Friday 23 June 2017 20:55, UK
New Zealand legend Sean Fitzpatrick says the All Blacks are "on edge" because of the threat posed by the British and Irish Lions.
Fitzpatrick, who has been speaking to some of the players that will face the Lions in the first Test on Saturday, live on Sky Sports, believes the All Blacks are aware of the strengths the British and Irish players possess.
"They are very conscious," Fitzpatrick said. "I was at a meeting in their hotel on Thursday morning and the team came in and had breakfast with everyone - which I think is pretty cool - but they are a bit on edge.
"They see something in this Lions team that they haven't seen before.
"No one in New Zealand really knew about players like Tadhg Furlong. He's got that little twitch in his eye - he wants to take the All Blacks on and beat them.
"I asked Jerome Kaino if he is up for the game and he said, 'I can't wait'. At 34 years of age, having not played a lot of rugby recently, he really wants to play against the Lions.
"This is the biggest game of their lives, which is phenomenal."
Another factor that heaps on the pressure is the expectation of the New Zealand public, who expect the All Blacks to win, especially as the match is at Eden Park, according to Fitzpatrick.
The All Blacks are on an incredible run of 37 successive victories at Eden Park, having last lost there in July 1994 to France, who secured a 23-20 win with a score dubbed 'the try from the end of the world' seconds from time.
Clive Woodward's Lions squad were beaten 38-19 on the 2005 tour, while Australia have been beaten 14 times, South Africa, England and France four times each, and Ireland three in Auckland.
After weeks of mind games and backchat between Warren Gatland and Steve Hansen, Fitzpatrick admits the All Blacks have an enormous amount of pressure on their shoulders.
"There's almost a legacy of Eden Park now," Fitzpatrick told Sky Sports News HQ. "There's an expectation on these players and they don't want to be on the first team that loses here since 1994.
"That's an added pressure but they feel comfortable here. They stay at the same hotel, the same bus driver drives them to the ground - everything's the same and that's good. This is our home and we expect them to win, and they expect to win.
"They've got to work hard to make sure they succeed."
Having won the last two Rugby World Cups in 2015 and 2011, the All Blacks have been the undisputed premier side in the world for the last seven years.
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