Stephen Jones says he is ready to follow the likes of Barry John and Phil Bennett as a Wales and Lions fly-half. "It's a huge honour and responsibility to succeed players like that," said the 27-year-old, who starts the first Test at 10 with Jonny Wilkinson at 12.
Clermont Auvergne player Jones is partnered at scrum-half by his Wales and ex-Llanelli team-mate Dwayne Peel.
"That makes it easier for me, we've played together a lot. He's a great player, someone I respect," said Jones.
If the fly-half has to follow the likes of John and Bennett, Peel also has sizeable shoes to fill.
Welsh scrum-halves have made the Lions Test jersey their own, through players like Clive Rowlands, Gareth Edwards, Brynmor Williams, Terry Holmes, Robert Jones, Rob Howley and Crickhowell-born Dewi Morris. And the only successful Lions series in New Zealand - in 1971 - saw Barry John and Gareth Edwards paired at half-back.
"I don't know if that puts more pressure on us or not," Peel told BBC Sport Wales.
"The tradition is there and if we can carry it on it will be fantastic.
"But I was talking to Stephen and it just seems crazy - we are two guys from west Wales who live eight miles apart and here we are playing half-back for the Lions!
"We will be able to break into Welsh during the game, though - that could be our secret weapon!" If the link from scrum-half to fly-half is a known quantity, Jones' midfield partnership with Wilkinson is firmly in the experimental stage.
"Jonny's such a talented player that it's unreal and he will make my job a lot easier," said Jones.
"He's obviously a superb kicker, but his distribution skills means he gets the line going well and we'll be looking to play with width and tempo.
"The back three are talented runners and if we do our job as inside backs then hopefully we can create some space for them."
But Gareth Davies, the last Lions Test fly-half to come from Wales, is not convinced by the 2005 tourists' midfield. "I don't believe in picking players out of position," Davies told the BBC.
"Picking Wilkinson in the centre actually increases the pressure on Jones at 10 as his inclusion has forced the reorganisation of the midfield.
"Jones and Wilkinson aren't the sort of combination who are going to open up the New Zealand back line.
"Wilkinson is in to kick the goals, and I think that the style of play the Lions will go for is obvious."
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It just seems crazy. We are two guys from west Wales who live eight miles apart and here we are playing half-back for the Lions