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Furlong braced for 'brutal' Lions showdown
By Alex Fisher
Tadhg Furlong is braced for a “brutal” deciding Test with New Zealand after the British and Irish Lions levelled the series with victory in Wellington.
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Having been comfortably beaten in the opening Test, the Lions bounced back with a 24-21 victory last weekend to ensure the series will go back to Auckland with everything to play for.
The second-Test victory ended the All Blacks‘ 47-match winning run at home – a sequence that stretched back to 2009 – and was the second time Furlong has enjoyed success over New Zealand.
His first triumph came in November when Ireland denied Steve Hansen’s side an 18th successive victory with a 40-29 win in Chicago.
Any celebrations were quickly forgotten by the Irish, though, as the wounded All Blacks crushed them 21-9 two weeks later in Dublin, and the Lions are ready for a similar backlash at Eden Park on Saturday.
“When your pride is a little dented, you come out and you’ll be absolutely bulling for it,” Furlong said at a media conference.
“You’ve got to get your detail right, be physically and emotionally at that pitch where you can compete and then try to go toe to toe.
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“That match in Dublin, I remember coming off the pitch and being absolutely shattered. I was sore for days afterwards.
“It was one of the most brutal Test matches I’ve played in my short career.
“So we all expect to have the same thing again. And we’ve got to tee ourselves up for it.”
?? "Their noise, it lifts you"
? Tadhg Furlong loves playing in front of the sea of red ? https://t.co/iJqAl0WeYd#AllForOne#LionsNZ2017 pic.twitter.com/Qo8KgA1nte
— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) July 4, 2017
Furlong may have two wins over the All Blacks in under a year but he insists the world champions remain a team to be afraid of.
“I think you always fear the All Blacks in the way that if you don’t get your stuff sorted, if you don’t man up and meet them head on head it’s a tough day at the office,” he added.
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“If that doesn’t happen they’ll cut you to ribbons in the wider channels if you give them that sort of space.
“They can score a try from anywhere – they’re that dangerous, they’ve threats all over the park.
“If none of that works they’re just so damn consistent, good at holding on to the ball. They’re a tough team to beat.
“You have to keep attacking them, but it’s easier said than done.”
