Dirt-trackers ready to stake their claims

When Gareth Jenkins talks rugby he does so with real passion.

The popular and highly regarded Welshman, one of the coaches in charge of the Lions' mid-week team, spoke emotionally about having the honour of handing out the Lions jerseys before the opening tour game against Bay of Plenty last Saturday.

Last night he was again on hand to express the importance of tonight's match against Taranaki.

There's a school of thought that says few of tonight's team began the tour among the top contenders for the first test on June 25.

If Jenkins has anything to do with it, these Lions won't be short of desire to prove the sceptics wrong.

"We realise there's a big challenge in front of us," he said.

"We have a big opinion of the quality of Taranaki, but we have to move the tour along positively, and the way to do that is be successful.

"There's an opportunity for every player to make a statement about test selection. Individuals have to be totally focused, and along with that we have to grow a game, develop as a team."

The Lions watched a tape of Taranaki giving Bay of Plenty a 50-point tonking in last year's NPC.

Considering the spirited Bay performance in Rotorua, it is a short step to follow the Lions' train of thought on what they expect tonight.

Seven of the Lions pack started the Argentina game in Cardiff last month. Undoubtedly they will be better for that run. They will need to be or they will have big problems tonight.

Welsh No 8 Michael Owen was captain against Argentina. He knows it didn't go according to plan, but he's expecting far better against Taranaki.

"Because we were unsure of what we were doing, it created the anxiety that you normally would not associate with some of the players," the 24-year-old said.

"It's just a matter of us being exactly sure of what we're trying to do, and I think you will see the quality of the players come out."

Taranaki coach Kieran Crowley liked much of what he saw of the Lions in the Bay game.

The names are different - captain Martin Corry, who replaced Lawrence Dallaglio after a quarter, apart - but Crowley suspects the Lions will improve as they spend time together.

A 24-24 draw with the New Zealand Colts is hardly the ideal preparation, so Taranaki have concentrated on getting a couple of aspects right - structures and patterns they want to employ, and getting a clutch of players, most of whom are coming out of club rugby, up to speed with what they will face.

Crowley also hinted Taranaki won't settle for playing a standard, predictable pattern.

"I don't think you can win these games by playing conventional rugby," the former All Black fullback said. "We'll try a couple of things, but whether the Lions let us is another thing."

Crowley also stressed this game would have little bearing on the NPC a few weeks away. "This is a one off. We've made that clear to the guys. We'll give everything we've got for this, then worry about the NPC on Thursday morning."

Taranaki will relish taking the Lions on up front. That's where their strength lies.

The quality front row of Gordon Slater, Andrew Hore and Tony Penn will fancy themselves against John Hayes, Andrew Titterrell and Graham Rowntree.

If Taranaki can hold the scrum together, and be clever at the lineout and win their own ball, they will be right in the contest.

They won't fear the Lions backline. First five-eighths Charlie Hodgson is having his first game, and although the Irish back three know each other's game intimately, the England midfield pairing of old hand Will Greenwood and tyro Ollie Smith have not played together before, either through injury or non-selection.

As Jenkins said, this will be a night where players can grow or wilt in first test calculations.