New Zealand v Lions: The calm before the storm has rarely seemed more appropriate. Once again Christchurch was bathed in a bright wintery sunshine yesterday.

The hub of this flat city, with its grid street design, is Cathedral Square, which was humming with market stalls and a live band as thousands of fans poured in.

Come match day it would pour with rain.

The weather, which has been misleadingly mild all week, was forecast to "get really rough" at around midday, eight hours before kick-off. But one didn't have to be a meteorologist to sense there was something turbulent brewing in the air.

And there was little doubt the climatic change ought to be more suited to the Lions, with their core of hard Englishmen who prevailed in a Wellington storm against the All Blacks two years ago and on rainy nights in the World Cup semi-final and final against France and Australia.

As the shoot-out looms one of the little curiosities in the build-up was that it seemed the good guys were wearing black. The Lions would employ mostly a kicking game, play territory, apply unremitting defensive pressure, impose their set-pieces and strangle the All Blacks' flair.

Woodward was not only happy to present himself and his team as the ultimate pragmatists; he almost revelled in it.

"We're here to win, it's as simple as that. We've got to walk off that pitch with more points than the team in black. That's what sport is about. It's not how you do it, it's how you get there.

"History tells me people remember winners, not people who come second. So we can play the most exciting brand of rugby ever but if we lose I don't think that's very exciting."

When Tana Umaga was asked if the Lions team reminded him of the English side that carved out that gutsy 15-13 win over a self-destructive All Blacks two years ago, the New Zealand captain responded:

"No, not really. Martin Johnson isn't there, and I think he's the person that stood out in that game. So that's obviously a difference. I believe this is a totally different team in different circumstances."

Nor was Graham Henry, publicly at any rate, going along with the prevailing view that Lions would play so rigidly.

"I think they'll use it all. I think they'll try and play an expansive game. I'm sure they'll go in with a balanced approach, but it may be controlled by the weather."

Rain, a skiddy surface and a slippery ball invariably slow down the pace of attacks through the hand, allowing defences more time to close gaps and/or reset and therefore makes it more difficult to score tries at this high level. So while the feeling remained that the All Blacks have more dynamism and more match-winners, this factor may be diluted.

As Umaga put it: "If we do make an opportunity we'll have to cash in, because there won't be many. I think that's the key for us."

Head-to-head: Played 35, New Zealand 26 wins, 3 draws, Lions 6 wins.

Head-to-head in Christchurch: Played 8, New Zealand 7 wins, Lions 1 win.

Biggest victory margins and most points scored: New Zealand: 38-6, Auckland 1983. Lions: 20-7, Wellington 1993.

Most tries scored: New Zealand: 9 (29-0, Auckland 1908). Lions: 4 (17-18, Dunedin 1959).

Most points scored by an individual: New Zealand: 18 (Don Clarke 1959 and Allan Hewson 1983). Lions: 18 (Gavin Hastings 1993).

Most tries scored by individuals: New Zealand: 3 (Frank Mitchinson 1908, Stu Wilson 1983). Lions: 2 (Carl Aarvold 1930, Malcolm Price 1959, Gerald Davies 1971).

Odds (Paddy Power): 2/7 New Zealand, 20/1 Draw, 5/2 Lions. Handicap odds (= Lions +9pts) 10/11 New Zealand, 16/1 Draw, 10/11 Lions.

Forecast: All Blacks to win.