Brad Mooar reckons the Lions will dig up some painful memories from a lost battle to try and unsettle the Crusaders in the Super Rugby final.

No, Crusaders assistant coach Mooar wasn't referring to the obvious. Last year's final in Johannesburg, when the Crusaders upset the Lions 25-17 at Ellis Park, has nothing to do with it.

Instead Mooar tips the South Africans to reflect on their 20-3 loss to the Hurricanes in the 2016 final in Wellington to better understand what's required to succeed in a high-pressure occasion on a winter's night in New Zealand.

MONIQUE FORD/FAIRFAX A dejected Lions side after losing to the Hurricanes 20-3 in the 2016 Super Rugby final.

"I am sure they have delved back into their notes from their trip to take on the Hurricanes a couple of years ago, and they have worked out what they thought went well there and what didn't," Mooar said ahead of the final in Christchurch on Saturday night.

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"And to try to put together a plan to beat us there."

PHOTOSPORT Hurricanes first five-eighth Beauden Barrett celebrates scoring a try in his team's 2016 win over the Lions.

It's not surprising to hear Mooar talk-up the Lions. This position is often favoured by sports coaches at the sharp end of the season, the theory being there's little point offering opponents a free prescription of angry pills. But the Lions really will be up against it when they take on a Crusaders team that has won 14 straight.

If Swys de Bruin, who is in his first year in charge of the Lions, reviews footage of the team's defeat to the Hurricanes two years ago he might want to do so on an empty stomach.

Because he will be aghast at the way the Lions' key players failed to respond in the wet conditions; first five-eighth Elton Jantjies inexplicably threw a horror pass to team-mate Lionel Mapoe, who skewed a clearing kick to allow Hurricanes wing Cory Jane to score, and a dreadful lineout clearance later resulted in Beauden Barrett grabbing a second try.

The long-range forecast suggests rain could fall in Christchurch on Saturday night, and even if the sky is clear the ball could be slippery with dew.

It's difficult to be upbeat about the Lions' chances, given they have lost to all four New Zealand teams this season. The Crusaders won 14-8 at Ellis Park on April 1.

The Lions' backline attack can be lethal, although the real danger lies in the lineout drives with robust hooker Malcolm Marx scoring 11 tries. Their defence is less convincing. While the Crusaders have conceded 17.6 points a game, the Lions have posted a figure of 26.8.

The Lions have only made two appearances in Christchurch since 2010, a reflection of the skewed Super Rugby structure and the fact the Jo'burg team was kicked out of the competition by their national body in 2013.

Crusaders coach Scott Robertson is unlikely to allow sentiment to cloud his thinking in terms of selection and popular loosehead prop Wyatt Crockett, who is finishing-up after 13 seasons at the club and wasn't picked for the semi against the Hurricanes, may not be required for the match-day 23 when it is revealed on Thursday.

The only change to the run-on side that beat the Hurricanes 30-12 in the semi will be at blindside flanker. With Jordan Taufua ruled-out with a broken arm, Pete Samu is likely to be preferred over Heiden Bedwell-Curtis.

Careful analysis is a must this week.

"New Zealand sides, you tend to feel you know them so well," Mooar said. "You get to know the individuals in the teams and the coaching groups. When you play a side from overseas it's a bit more homework in getting to know them again, and to know your enemy."