KEY POINTS:
The Kiwis have the talent to win the first test against Great Britain at Huddersfield tomorrow morning but may be short on nous.
The Lions side is stacked with old hard heads who know how to win games and win ugly if need be.
The New Zealand side is stacked with players who have little international experience and it's likely to cost them dearly in this three-game series.
Great Britain coach Tony Smith has chosen a side that is highly mobile, the pack and bench both capable of supplying off-loads in the tackle, and all of them with the speed required to produce game-breaking support plays.
The Kiwis need to do two things. Make their first-up tackles, stopping the ball as well as the player, and get some go-forward on attack.
In Wellington two weekends ago there was none of that, hence the 58-0 hiding. The halves were on the back foot. The backs never threatened.
Kiwis coach Gary Kemble is obviously aware of the need for fast and accurate defence and the addition of Louis Anderson to the bench will assist with that at the back end of each half as fatigue tells. Epalahame Lauaki can be counted on for some big hits, as well as damaging runs.
On attack, it's to be hoped Thomas Leuluai can continue his good form from the All Golds game, while Greg Eastwood offers some variation as a playmaker off the bench.
The big question mark hangs over five-eighth Lance Hohaia who hasn't played since late August. It's a given that the slight Hohaia will have the massive Adrian Morley running at him all game. His defence is OK. It's a matter of how much the tackling takes out of his attack.
Hohaia was the pin-up boy of the Warriors and Kiwis in 2003 and clearly has the ability, now he has to handle the occasion.
The Kiwis have lots of power-players, from front row, with captain Roy Asotasi and Fuifui Moimoi, to wing, where giants Taniela Tuiaki and Tame Tupou have the potential to tear through defensive lines. So they need accuracy in their backline movements.
Like New Zealand who debut fullback Sam Perrett and Lauaki, the Lions have two new caps, the solid Samoan impact runner Maurie Fa'asavalu, who is in the mould of Moimoi in terms of destruction in the middle of the park, and Bradford Bulls prop Sam Burgess.
At 18, Burgess will be the youngest player to make his test debut since Andy Farrell in 1993. At 1.94m and 105kg, Burgess is fast and mobile having spent most of his junior years playing at lock.
He has dedicated his game to his father Mark, who died from motor neurone disease in May at age 45. "He'd be so proud and it's a bit of a shame he's not here to see it but I'm sure he's watching somewhere," Burgess said. "He's always there in my mind, in every game, and I'll try and do a good job for him."
Burgess was man of the match against the All Golds and Lions coach Tony Smith had no hesitation promoting him to start the test.
"Age is not a concern. If he's good enough, he's old enough, that's the way it is for me. He brings a freshness to us, with his youth and enthusiasm. I'm sure there are some experienced campaigners around who will make sure he's okay but I know that Sam can handle himself."
Discipline has been an issue for the Kiwis and they have spoken about containing the penalty count and controlling their aggression.
Though NZRL chairman Andrew Chalmers had a problem with the appointment of Aussie referee Tony Archer, that may fall somewhat in New Zealand's favour.
The Kiwis players will be used to his style and rulings in relation to the tackle and play-the-ball and should be able to better gauge how to control the speed of the game.
