Corry lifts captain's crown

England flanker Martin Corry becomes the third player to captain the Lions in as many games when the tourists play Taranaki in New Plymouth on Wednesday night.

The big loose forward follows Welsh No 8 Michael Owen and tour leader Brian O'Driscoll in taking the 2005 Lions on to the field.

It will be Corry's third appearance in as many games, after starting in the match against Argentina at Cardiff before departure, and coming on as a replacement for the ill-fated Lawrence Dallaglio in the first half in Rotorua on Saturday night.

Corry, a raw-boned, rugged operator with 37 caps, including two as England captain, becomes a more influential figure in the pack planning with Dallaglio gone.

Last night he described getting the captaincy as a "phenomenal honour", with midweek coach Ian McGeechan confirming that, when O'Driscoll is not playing, the job will be shared around among men with strong leadership qualities.

"I thought Michael Owen did a superb job in Cardiff and Martin has had a tremendous season with Leicester and England," McGeechan said.

The plan to have everyone in action to some degree within the first three games is on track. Those who won't have had any game time before Saturday's titanic showdown with New Zealand Maori in Hamilton are injured loose forward Simon Taylor, the suspended Neil Back, late arrival Stephen Jones, replacement forwards Simon Shaw and Simon Easterby, the still-to-arrive Jason Robinson and Gareth Thomas.

England first five-eighths Charlie Hodgson gets his first opportunity in New Plymouth, as does hooker Andrew Titterrell and centre Will Greenwood. The starting XV comprises eight Englishmen, five Irishmen, a Scot and a Welshman.

Jonny Wilkinson's rehabilitation continues from the bench but he's sure to get the call at some point.

The Taranaki pack includes a hardy, seasoned front row who know most of the tricks, and aggressive operators in captain Paul Tito and Chris Masoe. The backs are an unknown quantity, containing some new names from last season.

One who is known, however, is the pacy Chiefs wing, Sailosi Tagicakibau, just back after breaking a leg in the latter stages of the Super 12.

But McGeechan and Corry were preaching the good word about expectations of more of the Bay of Plenty approach from Taranaki, who finished fifth in the NPC last season.

"They've proved what a good team they are," McGeechan said of Taranaki. "They've played some very good rugby and we know how important it is to play against the Lions, so we expect the same sort of response as the Bay."