British and Irish Lions: All Blacks have plan to stop tourists' rush defence, says Anton Lienert-Brown

After all the talking, the 12 years of build-up and the war of words between Warren Gatland and Steve Hansen that will undoubtedly intensify over the next five days, it’s Test week, and the All Blacks believe they too have something up their sleeve that will prove to counter the British and Irish Lions’ biggest strength.

The Lions’ wins over the Crusaders and the Maori All Blacks have been based around the speed of their defensive line, handing their opponents little-to-no space to work with and, importantly, nullifying the chances to score points from.

But the All Blacks will pose a completely different challenge on Saturday, having put 78 points past a full-strength Samoa side last Friday while keeping the Pacific Islanders scoreless.

Part of their brilliance in attack that night was the ability of fly-half Beauden Barrett to bring his wide players into the game through the centre partnership of Sonny Bill Williams and Anton Lienert-Brown, the latter of who has the ability to offload almost at will.

The Lions will not be such a pushover when it comes to defending, though Lienert-Brown has said, just like Gatland has preached, that they have something in the locker that they will unleash in the Test series.

“The Lions will be ready and up for it and we’re just going to have to work out what we’ve got to do to negate it,” said Lienert-Brown. “We’ve got a few plans in place but I’m not going to stand here and give it away.”

It’s a thought process echoed by Barrett. “It’s obvious that they are bringing a bit of line-speed, so teams have to adapt to that. It is a different style of defence to what we are used to. It works for them. I enjoy a challenge and there are different areas of the game where there will be a challenge, so that is just one part of it. It’s exciting and I’m looking forward to it.”

The last time the Lions toured New Zealand, under Sir Clive Woodward in 2005, the tourists were brushed aside to great effect. There’s an optimistic belief among northern Hemisphere fans that the same will not happen again this time around, but there is an expectation here in New Zealand that 2017 will simply be a replica of what happened 12 years ago.

That tour was part of the reason why former All Black Dan Carter became a household name in Europe, with his second Test performance going down in New Zealand rugby folklore as one of the greats. It’s something that, to this day, provides the emerging generation with inspiration that they can one day go on to emulate that display, though Lienert-Brown admits he must do a job for his team first.

“The memory of 2005 was seeing DC [Carter] rip the Lions apart,” Lienert-Brown added. “That sticks out pretty big and I was actually watching that game on a pop-up channel the other day, but also just the passion in the crowd and that. It’s going to be a tough challenge ahead.

“I guess you dream of pulling off that performance out there, but first of all you’ve got to do your job for the team and if those things happen then they happen.”