Wynne Gray: Tourists facing another tighthead prop issue

When the Lions last played Taranaki 12 years ago, they were trying to regroup after an agonising one-point defeat in the first test.

They introduced Martin Johnson, the young lock who had been picked as a replacement for Wade Dooley when he returned home after his father's death.

It was the start of an illustrious career for Johnson.

Another legendary character, Jason Leonard, answered a tighthead prop crisis.

Neither tighthead, Paul Burnell nor Peter Wright, had succeeded by mid-tour and Leonard switched sides against Taranaki with distinct effect.

Johnson and Leonard were big factors in the Lions' 49-25 victory, and for the rest of the tour.

On the evidence so far on this trip, tighthead prop will be an issue for this Lions squad unless Julian White and Gethin Jenkins stay fit and functional.

Matt Stevens was benched against Bay of Plenty and John Hayes was sacked soon after the interval last night against Taranaki.

He struggled, understandably, in the pre-tour match against Argentina, and was in trouble regularly against Tony Penn and his Taranaki mates.

The Taranaki scrum has a gritty reputation, with men such as Gordon Slater, Andrew Hore, Penn, Paul Tito and Scott Breman, but is not considered destructive. They made a nonsense of that last night in New Plymouth.

But the Lions were much too good for the home side elsewhere after an awkward first spell. Once they got into rumble mode and had sapped some of the locals' defensive clout, the Lions put their mark on this match.

Five second-half tries to one underscored that superiority, a margin begun by skipper Martin Corry's calculated dive and slide in at the corner to beat a desperate tackle and the video ref.

Donncha O'Callaghan, Danny Grewcock, Michael Owen and Lewis Moody put themselves about, banging bodies and shifting debris at the breakdowns far better than they had managed in the opening spell.

Charlie Hodgson, like Ronan O'Gara at the weekend, showed delightful touches with his kicking to control the tempo and territory for the Lions. His goal-kicking was also classy.

Several cross-kicks for the wings were superb examples of precision attacking punting.

Fullback Geordan Murphy was also a neat, lively contributor as he benefited from the increasing possession.

Two wins and the momentum has built sweetly for an epic contest with the NZ Maori this weekend.