All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster is keeping a close eye on the Six Nations, trying to analyse who will be on the British and Irish Lions team for their tour in June.
The Six Nations tournament is already a third of the way through and the competition has been a big talking point in New Zealand this year as more people appear to be tuning in, and Foster thinks that is largely due to the Lions coming down under in four months' time.
While speaking to Sunday sport on RadioLIVE, Foster said it is difficult to predict who exactly will be making the trip down under.
"We all have a heightened interest with the Lions coming maybe that meant we are looking at the Six nations through different glasses," said Foster.
"What we saw in the first two rounds [of the Six Nations] there is lots of pressure on with Lions selections hanging over everyone and the games are reflecting that."
The former Chiefs coach also told RadioLIVE that the All Blacks coaching staff is focusing on two key elements when studying the teams in the Six Nations, too see what they have improved on since November and also individual players who they are predicting will come to New Zealand.
"For us the Six Nations is about studying how the Northern Hemisphere teams have interpreted what happened in November," said Foster.
"We like to see whether they are tweaked their games or if they are coping anything or whether they are innovating in certain areas.
"The other things we are looking at strongly is individuals and try understand individual players that we will think be in that Lions team in June."
The Lions come to New Zealand every 12 years and for the first time they will be facing all five Super Rugby sides.
The Blues and Crusaders have been told that they will have their All Blacks players released for their games against the Lions, but the Chiefs Hurricanes and Highlanders will have to face the Lions with none of their All Blacks.
Foster said that they can't release all their All Blacks to play for their Super Rugby sides as they need as much time as possible to prepare for the Lions.
"This will be the first time they have played the Super Rugby franchises and they will be tough on paper," said Foster.
"Three of those franchises will be without their All Blacks but we will need every minute of every day to get ready and we don't hit the ground running in June.
"We find it's not easy to transition from super rugby to international rugby and we need to get better at that."
The British and Irish Lions begin their 10-match tour of New Zealand on June 3 when they face a New Zealand Barbarians team in Whangarei.
Newshub.
