NZ Maori v British and Irish Lions
Venue: International Stadium, Rotorua.
Kick-off:Saturday, 7.35pm local time (8.35am Irish time).
On TV: Live on Sky Sports 1.
Whether or not this constitutes the unofficial “fourth Test”, the stakes are about to be raised for the Lions. On Saturday they meet a New Zealand Maori playing in their spiritual home of Rotorua and crammed with X factor from Super Rugby, and do so with the core of the side expected to play the All Blacks a week hence. Now would not be a good time to look like a pale shadow of their Test team.
A dozen years ago the Lions were beaten for the first time in nine meetings with Maori sides a week before the first Test, and we all know what happened next. Following on from a second midweek defeat last Tuesday to the Highlanders, to go into the first Test on the back of a second successive defeat, with potentially another one to come against the Chiefs on Tuesday, would be far from ideal.
By contrast, a third successive Saturday win, backing up the tour high point to date in the shape of that 12-3 victory over the Crusaders a week ago, would paint a different picture altogether going into that pivotal first Test.
Collectively, the Lions need to maintain their excellence at lineout time, and use their maul, while perhaps re-enforcing the good habits and ascendancy at scrum time they showed against the Crusaders. But this could be a more searching examination of their defence, with the Maori kicking game also liable to test their fast-up defence ala the Highlanders. An improvement from their wingers in the aerial contests and sharper finishing would be welcome too.
Opportunity knocks
The game is given added Irish intrigue by the choice of Peter O'Mahony as captain, the opportunity which knocks for him and Sean O'Brien in the backrow, not to mention Tadhg Furlong, Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton (particularly with Owen Farrell withdrawal from Saturday's 23 with a thigh strain), with Jack McGrath and Iain Henderson on the bench.
One has the distinct impression that it’s a particularly significant opportunity for Jonathan Davies and the back three of Anthony Watson, George North and Leigh Halfpenny to nail down a place in the first Test.
As for the Maori, their 27-14 defeat to Munster at Thomond Park and ensuing loss to Harlequins last November can be largely overlooked. There are nine changes in personnel from that night in Limerick, with All Blacks such as Liam Messam, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Damien McKenzie, Reiko Ioane and Nehe Milner-Skudder all now available and re-instated.
“We didn’t have our All Blacks and we had injuries then,” says their coach of the last five years, Colin Cooper. “It’s the strongest (Maori) team I’ve coached.”
All bar Ioane are from the free-scoring, high tempo Chiefs. Coach Colin Cooper describes the livewire Kerr-Barlow as "huge for us" and admits this is probably their biggest game in 12 years, and certainly the biggest "in my time". In all, six of his starting line-up are from the Chiefs, including the spine of the team in Messam, Kerr-Barlow, McKenzie and Charlie Ngatai at 8, 9, 10 and 12, with the Leinster-bound James Lowe converted from wing to fullback.
But it’s the choice of McKenzie, nominally the Chiefs fullback, in his old New Zealand schools and Waikato position of outhalf – where he is also expected to play next season following Aaron Cruden’s move to Montpellier – which looks like a signature selection.
Running game
Twelve years ago in Hamilton, the Maori team contained Greg Feek, Jonno Gibbes, Rua Tipoki, Leon McDonald, Rico Gear and Carlos Spencer, who came off the bench at half-time to transform the match with his running game for what was his last outing representing the silver fern, and declared the Maori jersey the one which meant the most to him. Messam described the Maori as connected first by blood, and the Lions will not meet a more motivated team after ten days in camp together.
McKenzie, whose brother was a ball-boy at the Lions game against Southland 12 years ago, could be Spencer’s spiritual successor. Blessed with pace, footwork, vision and a creative kicking game, McKenzie echoes his team-mates after ten days in camp together when saying: “It’s awesome to play for the Maoris and they play a very expansive and exciting game.”
McKenzie is also a brilliant goal-kicker, and part of his routine includes a smile toward the posts as he addresses the ball. “It’s just a mental thing. I struggled to kick in my early stages and it’s just something a bit different; ‘enjoy the moment’ I guess you could say. But yea, I get a bit of stick for it. I had a bit of help from our mental skills coach (David Galbraith) at the Chiefs.”
Cooper, perhaps showing concern as to one area where the Lions may have an edge, admits: “It’s going to come down to set-piece. We’ve just got to go well there and hold our.” However, this is partly dependent upon Jaco Peyper, the referee for the first Test next Saturday.
This is a dry run in so many ways.
NEW ZEALAND MAORI: J Lowe (Chiefs), N Milner-Skudder (Hurricanes), M Proctor (Hurricanes), C Ngatai (Chiefs), R Ioane Blues); D McKenzie (Chiefs), T Kerr-Barlow (Chiefs); K Hames (Chiefs), A Dixon (Highlanders, capt), B May (Hurricanes), J Wheeler (Highlanders), T Franklin (Highlanders), A Ioane (Blues), E Dixon (Highlanders), L Messam (Chiefs). Replacements: H Elliot (Chiefs), C Eves (Hurricanes), M Renata (Auckland), L Price (blues), K Pryor (Blues), B Hall (Blues), I West (Blues), R Thompson (Highlanders).
BRITISH & IRISH LIONS: L Halfpenny (Wal); A Watson (Eng) J Davies (Wal), B Te'o (Eng), G North (Wal); J Sexton (Ire), C Murray (Ire); M Vunipola (Eng), J George (Eng), T Furlong (Ireland), M Itoje (Eng), G Kruis (Eng), P O'Mahony (Ire, capt), S O'Brien (Ire), T Faletau (Wal). Replacements: K Owens (Wal), J McGrath (Ire), K Sinckler (Eng), I Henderson (Ire), S Warburton (Wal), Greig Laidlaw (Scot), D Biggar (Wal), E Daly (Eng).
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa).
Overall head to head: Played 9, Maori 1 win, 0 Draws, Lions 8 wins.
Betting (Paddy Power): 8/5 Maori, 19/1 Draw, 8/15 Lions. Handicap odds (Maori +5ps) 10/11 Maori, 25/1 Draw, 10/11 Lions.
Forecast: Lions to win.
