hamstring) whilst Sione Luataki comes in for Richie McCaw, who is also suffering with hamstring trouble.
All Blacks Coach Graham Henry said: “It has been a difficult week in terms of injuries and fatigue, but the boys are well up for it and are hoping to make it 3-0. Having said that, I know how much it means to the Lions to register one victory.”
If the Lions are to have any joy, they will need to curb their own indiscipline and force the All Blacks to overstep the mark just as they did in the first ten minutes in Wellington. Anything less and the hosts will almost certainly close off the whitewash with consummate ease. Peel said: “We started so well last week, but we just couldn’t build on it. The guys gave everything and I don’t think the coaches could have asked for anymore. However, our best wasn’t good enough.”
Captain Gareth Thomas believes there is another 5% or 10% in his players and will tell them ahead of tomorrow’s evening kick off in Auckland. “As so many of the guys have said, we were not that far short in Wellington in terms of competing. However, when we made mistakes they punished us. Now we must find another 5% or 10% and make sure that we stop making so many mistakes.”
Based on what we have all seen over the past six weeks, it would take a brave man to bet against a third successive All Blacks win. However, successive Test match defeats has stoked the fires within the Lions camp and the players are keen to at least end up on the right foot. Only time will tell whether they can step up to the mark and go home with a morsel of consolation.
