Sir Clive Woodward believes his Lions team have the character to cope with the pressure of playing in the first Test against New Zealand on Saturday. Woodward has stuck with experienced players for the Christchurch game and is confident they will deliver.
"We have very good people who have won World Cups and the Welsh in the Grand Slam really delivered," Woodward said on New Zealand television.
"That is why I am pleased with the Lions team."
Woodward has come under fire from many quarters for naming a squad that has a heavy reliance on the English players that helped him win the World Cup in 2003.
Only four of the Welsh Grand Slam-winning squad are included in the starting XV, with star centre Gavin Henson not even making the bench.
But Woodward insists the Welsh contingent in the team should draw confidence from the way they battled back from 6-15 down to defeat France 24-18 in the Six Nations this year.
"Wales played 40 minutes in Paris which I think is the best 40 minutes of rugby I have ever seen," he added.
"The pressure was really on a few of the players and Stephen Jones, Dwayne Peel and Gareth Thomas just went like that.
"That was when I knew that the Welsh revival was really on. They have got some really scary people who have really come on.
"It is a great word pressure because you know some people thrive on it and sometimes some people think they thrive on it and when it really comes they are not really as good as they think.
"I just think that you are at your best when the pressure is at its greatest and that is the true definition of champion sportspeople. It is about playing under pressure as the importance of the first Test is huge."
Woodward has been stunned by the coverage of the Lions by the New Zealand media but he believes that the tourists can use that kind of scrutiny to their advantage.
"The pressure on players and coaches is huge. It is everywhere, similar to how football is back home," added Woodward.
"Sometimes when you build up so much the pressure to deliver is extreme.
"We have been down to your country 10 times and lost nine so I am not putting us under pressure for that because we are not expected to win.
"I can understand why, because you have to throw a team together last minute and they are all different. They have their quirks, their strengths, weaknesses, especially the English.
"To get them in a room and know you are going into a very hostile environment is a challenge.
"It's romantic what we are trying to do in a way because commonsense says we should not win because we are up against the most professional team in the world in terms of New Zealand.
"They have fantastic players and top coaches and they are a team. They have been developing as a team and we have just thrown this together and everybody wants us to win.
"But I know I am here with a very well prepared team and the best players from four countries and I think we have half a chance."
MMIX
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We are up against the most professional team in the world
