Richard Loe: Lions have toughened up but they still have no claws

It was a better display by the Lions last night - they showed some innovation, creativity and more potential - but I still think they lack cohesion and their biggest dilemma is still the loose ball.

There wasn't anything here to really frighten the All Blacks.

Let's be clear: this was an under-strength Otago team, particularly in the front row, and you would expect an international side to have got on top of them more than they did.

The Lions threw some good passes, some long passes, some missed passes and ran well, but there is still this lack of cohesion in much of what they do.

Otago held their own better than I thought they would. The Lions ran away with it towards the end but Otago were pretty much greenhorns in many departments and gave a good account of themselves, driving and competing well in the loose phases.

One of the new guys, Jed Vercoe, was hooker in a Canterbury under-19 side I coached two or three years back.

You can't describe Josh Blackie and Craig Newby as greenhorns, though. They competed superbly at ruck and maul and it has been a repetitive element of every Lions game that they just can't protect their own ball or get it back quickly.

It is nearly always slow ball - though they showed what they could do when they secure quick ball with a fine try to Shane Williams after some quick thinking by Ryan Jones.

But the loose ball will be their biggest problem in the tests. They won't be able to make inroads into the All Blacks if they can't compete better at the breakdown.

Their game will be too static and predictable. Even when the 'big boys' - Matt Dawson, Steve Thompson and Andy Sheridan - came on towards the end, I did not think they did much either.

They won the game well, they played with some passion and some vigour and Jones had a fine match - but they just don't strike any fear into me.

I'd say, based on last night, that the Southland Stags will be looking forward to their match on Tuesday. They have a good pack and know they will be facing something like the Lions' third XV, so that will rev them up a bit.

I didn't really think anyone who played for the Lions last night advanced their test prospects. Charlie Hodgson, at first five-eighths, had an ordinary game and kicked poorly. Martyn Williams had a chance to show that he, and not Neil Back, should be picked for the first test - but I felt he did not take his chance. He just doesn't have the technique on the ground that the New Zealand loose forwards do, nor does he get the support.

In fact, right through this tour, the New Zealand loose forwards have shown technique and combination, as Newby and Blackie did last night.

It now seems Back will be the test No 7. If so, the All Black forwards can look the other way and have a cup of tea. I don't think Back will be a threat.