Sky were never going to be guilty of underplaying Saturday's third and deciding Test between the Lions and Australia, but even so it was a shock to see Peter O'Toole dressed up as a stalking druid.

"When you feel my breath on the back of your neck, boy," breathes Peter from behind a young boy and the sort of beard that normally plays just a supporting role in a vintage episode of Kung Fu. This time it was loaned out to an ad playing on the back of the Lions tour.

The dirty-faced urchin decides Peter's line is his cue to run towards a try line, or a cop, with a rugby ball under his arm, while Peter, now happily sans beard, stands on the touchline roaring: "You can, my boy, you can, YOU CAN!" You see, even the ads were disappearing up themselves.

The proposal probably sounded great on paper: Peter O'Toole'll bring a bit of class, mate, we'll get him dressed up as somefink mystical and get a classical struggle vibe goin'.

All great, except who was the ad for again?

Similarly, the style of Sky's actual programme presentation was as slick as auctioneer's patter but didn't actually get provide much in the way of getting information across.

The usual, "Whew, guys, I tell you, the excitement is really building down here" is almost obligatory before any sporting event these days.

Even lawn bowlers seem to be shoving their necks down toilet bowls before matches such is the all-pressing need to justify the broadcasting fee.

Saturday's Test, by comparison, was a genuine sporting event, even for those who look at rugby with a wariness that only generations of lit fart stories can engender. In the circumstances then, the "guys" were never going to be guilty of keeping the hype flame low.

"Can't overplay the enormity of this game," was followed by a torrent of attempts to do just that. "This is do or die," said Clive Woodward. " It is do or die," agreed Phil Vickery. "The biggest game ever held in this country," declared Michael Lynagh, jumping into the spirit of things. "For either side, a place in history is assured," match commentator Miles Harrison informed us. "Don't come much bigger than this," was Ian McGeechan's contribution.

Commendable scene-setting stuff to be sure, but since the viewers took the trouble to watch in the first place, presumably they were all too aware of the scene anyway. It was left to Stuart Barnes to provide little nuggets of information through the match, though at times it sounded like Stu had stopped off in Byron Bay on his way south from Brisbane.

"What comes now might blow our minds," declared Stu. "Prepare for quite a trip." Since that had come on the back of the plea "let's feel those positive vibes, Britain and Ireland", the whole thing was getting quite groovy baby.

Stu has a an annoying habit of turning into a John Bull type character without any warning, but he does have an instinctive feel for the game, as he showed during a sparkling playing career.

That feel was immediately obvious when he pinpointed the difficulties Keith Wood was having with his throwing into the lineout. Barnes also showed more balance than the cheerleading tone of the rest of programme might have suggested was likely.

Daniel Herbert's sin-binning in the second half brought an immediate hark back to the first, when Danny Grewcock had drive a knee into an Australian player's in the back. "A cheap shot ... I'd have said one more of those and you're off," Barnes said at the time, and acknowledged how the locals might feel a bit aggrieved.

In contrast, his colleague in the commentators' burrow had no problem getting all down and tabloid.

"Billy Whizz," drooled Harrison at one Jason Robinson run. "Make that Sir Billy Whizz!!" Or Michael Foley, the Australian prop No 2who became: "Foley, the hooker, who likes it tough." And even one memorable moment when Wilkinson lined up a kick: "A lot has been said about connecting the top three inches with the bottom three inches!"

Whatever that was about, it was pretty clear in the final minutes that the Aussies were in control and had got it right when it really counted.

"Champions' mentality," conceded Barnes.

"I don't think Australia were necessarily the better team," begrudged Woodward.

In contrast, John Eales, the home captain, showed supreme style by thanking the Lions fans for travelling to Australia for the series.

At the end of such a draining and thrilling game, it proved style and substance really can be mixed. Yes, it really CAN.