Sir Clive has score to settle

Lions captain Brian O'Driscoll (left) and head coach Sir Clive Woodward enjoy a joke at yesterday's presentation in Auckland. Picture / Kenny Rodger

As opening statements of intent go, the Lions could not be accused of fluffing their lines.

Last night they delivered a polished performance as manager Bill Beaumont, coach Sir Clive Woodward and captain Brian O'Driscoll stood and delivered from the lectern to kick off the 11-match expedition.

There was the odd quip here, an occasional aside there, but the over-riding impression was Woodward's unswerving belief that this, the largest of all Lions parties, is a squad that can do the job against the All Blacks.

Only one Lions team has left New Zealand victorious, Carwyn James' heroes of 1971. Along the way there have been entertaining teams, rugged and brilliant individuals but all with one thing in common: they departed as losers.

Woodward has no intention of joining them and it was all upbeat, positive stuff as you'd expect.

Lions teams have, he pointed out, a 60 per cent winning rate in Australia, 30 per cent in South Africa and 10 per cent in New Zealand. About time something was done about that, was the message.

He dotted i's and crossed t's along the way, almost mentally ticking off the points: the size of the squad, the importance of the trip, no, they won't neglect the off-field aspects, a hint that this might be the last of the big Lions tours and all along the way it was as if the word WIN was hovering over his head.

The 45-minute presentation began with the 42 players who arrived yesterday - three more arrive in the next few days - taking their places along one wall. The management were stationed on the other side.

Beaumont introduced a video of the players, with a soundtrack best described as triumphal.

The old Lion of 1980 in South Africa made all the right noises - "when it comes to passion for rugby there's no country like New Zealand"; "we all know the scale of the challenge ahead" and so on.

And the theme for the tour was unveiled: the Power of Four, which sounds a bit Bryce Courtenay-ish but you get the drift.

Woodward reckoned winning this series would dwarf all other rugby achievements. And he hopes it will happen before royal eyes, with Prince William - for republican readers, he's the older one - due here for two of the tests, while attending to family business along the way.

O'Driscoll, the brilliant Irish centre, is clearly chuffed to finally get here.

Having heard his coach congratulate Liverpool for their stunning Champions League victory this week over AC Milan, O'Driscoll was moved to switch to soccer as well.

"I'd like to commiserate with Manchester United for being robbed blind in the FA Cup final," he quipped of the penalty shoot-out loss to Arsenal last weekend.

Woodward pointed out Liverpool and Arsenal both wear red and he'd heard that was the colour most widely associated with winners. A nice line, but in the search for omens it seemed a shade tenuous. Then again, this year's Six Nations champions also wear red ...

The Lions' winning rate

* in Australia - 60 per cent

* in South Africa - 30 per cent

* in New Zealand - 10 per cent