Lions drop Test hint
The British and Irish Lions moved a step closer to revealing their Test line-up after announcing their side to face Southern Kings.
Last Updated: 16/06/09 7:41am
The British and Irish Lions moved a step closer to revealing their Test line-up after announcing their side to face Southern Kings.
With the first Test against South Africa on Saturday, coach Ian McGeechan has spared the likes of Brian O'Driscoll, Paul O'Connell, Jamie Roberts and Jamie Heaslip from duty in the final warm-up game.
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Alun Wyn-Jones, Lee Mears, Mike Phillips, Gethin Jenkins, Tommy Bowe, Stephen Jones, Phil Vickery, Lee Byrne are also rested - clear indications that they are likely to be in the XV for Saturday.
McGeechan said: "This is Test week and there is a noticeable change in attitude within the touring party. We are now heading towards the business end of the tour and the reason why we have come to South Africa.
"As you would expect the immediate focus is the next match against the Southern Kings on Tuesday before attention turns to selection for the First Test for which all players will be considered.
"The Southern Kings is not a regular team but we understand there are some very talented players in the squad for the match.
"Experience tells me that you can never underestimate any South African team and like the other teams we have faced on the tour so far we will not take them lightly.
"Seven players are backing up from the Western Province match with Nathan Hines, Joe Worsley, Riki Flutey and Keith Earls given the opportunity in the starting XV in different positions.
"The team will be captained by proud Munster man Donncha O'Callaghan, an experienced Lions tourist, who is a very popular member of the squad. This will be his 10th Lions match including two Tests against New Zealand during the 2005 tour."
Although the Lions management have continued to maintain that they will finalise their team after the final warm-up game, it is unlikely that any of the starting XV from Tuesday will be involved from the kick-off in the opening Test against the reigning world champions.
That means with O'Callaghan captaining the side and Nathan Hines in the back-row, Welshman Jones looks set to start alongside O'Connell.
The decision to start Euan Murray and Andrew Sheridan against the Kings leads to a likely prop pairing of Jenkins and Vickery, alongside England hooker Lee Mears.
The combination of O'Driscoll and Roberts has looked like the Test pairing through the tour, while Tom Croft, David Wallace and Jamie Heaslip should complete the back-row, although Martyn Williams remains in contention.
Croft, Wallace and Ugo Monye are all named on the bench but should be part of Saturday's side, while Ronan O'Gara is also among the replacements and facing competition from Stephen Jones for the Test spot.
British and Irish Lions: 15 Keith Earls (Munster/Ireland), 14 Shane Williams (Ospreys/Wales), 13 Riki Flutey (London Wasps/England), 12 Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster/Ireland), 11 Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster/Ireland), 10 James Hook (Ospreys/Wales), 9 Mike Blair (Edinburgh/Scotland), 8 Andy Powell (Cardiff Blues/Wales), 7 Joe Worsley (London Wasps/England), 6 Nathan Hines (Perpignan/Scotland), 5 Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster/Ireland), 4 Simon Shaw (London Wasps/England), 3 Euan Murray (Northampton/Scotland), 2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh/Scotland), 1 Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks/England).
Replacements: 16 Matthew Rees (Scarlets/Wales), 17 Adam Jones (Ospreys/Wales), 18 Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers/England), 19 David Wallace (Munster/Ireland), 20 Harry Ellis (Leicester Tigers/England), 21 Ronan O'Gara (Munster/Ireland), 22 Ugo Monye (Harlequins/England
Southern Kings: 15 T Mangweni; 14 W Human, 13 F Welsh, 12 D Wet Barry, 11 M Turner; 10 J van der Westhuyzen, 9 F Hougaard; 1 J Engels, 2 D Kuun, 3 R Vermeulen, 4 M Wentzel, 5 R Skeate, 6 M Mbiyozo, 7 S Tyibilika, 8 D Nell.
Replacements (from): S Westraadt, K Buys, L Payi, H Stride, J Fowles, M Stick, E Watts, B Fortuin, H Grimes, M Coetzee.