Beware of wounded Lion, warns Cullen

NEW ZEALAND's record try-scorer has warned his compatriots the British and Irish Lions have yet to realise their potential, but it's doubtful if his countrymen heard him - after all, his comments were made in Cork.

Former All Black and current Munster full-back Christian Cullen is backing his country for a Test series win against the Lions, but he believes the "pussycats" could come out with sharpened claws at the Jade Stadium in Christchurch.

"The bashing they have got from certain segments of the New Zealand public and media is probably a good thing to have happened. They have been written off already, but from my experience as a player that's a good position to be in."

Cullen, who played 58 Tests for the All Blacks, is recovering from a serious shoulder injury that ruled him out of Munster's Heineken Cup campaign last season.

"I guess some of the criticism (of the Lions) has been fair, because they have under-performed. But the Lions are different from any other international touring team in that they are made up of players from four different countries and four different cultures.

"It's natural that they should take a bit longer to gel. The coaches have had to work out different combinations, there has been a lot of chopping and changing and that hasn't helped. Maybe they could have done with a few more warm-up matches, but even if they had, they would still experience some problems against New Zealand sides.

"You have to remember that some of these players, especially the guys playing with Bay of Plenty and Taranaki, are mainly confined to club rugby. They get one chance in 12 years to play a side like the Lions, so it's natural to expect them to come out and give it everything.

"Ultimately, you expect a team like the Lions to ease to a win in the last quarter and that's what happened, so it's not all doom and gloom. The warm-up matches have gone pretty much as I expected, although the Lions should have been more clinical."

Though Cullen will be rooting for his compatriots tomorrow morrning, he believes the tourists suffered a crushing, blow when Lawrence Dallaglio was ruled out with injury. "He was a leader, the type of guy you need at the coal face. In that first game when he went off, you could see that it was a massive blow to the team.

"There are enough leaders in the tour party to compensate but his experience, being involved in tough matches that went to the wire in Australia and New Zealand, could well have been crucial when it came to the Test series."

Cullen, who has suffered his own share of shoulder injury trauma is not so sure whether Jonny Wilkinson is ready to make the type of impact that will be needed, but acknowledged that quality players don't become bad players overnight.

"I've experienced long term injuries myself and I know how difficult it is to come back - in top form - after being out for so long.

"But he's a class player and whatever about his match fitness, I'm sure he hasn't lost any of his ability."

While Paul O'Connell will be one of the key figures in the Christchurch Test, Munster colleagues Ronan O'Gara and Donnacha O'Callaghan failed to make the 22.

"I know Rog (Ronan O'Gara) was criticised for a couple of missed tackles in the first match but he ran that game in the second half and has done very well since. Donnacha is another who threw down the challenge but lost out, at least for this first test. I think they can be proud of the way they have played so far."

On a broader issue, he figures that the most pressing requirement for the Lions will be an ability to compete with the All Blacks back row, specifically at the breakdown.

Cullen reckons the threat of Richie McCaw will have to be negated. "The Lions got their wake-up call against the Maori when Marty Holah (now on stand-by) caused major difficulties. McCaw is a step up from Holah, he's a more rounded player, and he will take some looking after.

"However, Neil Back made an immediate impact in his first game and he's the type of player that can inspire the Lions. He's pretty much on the ball all the time and will give the Lions a more competitive edge at ruck time."

The Lions, however, may face a dilemma in working out just how many players to commit to the breakdown.

In the early matches, the forwards stood off and then changed tack against Wellington, Otago and Southland, following that 13-19 loss to the Maori.

Cullen remarked; "It will be crucial that the Lions challenge in that area, because you can't play without the ball, and the All Blacks will certainly throw everything into winning the rucks.

"The problem then is that if they challenge, they have got to win possession because, with most of the forwards committed to the ruck area, gaps could present themselves out wide.

"The All Blacks have the artillery behind the scrum to move quickly from defence into attack.

"That's what the Lions have to guard against because they cannot afford to give these New Zealand backs the opportunity to counter attack. They're just so good at it." If McCaw (or even Holah) appears to be the catalyst up front for New Zealand, Daniel Carter is likely to pose the greatest immediate danger behind the scrum, Cullen believes.

"Carter is the one who could make it all happen. I hope the All Blacks have got to get their heads around the fact that the Lions have not quite played to their potential and will be capable of dealing with the possibility that the best is yet to come from them.

"The big danger is the possibility that, with the Lions written off as potential series winners they will finally realise their potential. I think we've seen some glimpses of the Lions' potential in the early matches, and it's easy to imagine how good they could be if they manage to get more continuity in their game."