Well, the Lions are 1-0 down in the series after a chastening opening affair against the All Blacks last weekend at Eden Park. The Tourists failed to make the most of the opportunities that were in front of them in the match and fell to a ruthless and clinical performance from the Kiwis. Now Warren Gatland’s men have to win in Wellington on Saturday to keep the series alive. But despite all the bravery that the Lions showed in the first test, will it simply boil down to the All Blacks being far too good again?
New Zealand are the odds-on favourite to win the second test and they just look too good for the Lions in all departments on the pitch. That means that there is little for the Lions to get their teeth into, even if they adapt their line up and bring in bigger line-breakers like Rhys Webb at fly-half and the power of Maro Itoje, who many expected to be starting up front in the first test, it is questionable whether or not they will be strong enough. The Lions did create their chances and they ran in the try of the entire Tour in the match.
But there are just big gaps between the natural class and unity of the All Blacks and the tourists and you feel that whatever the Lions happen to do on the day, the All Blacks will have the extra in them to respond and find a way to win. With them having that opening test under their belt, their confidence will be even higher and there’s nothing wrong with looking at a New Zealand -14 handicap at Boylesports for a price of 10/11 on the match in the second test, that is because they are likely to cut loose and just wrap this series up efficiently.
New Zealand v British Lions 2nd Test Betting
New Zealand 1/6, Lions 9/2, Draw 33/1
In the first tryscorer market for the second test at Boylesports Reiko Ioane and Waisake Naholo are 15/2 joint favourites to get the first touchdown in the match with Israel Dagg at 10/1. The Lions have to simply leave everything out on the pitch in this first half of this scrap and it is worth backing the game to be fairly tight at the break again. But ultimately the class and ruthlessness that the Kiwis showed in that 30-15 first test victory is likely going to pan out in a similar fashion this time around.
They have the extra gears and the extra class with the likes of Sonny Bill Williams who was the star of their show in the firsts test. Captain Kieran Reid was highly influential for them as expected and when you have the kind of finishers that they have in their backs, it’s hard not to get wholeheartedly behind the hosts. The fact that their backs looked to be reined in from being too expansive means that they have scoring power in reserve. There was a definite nod to defensive work in that first test and if they open up, it could spell big, big trouble in Wellington for the tourists.
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