Wellington given a license to thrill

Wellington
Wellington rugby coach John Plumtree is giving his playmaker Jimmy Gopperth a license to thrill as he sees just one way to upset the Lions tomorrow.
"This is just a one-off occasion for us, and we're not going to beat the Lions by kicking the ball into touch and driving," Plumtree said.
"We want to play the game. We've got a lot of threats out wide and if they play well then who knows."
That depends on whether Wellington's all-Super 12 forward pack can hold their own at the set pieces against a Lions pack desperate to assert some overdue dominance over New Zealand opponents.
Wellington's strengths are clear ? All Blacks midfielder Ma'a Nonu in the No 13 jersey and wings Lome Fa'atau and Roy Kinikinilau.
Nonu will provide likely Lions midfield combination Gavin Henson and captain Brian O'Driscoll a stern test, while on the flanks the two late arrivals will get a tough welcome to New Zealand.
Jason Robinson, delayed by the birth of his child, will mark the giant Kinikinilau while Gareth Thomas, only just released by his Toulouse club will have to contain the flying Fa'atau.
Both Lions wings are excellent attackers themselves but it remains to be seen if they get too many chances with ball in hand.
Lions coach Clive Woodward has named a test strength side with star first five-eighth Jonny Wilkinson making his first start of the tour.
After the loss to New Zealand Maori on Saturday, Woodward will first want to get his set pieces right, try to finally make an impression at the tackled ball area with veteran flanker Neil Back, and play the game at the right end of the ground which they couldn't do in Hamilton.
It all points to a clear Lions gameplan in Plumtree's eyes.
"They'll be working hard on that (tackled ball), they'll be smart and they'll look to fix it up.
"They'll look to play a territory game, I expect Jonny to send a lot of balls down our touchline to put us under pressure."
Wellington, beaten NPC finalists last year, have a useful loose forward trio of scavenger Ben Herring, the confrontational Kristian Ormsby and the under-rated Thomas Waldrom at No 8.
"I don't think there's anything to be scared of there," Plumtree said of Back, No 8 Martin Corry and new blindside Simon Easterby who replaced the injured Lawrence Dallaglio.
"We certainly think that physically we can control them in phase play.
"It'll be a case of who gives up first, and hopefully it won't be my guys."
Wellington trained for the first time as a full squad yesterday with halfback Piri Weepu and lock Ross Filipo returning from their epic New Zealand Maori win in Hamilton.
The lack of buildup and the absence of resting All Blacks Tana Umaga, Rodney So'oialo, Jerry Collins and Conrad Smith are the big negatives.
So'oialo and Umaga were keen spectators at training yesterday.