STEVE HANSEN was the man who helped me be a Lions star.
When I was first called up to the Wales squad, he was the coach and it was a whole new world to me.
I was just 20 and he wanted me to analyse all the other players in the Six Nations.
He would ask me how many steps the Scotland scrum-half took before box kicking.
Would he step forward? Did he step back? All the little details which can make a difference. That’s how in-depth he was.
Hansen was a top guy and showed me a lot of respect. When I wasn’t selected for the 2003 World Cup he called me into his office and sat me down.
He told me how sorry he was to not take me, but that I had a massive future ahead of me and to keep working hard.
I didn’t expect that and it had a massive effect on my career.
Fast-forward to 2015 and I get told by letter that I am dropped from the World Cup.
This All Blacks team is built on years of dedication and grafting — shutting your mouth, doing your job and cracking on. It’s not about superstars or egos.
I saw recently that Hansen’s players even gave him a talking to for being late to a meeting.
WATCH WHAT YOU SAY, GATS!
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With Warren Gatland Wales won back-to-back Six Nations — a fantastic achievement.
But straight after, he came into a press conference and said we would be the first team to do it three times in a row.
I was thinking ‘oh s***! Are you really saying that? Now everyone wants to hunt us down.’
That annoyed me as it put us on the back foot. I think with Gats sometimes he says stuff for a reaction, whereas Hansen just says whatever is in his head.
It is going to be great watching these two go at each other off the pitch.
THE LIONS NEED TO GET IN THEIR FACES
I think it is a great Lions team and Gats has made the right decisions to win the game.
If you look at the bench, it’s a great one to come on and create chaos in the last 25 minutes with Maro Itoje and Rhys Webb.
It is kind of a Catch 22 with Maro — he would be superb starting and also off the bench — whereas Alun Wyn Jones gives you experience from the start.
Maro is a better impact player than Jones and then there will be holes for Maro to exploit later on, which will be just as important. Jones is a big leader and people will follow him — it’s a workman-like pack.
Toby Faletau is another who just gets it done. Up front they have to get among them and make it uncomfortable.
The All Blacks have only been together for a few weeks and even though they smashed Samoa 78-0, that game looks to be a bit of a wasted one as they were not tested.
Their defence was torn apart against Ireland — they switched off and there are some flaws.
KICKING IS KEY
Owen Farrell is key for the Lions and after Leigh Halfpenny’s kicks won the last Lions series it could come down to a battle of the boot again.
It is a massive responsibility, but if Faz starts missing kicks, heads could drop.
The Lions haven’t been scoring tries for fun, so the three- pointers will have to be taken.
WHAT DAN CARTER TAUGHT ME ABOUT THE ALL BLACKS
It sounds boring, but the legendary No 10 would always hammer on about rugby being a game of basics.
Forget about the flash stuff until you get everything right — then everything else will click into place.
Everyone thinks the All Blacks have this amazing gameplay built around Harlem Globetrotters-like moves, but it’s actually all about the simple stuff.
Carter used to say they also had the most simple line-out call when he was playing for them.
BEAUDEN BARRETT IS THE WORLD’S BEST
He is tremendous. The fly-half is the best player in the world, no doubt.
You have to stop him, but then again every single All Blacks player causes a threat.
If the Lions start pumping players into the defensive ruck and leave the line short, then Barrett will look to expose them by bringing in Sonny Bill Williams or by kicking for territory.
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