All Blacks don't expect to face 'Warrenball' in tests against Lions

- Lions - Lions Coach Warren Gatland addresses media. Photo / Greg Bowker

All Blacks analyst 'Aussie' McLean is not buying into claims the British and Irish Lions will play boring "Warrenball" rugby against the world champions.

McLean told the London Telegraph he believes the Lions' playing style will grow organically throughout the 10-match tour, dismissing the notion head coach Warren Gatland will adopt a strictly conservative approach.

The former two-time title-winning Canterbury NPC coach, felt the criticism of Gatland's tactics was misguided and based on a pragmatic approach the ex-All Blacks has taken with the Wales national team.

"When Wales play in the Six Nations, they have a style of play that they employ, defensive systems that they use and set of players who play together in combinations," McLean told the Telegraph.

"Compared to preparing for the Lions it is chalk and cheese. There is no Lions team that has played since Australia. There are no combinations that are set in stone that they will use. That's the challenge.

McLean's analyst role, which he has held since 2012, is to deliver Steve Hansen critical information on the strengths and weaknesses of the Lions ahead of the three-test series
McLean said that for all the barriers the Lions had to clear in moulding a team from four nations, the All Blacks also faced obstacles in taking on an opponent they knew little about.

"If you look at their backline, they can play several different types of game. If you put (Jonathan) Sexton, (Owen) Farrell and (Jonathan) Joseph together that it is probably an entirely differently game to facing Farrell, (Robbie) Henshaw and Davies.

"We think some things are going to happen but then we are going to have to look at what they do in the warm-up games.

"When you are doing that kind of analysis it is a bit of a guess at the start. You have your assumptions but I will not report anything until it is confirmed."

McLean, who also won three world championships with New Zealand junior sides, admitted to the Telegraph that some of Gatland's selections for the tour confounded many in New Zealand.

"I thought Joe Launchbury was going to be in the team from all the games I watched," McLean said. "I was also surprised that (Dylan) Hartley did not make the squad.

"I think one of the things that a lot of New Zealanders underestimate is that Billy Vunipola is a huge loss to the Lions. He is an outstanding player."

McLean's brief extends to monitoring the form of New Zealand's own players and with their franchises dominating Super Rugby, he admits Hansen is spoilt for choice despite injuries to top-line players.

"It does not make selection meetings easy, but we are in a very good place," McLean said.

"I can't remember a time that the New Zealand franchises have been this dominant in Super Rugby."

Contrary to what others are saying, McLean believes the Lions will benefit from taking on the Super Rugby sides ahead of the test series.

"While I know a lot of people both here and in the UK are saying that those tough matches that they are going to play are too hard I think it will be the making of them as a team," McLean told the Telegraph.

"They will know the things they need to fix straight away.

"Warren Gatland is a very canny man and he knows if he puts their best players against our strong Super Rugby teams they will learn what works and what doesn't. They will also become battle-hardened.

"It is like the World Cup when you draw a weak pool then you go into the knockouts without a lot of hard rugby. You will find a lot of coaches here will prefer a hard pool so you are battle-hardened come the knockout stages.

"They are going to get a miles better build-up for their combinations and building their team than what we get. We have one game against Samoa. Warren is going to get a number of games. Of course that will be very tough, but I would much rather building up playing our Super Rugby teams rather than having one rugby match."

- staff writer and London Telegraph