Hurricane force
The first Test defeat means the final midweek match of the tour against the Hurricanes on Tuesday is an opportunity for some. The presence of George Kruis on the bench suggests his place in the Test side is vulnerable. The Lions picked aggressive forwards in their squad, such as Courtney Lawes and Ross Moriarty ahead of the likes of Joe Launchbury and Chris Robshaw, more effective link players, but they failed to take the game to New Zealand and were passive at times. The All Blacks had a more comfortable opening 20 minutes than against Samoa the previous week, but in Wellington the emphasis will be on starting with a burning intensity and hitting hard in contact. New Zealand are not a side to play catch-up against and the Lions must build an early lead by securing territory and forcing penalties – Owen Farrell only had one to kick on Saturday – and openings. They need to get the All Blacks chasing, as Ireland did in Chicago, but they also have to be far smarter and be prepared for surprises.
Back row
The injury to Billy Vunipola robbed the Lions of their most destructive ball-carrier. His role at Eden Park was filled by Sean O’Brien, who made the most metres of any Lions forward, but without Sam Warburton the tourists did not slow down New Zealand’s possession at the breakdown, looking to force mistakes through their line speed as the ball was moved. The captain will be in contention for Wellington: if he started in his favoured position on the open-side, it would place Peter O’Mahony’s position under threat given the need for a gain-line breaker such as CJ Stander or Courtney Lawes, a second-row who has played in Tests on the blind-side. The decision not to start Maro Itoje at lock compounded the absence of Warburton because the Saracen is adept at spoiling opposition ball and forcing turnovers. As well as getting their rolling maul in gear and establishing a dominance up front, the Lions have to control the tackle area and, with it, the pace of the game.
Midfield
Warren Gatland chose two England players who were not regular starters under Eddie Jones, Ben Te’o and Jamie George. Te’o made the greater impact, containing Sonny Bill Williams, although the All Blacks narrowing the point of their attack reduced Williams’s role. When Te’o was replaced 24 minutes from the end by Johnny Sexton as the Lions chased the game, it gave them a passing option in midfield but it was also when Williams started to have an influence on the game. A midfield containing Sexton and Owen Farrell is likely to remain Plan B given the need to minimise mistakes, but in Jonathan Davies the Lions have a centre who has made line breaks regularly this tour and thrives on quick possession in broken play. It will be a question of balance, moving the ball when opportunity knocks, not for the sake of it.
Back three
The British & Irish Lions chose an attacking formation in the first Test, three players who had played at full-back and on the wing. It enhanced their counterattacking options but diluted their kicking game, which was restricted largely to the boot of Conor Murray. As the Lions have to win in Wellington to take the series to the final match, should they blunt their sharpest cutting edge? They have the option of switching Liam Williams and Elliot Daly, with the latter a more strategic kicker, or recalling Leigh Halfpenny, who does not often run in his own half. When the Lions lost the first Test against Australia in 1989, their response was to go back to basics, take on the Wallabies up front, dictate through their half‑backs and clinch the series. Saturday will be about possession and territory, not the trimmings.
Set pieces
The Lions won the lineout battle, stealing four New Zealand throws, but were unable to use their driving maul as a weapon with the All Blacks quick to get to the ball‑carrier. The hosts were prepared to kick to touch to gain territory, so confident were they of defusing one of their opponents’ biggest weapons. The tourists made little impression up front but had the put-in to only four scrums, a consequence of the World Cup holders not indulging in risky offloads and so minimising mistakes: most of their handling errors came from Murray’s box-kicks and so in their own half. They were also disciplined, conceding seven penalties to the tourists’ 12, and without a platform the Lions had to attack from deep and were unable to sustain pressure. They were outwitted rather than overpowered and need their staples to function at the Cake Tin.
