Ref will be crucial figure in test scrums, says Hoeft

The referee will be a critical figure in the first test rugby battle of the trenches between the All Blacks and Lions here on Saturday says veteran Otago prop Carl Hoeft.

Frenchman Joel Jutge's performance will go a long way towards deciding what kind of match the showdown at Jade Stadium will be and, potentially, the outcome, according to the 30-test All Blacks loosehead.

A typical front-rower, Hoeft believed the battle at scrum time would be intense. It would form the foundation as both teams tried to impose their style on the other -- the All Blacks a game based on flow and momentum, and the Lions on possession and forward power.

Jutge's attitude would help dictate which style prevailed, Hoeft said.

The Lions have held the scrummaging upper hand against all five tour opponents so far, including an Otago front row missing All Blacks Carl Hayman and Anton Oliver as the tourists surged to a 30-19 win at Carisbrook on Saturday.

Hoeft was proud of the efforts of stand-ins Craig Dunlea and Jason MacDonald but admitted it was a tough night combatting a Lions scrum packing ample power.

He predicted a thunderous clash up front on Saturday and hoped Jutge would let some of the strong men of international rugby go at it, without the stoppages and apparently random penalties that have marred the tour scrum battles.

"Why not let the guys scrum rather than blow it up and look for any little infringement. The team putting the ball in usually gets the penalty out of it, I'd rather see more of a contest," said Hoeft, who was confident an All Blacks scrum led by big tighthead could match the best the Lions threw at them.

Hoeft didn't feel the need to advise Hayman -- who handed out the jerseys to the Otago players before Saturday's game -- on the best way to attack the Lions scrum.

Hayman played for the New Zealand Maori against the tourists, while Hoeft also suspected All Blacks scrum coach Mike Cron had already done ample planning on how to combat the menacing red pack.

Hoeft hoped Jutge's attitude would be different at the breakdown, where he should be prepared to penalise indiscretions so the game didn't degenerate into a slow, defence-based affair won by kicking. He believed the New Zealand referees used so far had been "scared" of penalising the Lions.

"Sometimes I do wonder if the refs are a little bit scared of penalising anyone. They're probably not used to some of the northern hemisphere play, so they're trying to do everything by the book," Hoeft said.

Lions coach assistant coach Gareth Jenkins was delighted with the Lions' improvement at the breakdown in the week since the loss to the New Zealand Maori team, while the scrum had been consistently impressive against some rugged New Zealand opponents.

"I think you've addressed the position of a couple of years ago where in New Zealand maybe the attention in the scrum wasn't what it needed to be to be competitive with the northern hemisphere," Jenkins said.

Otago coach Wayne Graham said the Lions' ability to inject three giant forwards -- prop Andy Sheridan, hooker Steve Thompson and lock Danny Grewcock -- midway through the second half on Saturday made a notable difference.

"I wasn't on the field but they looked pretty big from where I was sitting. That's the beauty of a touring side, to have some international firepower on the bench," said Graham, frustrated he couldn't respond in kind with his All Blacks stars in the same positions -- Hayman, Oliver and young lock James Ryan.

Otago flanker Josh Blackie admitted the Lions were effective at what they did.

"They showed when they brought their big men on, the intensity just lifted in that area and we probably came up short a bit.

"It was a lot different to Super 12 where you've got to be eyes up and it's all go, going from one end of the park to the other. Whereas they (Lions) just wear you down. When you're in the contact areas you know about it."

- NZPA