Aisle be back: The second Test

Sometimes I don't recognise my own country. Not that that is a bad thing.

In days gone past, Sonny Bill Williams would have been wise to take a month's holiday overseas. Instead, he's posting video tweets of his daughter cracking up over fart jokes and TV sports hosts are cooing with delight.

Now I know you don't have to scratch the surface too much to find the SBW haters. I mean I took a while to warm to the guy (or more probably his offloads).

I wouldn't put the relative calm down to some new-found collective maturity, although there's probably a bit of that. Instead I think people are taking a lot of solace in the efforts of the other 14. I kept sitting in the stands thinking if I witness a great escape, this game is going into the pantheon of greats.

Not to be of course, and the Lions took their opportunities well. Not I think a case of the better team winning, but one that suddenly realised it had to go out and win this, not sit back and hope.

There's been a thankful lack of whinging too about the reffing. Or the Lions' cheating (sorry, it's ill discipline when we - or they -  describe what it is). Probably a reflection of the ref dishing out a ton of penalties to us, enough to keep us afloat.

So now there's a bit of a dilemma. It doesn't look like the All Blacks are going to be walking down streets in fear of their personal safety. They probably won't even cop a caricature in that paper up North.

That's because the expectation is they will come out breathing fire and be too much for the Lions on Saturday. Heaven help them if they don't and they'll know that.

And not that the Lions don't know that. Although knowing it and dealing with it are two different things - and where the series will be won or lost.

Interesting to see the All Blacks back into it on Monday while the Lions took a well-deserved break in Queenstown. If the latter deteriorates into the Mike Tindall memorial road trip, then we'll know which team got the buildup right.

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Amid the narrative that the Lions took it to the All Blacks up front,  there is a bit of a puzzle. If that was the case, why was a 14-man team controlling possession and territory for so much of the game.

And why was a scrum with 7 forwards and one back able to stay in the match. Or more than stay in the match.

There's no doubt the Lions are competitive in the forwards. But they weren't bossing things.

The All Blacks will be worried they couldn't find any gaps to exploit - although it's hard to risk going too wide when a man short.

Warren Gatland's oddest comment to date was that they haven't had their defence stretched during the first two tests. Well they looked pretty stressed at Eden Park, just as the All Blacks did late in the game at Westpac (and what a cracker that first Lions try was - great phase play).

I can still remember as a kid watching the 4th and deciding test against the 1977 Lions. How in the end it came down to one kick, a thundering chase, and the ball landing in the arms of Lawrie Knight to smash across the line. That was in a test where our pack was so overpowered, we packed down a three-man scrum.

Remarkable. So hopefully this Saturday, too, will be remarkable in its own way.

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I won't hazard a guess as to who will line up at 12 and 13 this weekend. But I don't think Ngani Laumape would let anyone down.

I was amazed how composed he was coming on with the danger of the wheels coming off. No pressure, young man, although some are trying to paint him as the villain in one of the Lions' tries.

That said I suspect he'll be on the bench and we'll play it safe.

I can't see either Jordie or Jack Goodhue being dropped into the mix to start. Bolters are for when you are a bit desperate, and we're surely not that.

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One bit of tosh I read was that the Lions' fans were the key on Saturday night, and ours were nowhere to be seen - or heard.

Well, I've been to both tests to date, and the New Zealand fans are belting it out too; it's just they lack a simple chant.

Tutira Mae is lovely, but also pretty gentle. Not as simple to remember and practise and repeat as Lions, Lions, Lions.

Even the All Black, da da da, All Black chant is a bit too slow.

Which made me remember the English halfback I met in a pub over there once. I think he was probably a Lions tourist. Anyone he did not have fond memories of the rugby or the weather.

But mostly what he was most psyched out by were the New Zealand crowds, Chanting Black, Black, Black.

Or Blek, Blek, Blek. I doubt it's coming back anytime soon, but it is simple, and intimidating.

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Finally, I must confess to watching a Hurricanes match replay downloaded by some kind member of the public onto YouTube.

The auto captioning was running however, and I couldn't switch it off.

Thank heavens I couldn't. Because the machine translated Ngani Laumape as 99 Love Muffin.

If you are a Lions back and you read this, I suggest you yell this at Ngani every chance you get. I can assure you that you'll receive very good care in our excellent hospitals.

Lifelong All Blacks supporter Kev has followed the Hurricanes since they began. Last year his faith in them was rewarded when they won the title – can they do it again?