King Carlos will not, alas, be honouring the kick-off with his presence against the Lions for the New Zealand Maoris in Hamilton on Saturday. He has not been picked to start after his long-haul return from the Martin Johnson Testimonial on Monday. Coach Matt Te Pou has said Spencer will be used at some juncture in his last representative game in New Zealand.
The starting team contains nine players who appeared for the All Blacks, as well as another three on the bench, although there is a doubt about captain Jono Gibbes, who injured a foot in the defeat of Fiji last Friday.
Eager as he will be to play his late arrivals, Clive Woodward may not feel Gareth Thomas and Jason Robinson have sufficient rugby under their belts to be pitched into that game four days after their arrival so Mark Cueto and Josh Lewsey may start their second game on tour.
Shane Williams looks set to start on one wing for his first tour outing, as will Stephen Jones presumably at outhalf and Matt Dawson at scrumhalf. In midfield Gordon D'Arcy may be in line to partner Brian O'Driscoll.
It could be a frontrow of prime English beef if Mathew Sheridan packs down with Steve Thompson and Julian White for their first tour starts, with Simon Shaw set to partner Paul O'Connell in the secondrow and, if he's fit, Simon Taylor in the backrow in between Richard Hill and Martyn Williams given Neil Back will still be suspended.
Meanwhile, Woodward, determined not to make the same mistakes Graham Henry committed four years ago, has instructed his coaching staff to ease back on the brutal training sessions.
A heavy contact session at the end of last week in preparation for today's against Taranaki, ended with Jonny Wilkinson and Shane Byrne nursing injuries.
Defensive coach Mike Ford explained: "We had a bruising session last week - so bruising that Clive has told us to tone the training sessions down."
The Lions have lost Malcolm O'Kelly to a groin injury suffered in training, Simon Taylor has not featured since straining his hamstring in Cardiff and Lawrence Dallaglio broke his ankle against Bay of Plenty.
Four years ago the Lions were battling through two sessions a day and had days off cancelled.
MAORIS: Leon MacDonald; Rico Gear, Rua Tipoki, Luke McAlister, Caleb Ralph; David Hill, Piri Weepu; Deacon Manu, Corey Flynn, Carl Hayman, Ross Filipo, Sean Holneck, Marty Holah, Angus MacDonald. Replacements: Scott Linklater, Greg Feek, Wayne Ormond, Daniel Braid, Craig McGrath, Carlos Spencer, Neil Brew.
