Former South Africa coach Nick Mallett believes Lions and Springboks hooker Malcolm Marx is "better than any of the Crusaders forwards".

Speaking ahead of Saturday night's Super Rugby final in Christchurch, Mallett offered advice to the Lions for the decider in which they face the Crusaders as massive underdogs.

The Lions beat the Jaguares and Waratahs at Ellis Park en route to the final and Mallett said their forwards were as good a match as any for the Crusaders in Super Rugby.

NELSON MAIL Former Springboks coach Nick Mallett when leading Italy at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.

The Crusaders started last weekend's semi-final victory against the Hurricanes with seven All Blacks in their starting forward pack, as well as Jordan Taufua, who was denied a test debut because of injury after being called into the squad for the June series against France.

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"You have to have a plan. It is all very well having belief, it gives you the ability to get off the ground and make tackles. But you have got to go in with a plan as to how you are going to handle the Crusaders," Mallett told SuperSport of the Lions.

"They have to take them on in the forwards. You cannot allow them to dominate. The Lions have the one pack in Super Rugby that can match the Crusaders.

"They have a guy in Malcolm Marx who is better than any of the Crusaders forwards. The Lions' front row can match the Crusaders' front row."

GETTY IMAGES Marx in action against the All Blacks last year.

The Lions are contesting their third consecutive Super Rugby final having lost the previous two against the Hurricanes and Crusaders in Wellington and Johannesburg respectively.

Mallett, who was Springboks coach from 1997-2000, admitted the Crusaders were particularly strong in the forwards, though, and said the Lions would find it more difficult for their pack to impose themselves in Christchurch.

As well as their starting front eight, the Crusaders against the Hurricanes had prop Tim Perry, an All Blacks squad member, and test lock Luke Romano on the bench with Wallabies flanker Pete Samu, while former All Blacks prop Wyatt Crockett was left out.

GETTY IMAGES Halfback Bryn Hall looking for a quick play after another dominant Hurricanes scrum.

"If you look at the Lions' strengths in the last couple of weekends, they have been very good in the scrums and they have dominated with maul tries," he added.

"If you look at their opposition next weekend, you have got Joe Moody, Codie Taylor, the flanks, Sam Whitelock and Scott Barrett, all of them All Blacks. So, their strengths are going to be countered by the Crusaders' strengths.

"The forwards are an area which the Lions have always fallen back on when they face difficulty."

GETTY IMAGES Crusaders captain Samuel Whitelock addressing his troops.

Mallet, who was also Italy coach from 2007-11, has tipped a Crusaders victory and acknowledged that travel would be a factor for the Lions, who are travelling later than usual to Christchurch.

The Crusaders have never lost a play-off game at home and Mallett is concerned the Lions will struggle to handle their counter attacks.

"The more time you give a New Zealand side, if you stay on your advantage line and you don't break the, you wait for them to come to you and make double hits and turnovers," he said.

GETTY IMAGES Will the Crusaders dominate the Lions' forwards in the final?

"It is a passive defensive system that means you don't get line breaks but you don't put the opposition ball carrier under pressure.

"So, are they going to go up against the Crusaders, who have got some of the best decision-makers in the competition, and allow them time on the ball because they want a safety defence, or are they going to say let's try and speed up our defence a little bit just to get in their face?

"The defensive system is going to be under pressure and the Lions strengths are going to be countered. That is what is going to make it difficult, other than the travel.

"I don't think the Lions are going to win it, but they will be in it for 60 minutes."