"Today's team annoucement was a massive deal for me. After being on the bench against Argentina and coming on for 10 minutes and then coming on for 20 minutes against the Bay of Plenty, it will be really good to start. It will be good to start a big match too.

"I know I have got to go out there and perform to prove myself for a test spot. But also I really want to go out there and enjoy myself. I played in so many games last season for both England and Northampton that were not so enjoyable because I was under a lot pressure at times. If I enjoy a game, I will play so much better."

Thompson will make up the heaviest front rows ever seen in Lions colours, The Sheridan-Thompson-White "juggernaut" front row weighs in at a whopping 348kg or 54st 10lbs.

Prior to this tour the record for the heaviest front row had been set on two occasions on the 1955 tour to South Africa when all-Welsh front row Billy Williams (Swansea), Bryn Meredith (Newport) and Courtney Meredith (Neath) combined to weigh 278kg (43st 10lbs) for the matches against Rhodesia and the 4th test against the Springboks.

That record has already been "bettered" twice on this tour - against Argentina the front row (Rowntree-Byrne-Hayes) weighed 331kg, while against Bay of Plenty the Jenkins-Bulloch-Stevens partnership weighed 3kg more.

Northampton's captain believes the extra bulk will come in handy against the NZ Maori side.

He said: "Everyone knows that are a big, hard-hitting team and they have nothing to lose. It's difficult to plan how to play them though as they are team that you cannot watch beforehand."

Wally has been enjoying his time with the Lions and said the squad has really gelled together well despite being from four different countries.

"The squad is awesome, and I am not just saying that, I really think this squad will do well because it is full of guys that get on really well. We all have our own rooms but we spend most of our time in the team room. It's not a forced thing. We just all like getting together with everyone else in the squad."

He added: "With the Bay of Plenty game, we came out so well and then they got on top and we looked like a team that had not played together for very long. I was really happy with the way I played though and now I have got my opportunity."

Thompson will report in to www.northamptonsaints.co.uk later on in the tour.