The first Test between the All Blacks and the Lions tomorrow has all the ingredients of a titanic forward battle and a dour kicking duel as wintry storms threaten to rule out expansive, running rugby.
Both rival coaches, Graham Henry and Clive Woodward, opted for extra kickers to boot their way into scoring situations, with the Lions coach taking the shock measure of moving England's World Cup winning flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson to inside center.
As surprising as the tactic may be, pairing Welsh flyhalf Stephen Jones with Wilkinson offers the Lions a right foot-left foot combination which extends the kicking options in the howling, wet and cold southerly storm forecast to rip through Jade Stadium.
For the All Blacks it is the reverse with the left-footed Daniel Carter partnering the right foot of Aaron Mauger.
The Lions have looked less than remarkable trying to move the ball wide in their warm-up games.
Those matches were played largely on dry grounds and will count for little if the Test atmosphere is reduced to a power struggle up front and a kicking duel between the back lines.
"It's going to be a game of territory," predicted former All Blacks flyhalf Andrew Mehrtens, who will soon head to England to join the London club Harlequins.
"They [the Lions] know how to get those big mincers up front going forward and it's going to be a massive test for the All Blacks," he said.
Henry has made no secret of wanting to move All Blacks captain Tana Umaga to inside center, but for the Lions Test he has stayed with the established line-up from the Super 12 championship winning Crusaders team of halfback Justin Marshall feeding Carter and Mauger.
Woodward said he knew he would choose Dwayne Peel and Jones as a halfback combination after their performance under pressure for Wales against France in the Six Nations. The question then was who to play outside them.
"When Jonny Wilkinson became fit, watching him play and knowing him as a player, it always became an option," Woodward said.
But with Wilkinson on the comeback after neck and shoulder injuries, his defensive abilities will surely be targeted by Umaga and crunching All Blacks loose forward Jerry Collins.
In the battle for the loose ball the All Blacks have a clear advantage in openside flanker Richie McCaw who is certain to start despite a back strain.
His ball-winning skills at the breakdown make him a key weapon in the All Blacks armory, and Lions elder statesman Neil Back agreed it was an area where the Lions have had organizational difficulties.
To overcome the lack of teamwork, Woodward felt best to rely on his trio of English veterans -- openside flanker Back, blindside Richard Hill and No 8 Martin Corry.
With a monster front row of Gethin Jenkins, Shane Byrne and Julian White, the Lions feel they have an edge over Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu and Carl Hayman at scrum time, if they are allowed to.
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