For a team which had just set a new landmark in an illustrious history, eclipsing the 97-0 win over South West Districts in South Africa 27 years ago, the Lions were not, as Keith Wood admitted, doing cartwheels. "I suppose we're pleasantly surprised to have scored over 100 points but you play whatever is in front of you and I'm glad to say we kept our concentration for the majority of the match."

Of his own personal satisfaction at being captain Wood said: "I'm happier with the fact that the team did well. It's a big honour but I suppose when I'm drunk 40 years from now I'll recount the story. That's about it really."

Graham Henry maintained that there should be a positive response to the opening performance. "We scored 18 tries and that's a lot of tries to be scored. There's no doubt there's a huge amount of work to be done and you wouldn't expect anything else. I thought we lost our structure at times, and we gave away a couple of tries and I'm sure the defensive coach won't be happy with that. But generally speaking I think we rate a six out of a 10 really."

Lamenting the lack of two more preparatory matches before the first Test on June 30th, Henry said they would analyse every second of this facile win.

Similarly, regarding the experiment of playing Brian O'Driscoll at full back, Henry admitted: "We're still assessing it. I think it was a good learning experience for him and he's got all the attributes to play there. Maybe Ireland should give him a run there to get him right," he added tongue in cheek.

"As I keep on telling you gentlemen, the experiment was there because if we go into the Test with one specialist and we get an injury to that specialist full back we'd have to find somebody else of the other 21 to play there and Brian may be the best person to do that."

O'Driscoll himself admitted it was his first ever game at full back and while expressing a preference for centre added: "When it comes to the crunch, if a coach wants to play you in a certain position I'd play blind side wing-forward if I got in a Test side."

The Lions coach agreed that both Danny Grewcock and Malcolm O'Kelly went very well and that it was one of the most competitive positions in the squad, leading to "some very unlucky players" missing out on the Test team. "I was delighted with both second-rowers."

Of Ronan O'Gara's performance, Henry said: "I think he went pretty well. I thought he had a positive game. He'll be pleased with his game I would have thought. I don't think he made a mistake, did he, apart from a couple of goalkicks?"