Ahead of the first official Test against the All Blacks in just over a week, the British & Irish Lions enjoyed a 36-14 stroll over provincial side Taranaki before being cruelly exposed by the New Zealand Maoris in their third warm-up game of the current tour. The 19-13 scoreline did not reflect the true superiority of the Maori pack, but Sir Clive Woodward’s selection was still a largely experimental one. If the right blend is achieved when it really matters, the Lions will be a different proposition altogether and very hard to beat.
Their opponents got into gear with a 91-0 crushing of Fiji, Sitiventi Sivivato crowning his debut on the wing with four tries. Richie McCaw and Daniel Carter also impressed for New Zealand who were missing their Maori for this slaughter.
