THIS Lions tour has come alive now it’s finally reached Test match time.
The start of a big tour like this is always pretty hectic, then boom, you’re into the serious business.
The nerves of some of the boys in Auckland will be jangling, but I was always pretty relaxed before playing, even when everything was on the line.
In Australia four years ago, ahead of that crunch Test decider against the Wallabies, you could almost taste the pressure as the Red Army invaded Sydney.
I absolutely loved it. But not all the boys deal with it in the same way.
A few hours before kick-off I was in my room, just chilling, when I decided to cut my hair!
I walked out of the bathroom, looked across the room and saw Leigh Halfpenny lying on his bed with his headphones on.
His eyes were screwed shut and his breathing was heavy. I just knew he’d be visualising every kick!
Leigh was actually starting to make me nervous so I just let him crack on and carried on sorting out my barnet.
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In the two tours I went on, you kind of knew really early on what the Test team would look like.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work it out and the boys know within themselves — even if they haven’t announced the 23-man squad yet.
The guys who take the field on Saturday morning have won Six Nations, European Cups, Premierships and Pro12s — but that’s all nonsense right now. It means nothing.
These Tests are all that matter so anything that has happened before, just forget it. This is where legends are born.
Warren Gatland has picked the right squad to do it and there is no reason why they can’t take these All Blacks to town.
It’s not the greatest New Zealand side I have ever seen and the Lions players know that.
Tactically, they will have a few shots to fire at Eden Park this weekend.
And if the weather is poor, the ball will be up in the air or tucked up close, smashing them through the middle with the forwards — that’s the go-to tactic for Gats and Rob Howley.
My old team-mate George North needs to get that nasty side back. He’s an animal and can bulldoze teams on his own when flying.
It looks like Georgey boy will be on the bench rather than in the starting XV, but I wouldn’t bet against him scoring an absolute cracker in the first Test. If he can get that mean streak going he can hammer these All Blacks.
Big George has star quality and performs on the big stage. For the Lions to win they need him at his best.
If it all comes together on the day, New Zealand are in for a shock because they hate it when teams rough ’em up and take it to them at Eden Park.
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