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Last Updated: Monday, 27 June, 2005, 14:21 GMT 15:21 UK
Blacks keen to 'finish off' Lions
New Zealand centre Aaron Mauger in action against the Lions in the first Test
Centre Aaron Mauger admits New Zealand are relishing the prospect of "finishing off" the Lions in Saturday's second Test against Wellington.

"The boys are pretty excited about the possibility of finishing it off this week and putting the series beyond their reach," Mauger said.

"If we play well and to our potential then we'll finish the series off this Saturday night."

Mauger believes the All Blacks have "definitely got room for improvement".

You can't win a three-round contest just by winning the first round
Jerry Collins
"Certainly the weather can improve and that should improve our performance and theirs so it should be a better spectacle," he added.

"We weren't allowed to show much too much because of the conditions but there's certainly more to our game than we've shown and we're looking forward to displaying that on Saturday."

New Zealand emerged unscathed from the first Test and also escaped censure over the double tackle by Keven Mealamu and Tana Umaga that ended Brian O'Driscoll's tour.

The All Blacks received a reminder of the incident at a public training session on Monday when a Lions fan unfurled a huge banner proclaiming 'Shame Tana - Cheap Shot'.

But Mauger insisted the incident was "a pure accident".

"If you look at Tana's record, he is a pretty clean player, so we have put that behind us," he added. "It has been dealt with, and we are just moving on.

"The boys certainly wish Brian all the best with his recovery. It is pretty sad to see a good player like that leave the tour so early."

The All Blacks squad enjoyed a light session at the Basin Reserve in Wellington in front of around 1,000 fans.

And blind-side flanker Jerry Collins also predicted they would raise their game this weekend against a Lions side on the rebound from a heavy defeat.

"We all realise we're going to have to play better this Saturday because they'll come back at us hard," Collins said.

"You can't win a three-round contest just by winning the first round so we're in the same predicament as we were last week and that means we want to win."




SEE ALSO
All Blacks expect Lions backlash
25 Jun 05 |  Lions in NZ
Henry lauds 'superb' All Blacks
25 Jun 05 |  Lions in NZ
New Zealand 21-3 Lions
25 Jun 05 |  Lions in NZ
Pick your Lions XV
24 May 05 |  Lions in NZ
Lions tour venue guides
18 May 05 |  Lions in NZ
Early history of the Lions
18 May 05 |  Lions in NZ
Fixture list for Lions tour to NZ
08 Apr 05 |  Lions in NZ
Lions player profiles
25 May 05 |  Lions in NZ
All Blacks player profiles
25 May 05 |  Lions in NZ


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