SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: This Lions team is in for a rude awakening against Australia - and here's why

The pressure on the British & Irish Lions for Saturday's first Test against Australia is absolutely huge.

It is rare for a Lions team to be such heavy favourites going into a series opener - and sometimes, it is those games that are the hardest to prepare for. The mental aspect is significant here.

Will the enormity of this game allow the team to dial in and deliver the best performance of the tour? Or will Australia, as is their nature, step up and set this tour alight?

Andy Farrell’s side simply cannot afford to lose. Such a scenario is unthinkable. If the Lions are beaten, I think serious questions will have to be asked not only of Farrell, but the players and the whole organisational committee. Everything is on the line and I’m expecting a very, very tight Test match in Brisbane on Saturday.

The tour so far has felt a little bit underwhelming. The Lions haven’t been tested at all in the warm-ups and if they are underdone in the first Test their chairman and chief executive will come under significant heat. I don't know why they haven't played Fiji, a serious rugby side who are in Australia right now.

Some of the call-ups Farrell has made have also felt a touch unnecessary, particularly the Irish and Scottish players who have been added in the last week.

Other things that have come out of the camp – like stopping a child from asking a question in a press conference and not allowing reporters to attend training – don’t sit well with me. This is the Lions. But so far, we haven’t seen an elite tour. 

That, I hope, is all about to change - and I think the Lions might be in for a rude awakening. Don’t get me wrong, they are the better team and should win.

The team Farrell has picked for Brisbane is a strong one. Other than Tom Curry over Jac Morgan and Tadhg Beirne in place of Ollie Chessum, it’s the XV I’d have gone with.

I don’t think Henry Pollock’s comment the Lions are aiming to win the series 3-0 has helped the team - and here’s why.

I lived in Australia for five years. I loved it. I got married there, two of my kids were born there, and I really enjoyed the way of life. So, I’d like to think I’ve got a good understanding of how Australians operate.

When I was England coach, Australia were our biggest rivals too and the team I most enjoyed facing, especially Down Under.

Anyone with a passion for sport in Australia loves to be put in a corner. Australians like to prove a point and show you why you were wrong about them.

So far, their regional teams haven’t been able to upset the apple cart. But I think the Wallabies will be desperate to show, after years of being written off, that they’re a good team. And I really think they will give the Lions a good run for their money. 

Australia have had a tough time of late, but anyone who was at Twickenham last autumn when the Wallabies came to town and snatched a famous victory will remember how gifted they are. This team really has the opportunity to reignite the sport and inspire their nation.

I think the whole of Australia will have a good feeling about this game. If they are given a foothold, they may well grow into the game and the series.

For the Lions, it’s about dealing with the pressure and expectation on them. The game will be decided by whether or not the Lions can do that. The best players in the world are able to play their best rugby when the pressure is at its highest.

Farrell is in a great position in many ways because in players like Ellis Genge, Maro Itoje and Finn Russell, he has guys who are used to delivering on the biggest stage.

It is also no surprise he’s gone with eight Irishmen in his starting XV and 11 in the matchday squad. It is a shame Morgan misses out on the openside flank as it means there is no Welshman involved for the first time in a Test since 1896. I think that’s a big blow for the Lions concept.

I’d have opted for Morgan over Curry. But that would have been no pity pick. I think he’s been the best No 7 on the tour so far, ahead of Curry, Josh van der Flier and Pollock. Curry needs a big game to prove his worth.

Farrell knows the Irish guys the best, so as a coach I can understand why he’s gone with many of them. He knows he can rely on them when push comes to shove. And there will be times when Australia do ramp up the pressure.

One thing in the Lions’ favour is Wallaby injuries. They’re lacking ball carriers, with the likes of the giant Will Skelton and Rob Valetini out and a rookie No 10 in Tom Lynagh. Skelton is, quite literally, a huge loss. I do wonder if it’s too early to play Lynagh.

But with Noah Lolesio injured, Australia head coach Joe Schmidt probably hasn’t got any other choice. Schmidt is a very experienced operator and I feel he will be quietly pleased in the position the Wallabies’ find themselves in.

His team have their backs to the wall, but expect Australia to go hard at the breakdown – an area where the Lions have been poor so far.

Conversely, the Lions will look to dominate physically. In lock pairing Itoje and Joe McCarthy and with Beirne at six, they have big, carrying forwards. Australia don’t have those. Expect a contrast in styles.

The Lions should come out on top and if they do – as I’ve long maintained – I think they will go on to seal a clean sweep. But doing so is far from guaranteed. Can the Lions handle the pressure? We’re about to find out.