Richard Loe: McCaw is the man, not Jonny Wilkinson

The Lions' strategy of keeping some of their top players in cotton wool - I'm thinking mostly of Jonny Wilkinson but there are others - is an unusual one and I'm not sure it's the smartest ploy. The All Blacks, on the other hand, are not holding back their key man, Richie McCaw.

Wilkinson will likely play against Wellington on Wednesday and, all going well, will be cotton-wooled again until the test. That's a game against Argentina and a game against Wellington in a month and this with a guy who has been out of top rugby for a long time.

Obviously Wilkinson is talented and crucial to the cause and the Lions have said how well prepared they are. But there's nothing like game time to build cohesion. That's what they're missing by not running their top combinations together in a shadow test team. It supposes that training ground combinations will be enough.

When this tour started, many people said the Lions' tough build-up would benefit them for the test matches. But the coach - or both coaches - have been very careful not to show their hands.

While I can understand the reasons for this, in this age of constant video analysis, I wonder how much you are really keeping up your sleeve.

It becomes a balance between playing Wilko and hoping he doesn't get injured, or keeping him out of the action and risk that loss of cohesion and exposure to top-level, split-second rugby. In the meantime, the Lions are certainly getting a tough build-up but are the right people getting it at the right time and in the right way? Some have criticised the All Black build-up as being light for a big test but I don't know that they're too far behind, if at all.

Certainly the Lions are going to have to pick up their forward play. Until last night, the scrum had been disappointing, especially as neither Bay of Plenty nor Taranaki would be reckoned in our top ranks of scrummagers.

They are performing well enough at the lineout, they defend well and are particularly good at playing out 80 minutes - they do not panic, they are patient and they apply the squeeze and wait.

But will that be enough against the All Blacks? They are going to need that forward dominance to give their five-eighths the ball and the space they need. And that is to kick for corners and then ask lineout men to burgle ball.

My worry is their ability at ruck and maul. Again, they defend well enough there but I'd be worried about their work going forward. They haven't imposed themselves at the breakdown and haven't really shown us they can string multi-phases together.

A player like Richie McCaw looms large. His work at the tackle and the breakdown is far more likely to be crucial in that first test. If the Lions can't combat him, they'll lose. That's why McCaw, and not Jonny Wilkinson, will be the most influential player in that first test.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY