Bookies write off Lions chances

Anyone who got up early to watch the British and Irish Lions get hammered by the All Blacks on Saturday morning will probably be dreading the second Test, which takes place in Wellington this Saturday. Outplayed in every department and having lost captain Brian O'Driscoll and Richard Hill through injury and Danny Grewcock for biting, coach Sir Clive Woodward and his squad have it all to do if they are going to get back into the three-match series.

The bookies, those callous souls, have virtually written off the Lions chances. Having made the tourists 5/2 (3.50) before the first Test debacle, bet365 now offer a whopping 14/1 that they can recover to win back-to-back Tests. The All Blacks, (2/7) (1.28) before Christchuch, are now just 1/100 (1.01) to win the series, which I suppose is not surprising given the fact that two draws would be enough. A drawn series is 50/1 (51.00), having started out as a 20/1 (21.00) chance.

As we keep being reminded, history is on the side of the All Blacks. Of the ten tours since the maiden voyage in 1888, the Lions have won just one series, a 2-1 victory in 1971, with one draw. Between 1977 and 1993, the All Blacks won seven consecutive Tests, while the last tour, in 1993, ended 2-1 to the All Blacks.

All is not lost for the Lions, though, as in 1993, they recovered from the loss of the opening Test, also in Christchurch, to win the second Test in Wellington, and only went down bravely in the decider in Auckland.

However, bet365 don't think the series will still be alive by the time we get to Auckland. They make a New Zealand whitewash a 1/3 (1.33) chance, having been 5/4 (2.25) before their opening win. A 2-1 win for the home side is just 5/2 (3.50), while a Lions' come-from-behind 2-1 victory is, as already stated, a 14/1 (15.00) shot.