Wednesday 21 June 2017 15:38, UK
The British and Irish Lions will end one of rugby union's most impressive unbeaten records if they win the first Test against New Zealand on Saturday.
The degree of difficulty is tough enough across three games against the reigning world champions but two of those matches are at Eden Park in Auckland - where New Zealand last lost on July 3, 1994.
France were their conquerors, winning 23-20 thanks to a breathtaking length-of-the-field try seconds from time, and while New Zealand's next Eden Park Test finished 18-18 against South Africa, they have since reeled off 37 successive victories during a 38-match unbeaten sequence.
The Lions feature among New Zealand's many victims, beaten 38-19 in 2005, while Australia have been beaten 14 times, South Africa, England and France four times each, and Ireland three.
Other nations that have not savoured the Eden Park experience during that 23-year period are Wales, Scotland, Canada, Argentina, Tonga and Samoa, with New Zealand averaging 35 points a time and conceding just 14.
France came closest to halting the run when they were edged out 8-7 during a tense 2011 World Cup final, but the All Blacks have rarely been threatened, claiming a biggest win of 73-7 against Canada and failing to score a try just once, when they were held by South Africa.
"It [record] adds a variable to use before the game on Saturday," said All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster.
"We love playing there. It has always been a special ground for New Zealand rugby as a whole. We have to play well on Saturday. If we are to add to the legacy of Eden Park, we are going to have to play well.
"There is something about playing in front of our home crowd. They are passionate and they love the All Blacks playing well. This will be special because a significant percentage will be in red [Lions fans], and it will be a special occasion because of that."
Lions head coach Warren Gatland names his team to face New Zealand at 8pm on Wednesday while Steve Hansen will name his All Blacks squad two hours earlier at 6pm.
Watch the first Test live on Sky Sports 1 with our coverage kicking off at 7.30am.
