Fired-up hosts will have Lions in sights
Head coach Clive Woodward, captain Brian O'Driscoll and defensive guru Phil Larder have warned that last year's NPC semi-finalists, backboned by 10 Super 12 players, will come at the tourists with all guns blazing and looking to upset Lions momentum at the first opportunity.
"I'm sure they'll be very much up for the game," O'Driscoll said.
"The opportunity doesn't come round very often for players that aren't in the international frame to play someone like the Lions and I'm sure they'll be chomping at the bit and looking forward to taking us on.
"They'll be very physical, well pumped up so we have to match them on all fronts and then some, and make sure we're on our game when we arrive or we'll get a shock if we don't start playing the way we know we can. We've played well together the last few days and it's a matter of putting that out on the pitch now."
Defence coach Larder, who carried out the same role with England and for Graham Henry's Lions in Australia four years ago, said: "We expect a tough game. We fully realise every team has an opportunity to upset our momentum and we're aware that Bay of Plenty are looking forward to having a first shot at us. But I think the days of rugby teams at this level playing dirtily have passed by. There are so many camera angles on all the action now that I do not envisage a game on Saturday like you used to see in international matches eight or 12 years ago. I think it will be acceptably tough but I don't think it will be a dirty."
Momentum has been the key word among the Lions coaching staff this week, with every one of the touring party anxious to start building up a head of steam with a victory in Rotorua tomorrow in order to arrive in Christchurch on June 25 at the peak of their powers for the first test against the All Blacks.
"We desperately want to win on Saturday and start the tour with a win," Woodward said.
"I've no doubt how difficult it's going to be, having been here as a player and a coach, every game is very tough. I hope we can win and move on."
Woodward was a coach happy to employ contrasting playing styles during his tenure of the England team between 1997 and 2004.
Tomorrow's opponents will be playing their first game for some time due to the involvement of many of their players in the Super 12 nine with the Waikato Chiefs and one with the Highlanders. Bay of Plenty head coach Vern Cotter was also on duty in his role as assistant coach at the Canterbury Crusaders, who won the tournament for the fifth time in a decade last Saturday.
Such activity at Super 12 level had made it difficult to assess the NPC side, Woodward said.
"Tactically it's quite difficult to prepare against the Bay of Plenty because they haven't played for such a long time. We know their coach (Cotter) from the Crusaders but I think at this stage we've just got to concentrate on our own things, what we've got to do in defence and offence and prepare from there."
In a much stronger side than the one which drew 25-25 with Argentina in Cardiff on May 23, Woodward has put together an intriguing mix of exciting new talent and tried and
tested veterans.
Captain O'Driscoll will team up with this year's Six Nations star Gavin Henson of Wales in the centre, Paul O'Connell locks the scrum with Englishman Ben Kay, and there is a back row of previous tourists in Richard Hill, Martyn Williams and Lawrence Dallaglio.
Josh Lewsey takes up the full-back berth with late call-up Mark Cueto of England and Welshman Tom Shanklin on the wings, while the team's third Irishman, Ronan O'Gara, gets to lay down his marker in the battle of the fly-halves with Stephen Jones and Jonny Wilkinson, in a half-back partnership alongside test scrum-half front-runner Dwayne Peel of Wales.
In the front row, 2001 tourist Gordon Bulloch is the lone Scot, packing down with props Gethin Jenkins and Matt Stevens. The replacements' bench will seat two Irishmen, Donncha O'Callaghan and Gordon D'Arcy, and five Englishmen.
BAY OF PLENTY: A Cashmore, F Bolavucu, A Bunting, G McQuoid, A Tahana, M Williams, K Senio; S Davison, A Lutui, B Castle, M Sorenson, B Upton, W Ormond captain, N Latu, C Bourke.
Replacements: J Pareanga, T Filise, P Tupai, W Smith, C Hubbard, R Moon, A Stewart.
BRITISH & IRISH LIONS: J Lewsey (London Wasps, England), M Cueto (Sale Sharks, England), B O'Driscoll (Leinster, Ireland) captain, G Henson (Neath Swansea Ospreys, Wales), T Shanklin (Cardiff Blues, Wales), R O'Gara (Munster, Ireland), D Peel (Llanelli Scarlets, Wales); G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues, Wales), G Bulloch (Glasgow, Scotland), M Stevens (Bath, England), P O'Connell (Munster, Ireland), B Kay (Leicester Tigers, England), R Hill (Saracens, England), M Williams (Cardiff Blues, Wales), L Dallaglio (London Wasps, England) vice-captain.
Replacements: S Thompson (Northampton Saints, England), A Sheridan (Sale Sharks, England), D O'Callaghan (Munster, Ireland), M Corry (Leicester Tigers, England), M Dawson (London Wasps, England), C Hodgson (Sale Sharks, England), G D'Arcy (Leinster, Ireland).
Referee: Paul Honiss.
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