Being smashed by Tana Umaga and the fear of sharing a room with Zinzan Brooke were just some of the topics discussed by Justin Marshall and Lee Byrne at an ASB Ambitions Breakfast this morning.Marshall, the most capped All Black halfback of all time, and Byrne, who played for Wales
Former All Black and Lions greats provide insight at Rotorua breakfast
By David Beck
Rotorua Daily Post·
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"It's debatable whether or not it was a double movement, there's conjecture about whether or not I crawled my way to the line.
"I'm sorry, but I did enjoy the opportunity to win the Ranfurly Shield."
Reflecting on the first of his 41 tests for Wales Byrne, who played fullback, spoke about being tackled by a New Zealand legend.
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"My first game for Wales was against the All Blacks in New Zealand in 2005.
"I came on for Gareth Thomas, and Tana Umaga was All Blacks captain that day.
"With my first touch of the ball Tana absolutely smashed me, grabbed my head and said, 'hey bro, try a sidestep next time'," said Byrne.
He said as a young rugby player growing up in Wales he "always wanted" to put on the red jersey of the British and Irish Lions.
When he got the call up to tour South Africa in 2009 it was "a dream come true", but he was slightly star-struck by his roommate, Irish legend Brian O'Driscoll.
"I'd only been playing at international level for a few years and he'd already been on two Lions tours.
"When my name got pulled out of the hat to share a room with a guy I had idolised, I couldn't believe it.
"I carried his bags to the room, offered to make cups of tea.
"One day he had more than a few drinks, came back to the room and decided to go toilet all over my new Lions kit.
"I actually told my mum about it and she said, 'Maybe you should ask to change rooms'. I said, 'Mum it's Brian O'Driscoll, he can do what he wants'."
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Speaking about the current tour, both former players agreed the Lions had a tough itinerary.
Marshall said the Lions players needed to "control the pressure" during what was an "ambitious" schedule.
"In any business or any sporting organisation, when pressure starts to formulate internally from external sources it's about controlling that.
"If you can do that and you all have a common goal and a common objective you can stay strong."
He said the Lions being tested by New Zealand's Super Rugby sides would help the All Blacks prepare to face them.
"When we were analysing the Lions before the first test in 2005 it was impossible because they were winning most of the provincial games by 30 or 40 points.
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"It wasn't a true indication of how they were going to play - this tour they are being tested week in and week out by the best players in the country."
Byrne said he believed the Lions would bounce back from their loss against the Highlanders with a win over the Maori All Blacks tomorrow night."The Maori All Blacks are a terrific team but I don't think they've been together long enough - like the Lions when they first arrived.
"There are some terrific players and there will be some sore bodies."
Marshall chose to sit on the fence with his prediction.
"If it's wet the Lions will win, if it's dry the Maori will win.
"I think the pace will be too much from the Maori, they'll be up a gear from the Super Rugby teams and I think that will catch out the Lions.
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"If it's slippery and wet it takes a second or two to adjust the pass which will pressure the Maori into playing a game they don't want to play.
"They'll want to play expansive rugby," said Marshall.
