DAVID Duckham has urged the British and Irish Lions to take their places alongside his vintage of 1971 by steeling themselves for the storm he knows is coming on Saturday.
Nearly five decades separate Warren Gatland’s men from the only previous successful tour to New Zealand, but Duckham insists the ferocity of an All Blacks team reeling from a rare loss will be just as intense. The great England wing had been overlooked for the triumphant first Test 46 years ago but was present for the remainder of the series, starting two weeks later when the Lions were on the receiving end of a savage backlash in Christchurch.
Victory in the third instalment offered sight of a unique place in history that was sealed when the rivals drew at Eden Park, the setting for Saturday’s showdown which Duckham believes will decided by how the tourists combat the looming All Blacks barrage.
“New Zealand came back with a vengeance against us in the second Test and won easily,” said Duckham.
“That onslaught we faced was disconcerting and we knew before the match that we had a mountain to climb.
“The 1993 side went close, but they were well beaten in the decider and the Lions will have to be ready for a major onslaught on Saturday because that’s the way New Zealand play.
“They’ll feel seriously wounded after losing – the All Blacks will be like wounded Lions themselves as they were against us.
“You could see from the way they reacted in the last few minutes in Wellington – they were in panic mode in a way. I’ve never seen such desperation in a team to claw victory from defeat.
“No-one is giving us much of a chance on Saturday but if they get their heads straight and anticipate the onslaught that’s coming, then they have the capability to do it.
“We’re very proud of our record, but we’d desperately like to see it put to bed once and for all by these Lions.
“A time comes when you think British and Irish rugby must go forward and show its face to the world game.”
The reverberations of the Lions’ success in 1971 have been felt by world rugby ever since.
Stung by a first series defeat since 1937, the All Blacks realised they had been tactically exposed by opponents who introduced a new dimension to three-quarter play founded on the ambition of the swashbuckling Welsh, whose artistry lit up the era.
Duckham added: “As a result of that series, there’s no doubt their rugby changed. I was talking to [former All Blacks skipper] Sean Fitzpatrick about it recently and he said ‘you made us look silly on that tour’.”
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