By Neal Collins

Sir CLIVE Woodard's interview broadcast to a rugby-mad New Zealand before the first Test at the Jade Stadium in Christchurch on Saturday talks of pressure... and pressure. He occasionally mentions pressure too.

Try this quick excerpt, where he uses the word pressure seven times in four paragraphs:

"The pressure on players and coaches in New Zealand is huge. It is everywhere similar to how football is back home. Sometimes when you build up so so much the pressure to deliver is extreme. It is a great word pressure because you know some people thrive on it and sometimes some people think they thrive on it and when it really comes they are not really as good as they they think. That is why I am pleased with the Lions team. We have very good people who have won World Cups, the Welsh last year in the Grand Slam really delivered. They played 40 minutes in Paris which I think is the best 40 minutes of rugby I have ever seen.

"Pressure was really on a few of the players and Stephen Jones, Peel and Gareth Thomas just went like that. That was when I knew that the Welsh revival was really on. They have got some really scary people who have really come on.

"I just think that you are at your best when the pressure is at its greatest and that is the true definition of champion sportspeople. It is about playing under pressure as the importance of this game (on Saturday) is huge."

"I just look at it and smile (coverage of New Zealand rugby). The pressure that it must put on players and coaches here is intense. Everyone is talking about it (rugby) from the radio shows and newspapers with some of it pretty informed comment and some of it you just have to smile."

A lot of the pressure of course has come crashing down as a result of Sir Clive's selection policy. He promised to pick on form alone but he simply hasn't.

Jason Robinson and Jonny Wilkinson are in on reputation, not merit.

Gavin Henson is out because he's too flash.

Ryan Jones showed real form on his Lions debut against Otago but he remains on the bench. Michael Owen and Martyn Williams have been solid throughout, but they still find themselves out of the Test 22 behind the old faithful England trio of Richard Hill, Neil Back and Martin Corry (it would have been Lawrence Dallagio, if injury hadn't struck).

It's probably the seven-man bench which worries me most.

No Henson, no Sheridan, no Owen, no impact.

Woodward, architecht of a grim victory at the Biscuit Tin, Wellington, on a wild night a few months before the World Cup in 2003, says (using the word pressure once more): "We have been down to your country 10 times and lost nine so I am not putting us under pressure for that because we are not expected to win.

"I can understand why because you have to throw a team together last minute and they are all different. They have their quirks, their strengths, weaknesses especially the English. To get them in a room and know you are going into a very hostile environment is a challenge.

"It is different, it is unique. I think romantic is a good word because its romantic what we are trying to do in a way because commonsense says we should not win because we are up against the most professional team in the world in terms of New Zealand. They have fantastic players and top coaches and they are a team. They have been developing as a team and we have just thrown this together and everybody wants us to win.

"But I know I am here with a very well prepared team and the best players from four countries and I think we have half a chance."

Yup, half a chance. And that half a chance rests with Jonny Wilkinson's boot, like it did so often during the build-up to the World Cup.

But this time we find Wilko about to start his first major international (apart from an excellent performance in the 25-25 pre tour draw with Argentina) since he won the World Cup final with his right boot.

The neck, the bicep and the knee (twice) have ruined his rugby since Sydney.

My reading of this? Like so many of the angry hotmailers who have messaged me, I can see this gritty, experienced set of forwards holding the All Blacks at bay for an hour. With Back, Hill and Corry working hard in the loose and New Zealand's Richie McCaw less than 100 percent fit, the Lions should be effective in the loose and with Gethin Jenkins, Shane Byrne and Julian White up front, the front row shapes up well for gaining possession too.

But we have seen little in the way of brilliance from the Lions backs. Brian O'Driscoll appears burdened by the captaincy, Jason Robinson is a shadow of his old self. Wilkinson will be playing out of position at centre.

Ultimately, the All Blacks and their fleet-footed backs will cut loose.

I'm looking at a fearsome last 20 minutes from the New Zealanders, with possibly three late tries.

I've seen Jason Robinson skinned by Doug Howlett once before, in an autumn international at Twickenham in 2002. Jason has gone backwards since 2003, admitting to exhaustion and worrying about his wife Amanda's latest pregancy.

Josh Lewsey will be under huge pressure, Gareth Thomas has had a great season, but it's been a long, hard haul.

Can they hold up for 80 minutes?

I don't think so.

And come the second Test, we'll see a very different Lions side. Plenty of Welsh flair, less English experience.

Let's not write Sir Clive's side off. They have 1,000 caps between them to New Zealand's 420. I'd love to see Woodward prove us all wrong again. But I just can't see any other outcome.

Verdict: New Zealand 35, Lions 18