Rugby: Crusaders a massive test for Lions

Dejected Lions players after their loss to the Blues. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The British and Irish Lions have arrived in Christchurch knowing the Crusaders are ready to follow the Blues' example and put the boot into a touring squad which already appears to be teetering only two matches into its 10-match tour from hell.

Warren Gatland was composed and even humorous tonight in front of the media after a few fractious moments already this trip, but another defeat will heap on more pressure ahead of a tough match against the Highlanders (with All Blacks Lima Sopoaga, Waisake Naholo and Liam Coltman on board) in Dunedin, and then the New Zealand Maori in Rotorua.

But for now the focus is the Crusaders, a team unbeaten in 14 Super Rugby matches this season and who have won all sorts of dramatic ways, including recently with a 43m dropped goal from Mitch Hunt after time was up against the Highlanders.

Gatland has done his homework and he is impressed.

"They're pretty good at the moment," Gatland said of the Crusaders. "They're obviously having a pretty good season. The impressive thing about the Crusaders is that in certain games, particularly at the start of the season, they've been under a lot of pressure, they've been behind in games, but they play the full 80 minutes and they've been able to drag victories from positions where that's looked unlikely with 10 to 15 minutes to go.

"They're playing with a lot of confidence and using the ball. It's going to be a good test for us."

Scott Robertson's men have the ability to play any way now; set piece, expansive, you name it, and Gatland will know too that the Crusaders are probably the fittest side in the competition. They are particularly dangerous on kick returns, which means No10 Owen Farrell, likely to be the test first-five, has to get his kicking game spot on.

Lock Alan Wyn Jones, the captain for the Lions on Saturday, said: "We've got a big Crusaders hurdle in the way with a team littered with All Blacks. It's going to be a tough ask."

It will be a genuine test, as he said, and it wouldn't surprise if they suffered another defeat following their disappointing win in Whangarei and 22-16 defeat to the Blues at Eden Park.

"It would be disappointing if that were the case," Gatland said. "We're well aware of how tough it is to be out here in terms of the opposition that we've got. We haven't eased into it with a number of easy games like we have in the past and that's why the challenge for us is to come together as quickly as we can.

These Super Rugby sides have been together for seven months and you expect they would have a certain amount of cohesion.

"We know we're playing teams with All Blacks in them and the quality of the sides. It's a great test for us... we've learned a lot from those first two games and we're aware that behind closed doors we're trying to keep a few things back and prepare and make sure we're right for particularly the first test."

He wants secrets kept, and will be looking for some when he attends the All Blacks v Samoa warm-up test at Eden Park on Friday next week.

"We'll look with interest at the team they put out against Samoa next week in what is an important game for them and we'll probably have a look at that game as well. It will give us potentially an indication of what's coming at us the following week."

Skipper Sam Warburton is resting an ankle strain but it's not serious, said Gatland.