IT tells you something about the rich three-quarter pickings in New Zealand that one of the country’s leading lights in this season’s Heineken Cup, Llanelli Scarlets Regan King, hasn’t been the recipient of a single query from All Blacks head coach Graham Henry.

CHRISTIAN CULLEN may yet manage to see out his extended contract with Munster.

New Zealand flanker Richie McCaw has been ruled out of tomorrow’s Test against England at Twickenham.

ALL BLACKS coach Graham Henry has underlined the degree of difficulty facing his Grand Slam hopefuls over the next four weeks.

Tongan international Andrew Mailei will sign for Connacht on a one-year deal as a direct replacement for Mark McHugh, who is out of the game with a long-term injury.

Ireland's Shane Horgan has played a part, albeit an innocent one, in the sidelining of New Zealand referee Steve Walsh by the IRB.

WITH the opening phase of this eagerly-awaited tour now successfully negotiated, the next 10 days will prove pivotal to the success of the upcoming test series.

AND then there were three ...

Taranaki 14 Lions 36

Ian McGeechan hailed the performance of his all-Irish back three in the Lions’ 36-14 victory over Taranaki today.

British and Irish Lions captain Martin Corry was in buoyant mood after his side’s outstanding second-half display saw them beat New Zealand provincial side Taranaki 36-14.

Ireland full-back Geordan Murphy improved his chances of making the Lions’ Test team with a impressive display in today’s victory over Taranaki.

Taranaki 14 British and Irish Lions 36

Taranaki 7 British & Irish Lions 6

Martin Corry was called into British and Irish Lions action for his third game of the campaign and captained a side which had a distinct midweek feel about it.

DEFENSIVE coach Mike Ford gave a hint of it and Shane Horgan confirmed the point: Lions training sessions are intense.

Denis Hickie knows he has got to strike the right balance against Taranaki tomorrow if he wants to impress his Test match credentials upon Lions head coach Clive Woodward.

THE sight of a giant second row with a mop of ginger hair marauding all over the lineout and stealing opposition ball is something the British & Irish Lions are counting on as a major weapon in their armoury during this tour.

Geordan Murphy could have been forgiven for kissing goodbye to any hopes of wearing the Lions fullback jersey in the Test series against New Zealand after watching Josh Lewsey produced a stunning man-of-the-match display in the Lions’ victory over the Bay of Plenty.

LEST anyone was in any doubt, Saturday’s game in Rotorua provided the perfect preparation for what the British and Irish Lions can expect over the next five weeks.

GEORDAN Murphy and Denis Hickie have played down the significance of their inclusion in an all-Irish back three for the Lions’ game against Taranaki in New Plymouth on Wednesday.

Gareth Thomas’ chances of featuring for the Lions in the first Test against the All Blacks are receding almost by the day and it is becoming a cause of increasing frustration to head coach Sir Clive Woodward.

Star Of Normandie won for the third time in her last four starts at Lingfield yesterday and is turning into a real money-spinner for Newmarket trainer George Margarson.

Tom Cruise is expected to start filming his new movie The Last Samurai in January.