Lions don't want easy options: O'Sullivan

British & Irish Lions coach Eddie O’Sullivan is convinced a fierce collision against Bay of Plenty next Saturday will lay the ideal foundations for a Test series win over New Zealand – and he is relishing the prospect.

Four years ago the Lions opened their tour of Australia with comfortable victories over Western Australia and a Queensland President’s XV which tested their Test-match credentials about as much as England’s cricketers are being troubled by Bangladesh at Lord’s.

The Lions racked up 199 points in those two games but ended up losing the Test series to the Wallabies.

That they had a soft opening is not by any means the only reason Graham Henry’s side failed in Australia, but O’Sullivan is convinced a tough start against Bay of Plenty, Taranaki and a Test-standard New Zealand Maori XV will be the ideal preparation for beating the All Blacks.

“Every game we play here in New Zealand we will be tested,” O’Sullivan said.

“That makes a Lions tour unique and if we don’t go into every game with that mentality we will get turned over. That starts a week today in Rotorua where Bay of Plenty will try and throw the kitchen sink at us.

“We have got to get our heads around that very quickly. That will make us a better team. We will get to the Test side knowing all the players have been put through the mill and we know what we are picking from.

“It gives you the best opportunity to pick your strongest side to win the series. That is why we are playing all these tough games.”

The Lions opened their 2005 campaign with a 25-25 draw with a vastly under-strength Argentina side at the Millennium Stadium and refuse to consider anything but the “positives” which came from a disjointed performance.

“That game highlighted what this tour is about,” said coach Andy Robinson.

“It was the first game and every game we will face similar challenges. Every player wants to play in a real tough environment and be put under pressure and that is what we will have in this Bay of Plenty game.

“Bay of Plenty have got the first chance to have a go at the Lions and they will throw everything at it, as coaches and players we have had that before and we know we are capable of building a side that can perform under pressure.

“We have taken positives from the game. The linebreaks and the lineout went really well but obviously it highlighted there is quite a bit of work to do at the contact area and the scrum and the general rigours of how we want to play. But overall I was pretty positive with it.”

The Lions announce their side to face Bay of Plenty on Wednesday and while it will almost certainly be led by Brian O’Driscoll, it is unlikely to include Simon Taylor.

The Scotland loose forward is still recovering from a hamstring strain and while he is officially available for selection, Robinson indicated today he will not be risked.

Malcolm O’Kelly, who was also withdrawn from the Argentina game with an abdominal muscle strain, is expected to be fit for selection.

“At present I don’t think Simon will be ready, but Malcolm I think will be,” Robinson said.

One man who most certainly will not be involved in any capacity is Neil Back, who is suspended from playing until the Wellington game on June 15 after receiving a four-week ban for punching Joe Worsley in the Zurich Grand Final.

Back was employed to great effect as a water-carrier for the Argentina game, where he was relaying messages and giving instructions from pitch side.

But Clive Woodward defused any possible controversy when he arrived in Auckland by confirming Back will not be involved in any capacity until his suspension expires.

“That was a one-off friendly Test match and we spoke to Argentina before the match and they said they were all right with it,” Woodward said.

“But we won’t be doing that in New Zealand for obvious reasons. I wouldn’t want to put a player in that position and we were not trying to be provocative. He was just a water carrier. I thought he did a pretty good job.”

Back is free to train with the team and he will be involved at the North Harbour stadium tomorrow when the Lions hold their first open training session of the tour.

Thirty-six buses have already been booked to ship in school-children from across Auckland to watch the Lions run through a skills and light conditioning session.

Officials hope they can attract similar numbers to the 4,000 who often turn up to watch the All Blacks’ open training sessions.