By Neal Collins

The fabulous Lions press officer, Louisa Cheetham, has kindly sent me this list of injured Lions before Saturday's third Test against New Zealand in Auckland: Charlie Hodgson (simple concussion incurred v Auckland); Simon Shaw (neck and forearm); Ben Kay (severe bruising to right eye plus virus); Ollie Smith (rib bruising); Gavin Henson (left arm); Jonny Wilkinson (left shoulder/neck); Andy Sheridan (left lower leg); Gordon D'Arcy (general fatigue).

She helpfully added this list of players already out of the tour: Iain Balshaw, Simon Taylor, Malcolm O'Kelly, Lawrence Dallaglio, Richard Hill, Tom Shanklin, Brian O'Driscoll, Danny Grewcock (cited).

I make that 16 players out.

Still, Sir Clive made this trip with a record number of players, back-up staff and cash so it shouldn't be a problem should it?

Everyone knew Jonny wouldn't complete the tour and Balshaw is as injury-prone as any.

If we'd been heading for a decisive third Test instead of a final chance to avoid an All Blackwash, would we have been complaining? I suspect not. It would have been all upbeat and fiery.

Given that the series is lost, spin doctor Alastair Campbell is obviously trying to garner all the sympathy he can find for his wounded Lions.

Hopeless in the opening 21-3 defeat at Christchurch and outclassed in the record defeat in Wellington last week, this Test is all about damage limitation, the avoidance of humiliation.

And the week's spin doctoring comes from Irish coach Eddie O'Sullivan, the luckless assistant to Sir Clive Woodward, forced to put a wasted third Test in perspective.

He said: "This week was really about keeping everyone fresh.

"It has been all about getting a new headset on for the game and there is a real buzz at the moment, which is good. (and here comes the real nauseating spin) The mood in the camp is quite exceptional. You might expect after losing two Tests on the bounce and such a long season that they might be a bit down but they haven't been.

"We want to avoid losing 3-0 because 2-1 is better than 3-0, even if you do lose.

"But at the same time the team would also like to prove that they are good enough to win a Test in New Zealand. That's probably the main challenge."

Once more the main Lions weapon will be a hoped-for complacency, sadly lacking from the All Blacks last week.

With Wilko out, Welsh fly-half Stephen Jones is back along with the experienced World Cup winner Will Greenwood, Ireland's Geordan Murphy is at full-back which sees Josh Lewsey move to the wing opposite Sale wideman Mark Cueto, not considered good enough for England's 60-strong elite at the start of the season, now among the best 15 in Britain and Ireland.

Woodward reckons: "Geordan has had a very good tour, and he was genuinely unlucky not to be included in one of the first two Tests. I think the same applies to Mark Cueto, especially the way he played in midweek against Auckland."

With the pack unchanged I can't help thinking the most significant plus for the Lions is the absence of 33-point record-breaking fly-half Daniel Carter this week.

Luke McAlister, their third-choice No 10, stands in.

But the All Blacks remain fired up, boasting about their special private Haka for captain Tana Umaga before the second Test and McAlister, unlike Carter, has a lot to prove.

The verdict. Miserable like last week and the week before. Another sad 35-15ish crushing for the Lions who left with hope but return humiliated.