The All Blacks legend, who played in all three Tests, recalls the Lions' last visit to New Zealand 12 years ago.
It was a turbulent time for the All Blacks back in 1993.
Laurie Mains had taken a broom to the side when he took over as coach two years earlier.
 Zinzan (bottom) tries to get the ball away during the first Test |
Although we got back on track in 1992, Laurie was still settling on players and making changes in 1993.
I was still going through a trial period myself. The coach didn't like my style and thought I was a bit of a show-pony.
I was not included in a tour party to South Africa in 1992 until our captain Sean Fitzpatrick persuaded Laurie he had to take me.
So there was still a bit of instability around when the Lions arrived, and they had a lot of experience in their squad.
A lot of them picked themselves for the Test side and it was a major concern as to whether we could repel them.
The Lions really probably should have won that series.
They lost to an unbelievable last-minute penalty by Grant Fox in the first Test and in the last Test they were 10 points up inside the first 15 minutes.
Had the mid-week team kept up the pressure for selection, it could have been a different story, because the quality of any team lies in their strength in depth.
 | 1993 LIONS TEST SERIES 1st (C'church): NZ 20-18 Lions 2nd (Wellington): NZ 7-20 Lions 3rd (Auckland): NZ 30-13 Lions |
We got a dubious try in the first Test when Frank Bunce and Ieuan Evans both went up for a high kick.
It might not have been awarded in these days of video replays, but back then referees and touch judges had to make an instant decision.
I don't even know what the penalty at the end was given for. It could have been for someone lying on the ball - the Lions scrum-half Dewi Morris did that quite regularly!
But Test match rugby just happens like that. One minute the Lions had victory in the bag with a minute to go, the next minute we had won the game.
Two weeks later we were so disappointed after the second Test in Welllington. The Lions got it together and they just clicked. They played really well.
We were up against some good forwards, and Martin Johnson came into their side. But Ben Clarke in particular played really well. He is very well respected in New Zealand.
 The Lions were left dejected after the third Test in Auckland |
I was driving across the top of the Auckland Harbour Bridge on the Sunday after the game when I heard I had been dropped for the final Test.
There was no phone call or anything, I just found out when everyone else did: 'Brooke's been dropped!' boomed over the radio.
I couldn't believe it but I am not bitter and twisted about it. At least I got to play again unlike 'Buck' (Wayne) Shelford, who was dropped in 1990 and never played again.
I think I came on for the last 15 minutes of the last Test but I don't remember it much.
We scored a few tries and even 'Fitzy' (Fitzpatrick) got one, but I think we were playing out of desperation.
Had we lost that match we would have been absolutely crucified by everyone in New Zealand, so we just had to win.
And we did, somehow. 
MMIX
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