Mick Cleary believes that there are no excuses for the northern hemisphere sides as they face down the Tri-Nations giants in The Daily Telegraph.

"But as a month-long fest kicks off with two seminal encounters on Saturday, as England take on Australia at Twickenham and Wales attempt again to lay the All Blacks ghost to rest in Cardiff, one thing is clear: it's time for the European nations to front up. "For Wales and Ireland, there are no get-out clauses. Anything less than a clean sweep would rate as a disappointment. Given that Wales have not beaten the All Blacks since 1953, that obligation might seem excessive. It isn't, because if not now, it might as well be never. True, there are a few injuries in the camp, and scrum-half Mike Phillips will be particularly missed, but nothing beyond the norm. "If the Lions are to have any relevance outside their immediate sphere, there has to be spin-off into occasions such as these. The Lions managed to rattle the Springboks with a scratch (top-quality) side and minimal preparation."