Lions stepping into the unknown in Taranaki

Centre Ollie Smith sits in the stand during the captain's run at Yarrow Stadium in New Plymouth. Picture / Reuters

The Lions' mid-weekers face a step into the unknown in New Plymouth tonight.

Like last Saturday, most of the 22 British and Irish squad members playing this evening will be having their first full taste of New Zealand provincial rugby.

Prop Graham Rowntree, for example, said he had seen a lot of NPC and Super 12 on TV but it will be the first scrum tonight which opens his eyes.

He said Taranaki will be wanting to take them on up-front, which will set the tone of the game.

Rowntree props against Gordon Slater tonight in a rivalry which extends back to 1997 when Slater toured England with the All Blacks.

Taranaki are banking on a number of motivating factors coming into play tonight.

One of them centres around hooker Andrew Hore as many in Taranaki are still upset with Hore's snub from the All Blacks selectors.

Slater said they are not dwelling on the decision, but admitted Hore's predicament is motivating to the team.

They feel for him, he said, and hope to go some way towards putting on a performance which will persuade the selectors to take another look at him.

Slater said the Taranaki forwards will have to mix it up at scrum and lineout time tonight. Without giving much away, he said they have a few tricks up their sleeve.

* Kick-off is at Yarrow Stadium in New Plymouth at 7.10pm (8.10am BST/IST).

- NEWSTALK ZB