Kiwis are albatrosses around the necks of Reed and Triggs-Hodge

IT'S a losing streak that eclipses even that of England's rugby team against the All Blacks and so as Andy Triggs-Hodge and Peter Reed head to New Zealand for this weekend's World Championships the phrase ‘lions' den' doesn't really do it justice.

HARD AT WORK: Andy Triggs-Hodge and Peter Reed have been putting in the hard yards in a bid to stop a ten-race losing streak to Kiwis Hamish Bond and Eric Murray (Reuters)

Since moving into the pair Triggs-Hodge and Reed are getting used to looking for silver linings, having lost to Kiwi duo Hamish Bond and Eric Murray in their last ten meetings.

That includes last year's World Championships in Poznan, Poland and with this year's competition set to be held on Bond and Murray's home waters - Lake Karapiro - the Brits' chances of reversing their fortunes are slim.

It's testament to their determination - or perhaps misguided bloody-mindedness - that Triggs-Hodge and Reed have resisted the temptation to return to the four, the event in which they are Olympic champions, and persevere in the pair.

GB Rowing head men's coach Jurgen Grobler is standing by the duo, but there is plenty of work to do if Triggs-Hodge and Reed are to continue the German's record of coaching crews to gold medals at every Olympics the 64-year-old has attended.

But Reed knows only too well the pressures of home advantage - even if he Triggs-Hodge, Alex Partridge and Steve Williams withstood it to secure world gold in Eton in 2006 - and the defeat to Bond and Murray at Henley earlier this year was difficult to stomach.

"I've been really enjoying training in the pair since the project began. Of course racing is tough when you're collecting silvers, but we are hard guys and we're constantly improving," said Reed.

"We're the fastest boat the GB Rowing Team can field and we've moved on significantly.

"Getting rowed down in front of a home crowd [at Henley] was tough. We have put in some quality races, especially as underdogs, plus they have something to lose on their home water - like we did in 2006."

Reed and Triggs-Hodge have long been earmarked as the successors to Steve Redgrave and Matthew Pinsent, who won five world titles between 1987 and 1996 and two Olympic golds in the pair together.

It's a comparison that Triggs-Hodge acknowledges is inevitable, but he admits he's happy to put his faith in Grobler rather than concern himself with days gone by.

He added: "Yes, they're icons and were always able to find something other crews could not when it counted.

"But our pair has made a step in the last few weeks with our physiology and training. It is part of Jurgen's master plan and I trust him."

Grobler meanwhile, returns to New Zealand 32 years after attending the original Karapiro Championships and he is in no doubt as to the size of the task that lies ahead.

"They are now the leading boat in New Zealand since Mahe [Drysdale] has had his injury problems. But my guys are not giving up nor hiding away.

"It should be a highlight of the regatta to have that outstanding competition on the course."

"Andrew and Peter are our strongest athletes. Being second is a motivation after deciding to move out of the Olympic winning coxless four. I'm just pleased they've asked me to keep coaching them."

And while their last ten races suggest the Kiwi duo are red-hot favourites to defend their world title, Murray and Bond are taking nothing for granted.

"It has been a ding-dong battle but fortunately we've had more ding than dong," said Murray. "I am on edge because it has been so long since we last raced competitively.

"Back in the day [2009] we were motivated by the will to beat people - now it is a fear of losing."

Bond added: "They're always going to improve, but we've won ten races in a row.

"Obviously they've got to wonder whether they can win, but it's not going to stop them training. It's only going to spur them on - the type of characters they are, Olympic gold medallists, they're not going to throw in the towel."