Lions 3rd Test Team

After a prolonged absence due to lack of an internet connection I'm back to give my opinion on all things rugby, specifically the Lions team for the 3rd Test this weekend.

With this match being something of a dead rubber and the injuries mounting up McGeechan has gone with an interesting selection.

There are four changes in the pack. Sheridan and Vickery come in for the injured Jenkins and Jones respectively while Williams and Worsley replace Wallace and Croft.

Sheridan acquitted himself well as a replacement in the second Test and he should dominate John Smit in the scrums. Fears that Beast Mtwarira will best Vickery in the scrums again should be allayed by the improved scrummaging power afforded by Shaw in the second row.

Martyn Williams will offer more in link play and at the breakdown than Wallace which will be needed after the injury to O'Driscoll who is like a third flanker in midfield. In Worsley the Lions at last have selected a blindside flanker whose defence is strong enough for the Boks unlike Tom Croft who despite constant championing by the English media has only proved what Martin Johnson has said before. He's a hybrid forward stuck between two stools. Too lightweight to be a world class second row and not aggressive enough in the tackle to be a Test blindside.

In the backs Shane Williams and Ugo Monye have come onto the wings with Tommy Bowe being partnered by Riki Flutey in the centre. Luke Fitzgearld is paying the price for his defensive error in the lead up to the first try, however he rarely put a foot wrong elsewhere and this call seems harsh on the young Leinster player considering Williams is out of form and Monye missed two try scoring oppurtunities in the first test.

It's asking a lot of Bowe to play at second centre as he has played there rarely for the Ospreys and never at test level. Perhaps the Lions management are hoping if he gets his hands on the ball more often he can create chances for others as he did earlier in the tour. Kearney continues at full back as do the half back partnership of Jones and Philips. These three players will have to be at their best if the Lions hope to avoid a whitewash.

The Lions management have gone with a 5-2 split on the bench. It's an odd decision that could see Harry Ellis playing on the wing if injuries like last week repeat themselves. The Irish pair of Keith Earls and Gordon D'arcy can feel hard done by to be left out the squad altogether considering the paucity of centres on tour.

There is hope for the Lions in that South Africa have named a very inexperienced side with ten changes overall. Yet some of the changes may not weaken the Boks at all. Wynand Olivier and Jaque Fourie are a very strong centre pairing, perhaps stronger than last weeks centre pairing. Morne Steyn replaces Ruan Pienaar which will strengthen the Boks kicking game and in swapping Spies for Ryan Kankowski the Lions are faced with another freakish athlete at No. 8.
After the heroics of the last two Tests the last thing the 2009 Lions deserve is a whitewash however it seems on the cards. South Africa to win.

Lions Side Named For Kings Clash

The British and Irish Lions have named their side to face the Southern Kings tomorrow afternoon. The last warm-up game before the first test with the Springboks, the side named this morning gives clues as to who will and won't be involved in the test series.

Lions team: K Earls (Munster & Ireland); S Williams (Ospreys & Wales), R Flutey (Wasps & England), G D'Arcy (Leinster & Ireland), L Fitzgerald (Leinster & Ireland), J Hook (Ospreys & Wales), M Blair (Edinburgh & Scotland); A Sheridan (Sale Sharks & England), R Ford (Edinburgh & Scotland), E Murray (Northampton & Scotland), S Shaw (Wasps & England), D O'Callaghan (Munster & Ireland) (capt), N Hines (Perpignan & Scotland), J Worsley (Wasps & England), A Powell (Cardiff Blues & Wales).

Replacements: M Rees (Scarlets & Wales), A Jones (Ospreys & Wales), T Croft (Leicester Tigers & England), D Wallace (Munster & Ireland), H Ellis (Leicester Tigers & England


Two points to note, Shane Williams has a virus and there is a doubt over his participation in the game. The Beeb are reporting that he hasn't travelled for the match and that Tommy Bowe of Ulster and Ireland has been called up as a standby.

Secondly, according to rugby guru Rob who's been posting here in the last few weeks, some of those named in the side could yet figure in the test team. He's asked me to tell you to look out for Simon Shaw and Luke Fitzgerald in particular as players who could yet make the 22 for Saturday, particularly if they're substituted from tomorrow's game at about the fifty minute mark.

Lions Team Announced

The British & Irish Lions side to play Western Province

15. Rob Kearney (Leinster/Ireland)14. Tommy Bowe (Ospreys/Ireland)13. Keith Earls (Munster/Ireland)12. Riki Flutey (London Wasps/England)11. Ugo Monye (Harlequins/England)10. Stephen Jones (Scarlets/Wales)9. Harry Ellis (Leicester Tigers/England)

8. Andy Powell (Cardiff Blues/Wales)7. Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues/Wales)6. Joe Worsley (London Wasps/England)5. Nathan Hines (Perpignan/Scotland)4. Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster/Ireland)3. Phil Vickery (London Wasps/England) captain2. Matthew Rees (Scarlets/Wales)1. Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks/England)

Replacements:16. Ross Ford (Edinburgh/Scotland)17. Euan Murray (Northampton/Scotland)18. Simon Shaw (London Wasps/England)19. Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers/England)20. Mike Blair (Edinburgh/Scotland)21. James Hook (Ospreys/Wales)22. Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster/Ireland)

Some interesting selections from Ian McGeechan. I'm suer Rob will have more on this later on.

Lions Update

Here's our first post from Rob, giving us about the latest updates from the Lions tour to South Africa.

***

Players blogs providing an insight into team and camaraderie - while not openly criticising Sir Clive Woodward, it is evident he got it completely wrong on the lions tour to NZ. From the get go players felt like two teams rather then one squad, from everything from training to travelling as pointed out in Martyn Williams blog.

A credit to munsterfans.com contributors for updating one thread with Tommy Bowe, Rob Kearney and Martyn Williams' blogs.

Interesting news this week - Neil Jenkins taken on as "kicking coach". Had O'Gara, Jones or Hook missed more then the measly one a piece this might seem more appropriate. To the author it seems a bit like a job for the boys approach. I may just be too cynical, the Irish Province Munster have over the last two seasons always brought a former player in a non coaching role to big European Heineken Cups away matches. Declan Kidney introduced the policy to help remind the younger players of the tradition they play for. Kidney has won 2 Heineken cups with Munster, and guided Ireland to it's first grand slam of the professional era, so I think I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on his methods! Jenkins kicking was instrumental to the Lions series win in SA in 1997 - an untried or tested full back at the time, his deadly accuracy with the boot was the difference in the test games. Ironically it was a debutant Percy Montgomery (then a centre) whose now flawless kicking ability was not yet refined in '97 and ultimately cost SA with inaccuracy.

McGeechan not ready to play Test 15 together.
Whether this is a smoke screen or not, I think the starting test 15 will play together over the next two games, but the coaches just do not realise it yet, due to some positions being tighter to call then expected. PO'C is a certainty, and I think it would be a silly move to bet against BO'D to start in the centre (injuries permitting of course). Despite a shaky end to the Cheetahs game I don't think Lee Byrne has been removed from the 15 shirt either. From the games so far I would say my 15 would look like this*:

1- Jenkins

2- Mears - although I'm still not 100% sold and would like to see Ford play another full game. ( Rory Best where are you ?!?!?)

3 - Sheridan for his scrummaging power - with Vickery to replace him on 60 mins if he can stop giving away penalties.

4 - Simon Shaw - strange call yes? But his overall bulk will be needed to quell the power of Botha & Matfield in the opening exchanges. Wyn-Jones to replace him early 2nd half.

5 - PO'C. With Shaw on from the start O'Connell can carry more ball and hopefully set up a platform to release the backs - if only he learnt to pass in Ard Scoil Rís!

6 - Ferris, outstanding so far, very physical on the fringe area and has shown he can attack with pace. His off load versus Italy in the 6 nations shows he can play a continuity game as well.

7- Martyn Williams - the out and out scrounger, he will give a few penalties away at the breakdown, especially with the Lions not interpreting the refs well, but his ability to slow down the opposition will be vital.

8 - Heaslip - his athleticism wins him the spot over Wallace, but it's close. I think Powell has shown that he is too on dimensional and would be of no challenge to the man monster Spies.

9 - Phillips - crabbing along in his best Tomás O'Leary impression makes you think how much Howley must bemoan the loss of the Munster and Irish scrum half.

10 - Jones his physicality will win him the spot over O'Gara. If the Irish ten plays a good game Wednesday he will take the bench spot. If the test game is tight I would much rather a cool headed O'Gara to come on and pin the 'Boks into the corners.

11 - TBC - I would prefer Luke Fitzgerald or Monye on recent showings but will wait until next Sunday to make a call. I think the over persistence with trying to get Williams his form back is now embarrassing.

12 - Roberts - if Flutey can prove his fitness he takes the bench over D'Arcy for me, but for now I'd love to see the medical student run hard and straight into the Springboks backs.

13 - Brian O'Driscoll, with Roberts taking up a lot of the 'Boks backrow and back line I think O'Driscoll can exploit the extra space with his re-newed sense of skill. I will admit, I thought he was done prior to Christmas, but the 2nd half of the season he has played the rugby of his career. To top it off with a Lions series would befit a man of his talent.

14 - Tommy Bowe - what a difference a year makes? Playing for the Ospreys has turned him into a medium skilled winger into a top class distributor and link man- just watch the rout last Wednesday and see how many of the tries his hands were involved in.

15 - Lee Byrne - one knock on not withstanding one of the best 15's to ever play the game of rugby. Hopefully he can maintain that in the tests.

* team open to changes over the next two games. Author accepts he will not be 100% correct and that opinions with readers may vary. Author also doesn't care.

Lions facing injury doubts

The curse of the 2009 Lions tour continues as Stephen Ferris and Andy Powell are now doubtful for the match tomorrow.

We've already seen Quinlan, O'Leary, Flannery and Halfpenney suffer injuries or suspensions. In reality Alan Quinlan was never going to start the Test matches but Flannery's partnership with O'Connell and his robust play had put him in pole position for hooker in the Test matches. O'Leary's defence, solid kicking game and underrated sniping runs would have at least guaranteed him a place on the bench for the Test matches. Halfpenney's injury will not count against the Lions as severly as his replacement, James Hook, should have been in the squad in the first place and he offers some magic this Lions squad was lacking at half back in the original squad. Halfpenney won't push for a Test place but the experience will make him a player to fear in next year's Six Nations.

Quinlan's suspension was deserved and the English press's clamouring for Tom Croft has seen him called up as his replacement. Croft's pace is unequalled among the forwards in the Guinness Premiership and he will flourish on the hard grounds in South Africa. However the resevations about his abiltiy to match the physicality of the Springboks remain.

Ferris, if fit, should start the Test matches. While he was lauded for his defence in the Six Nations he is only second to the evergreen David Wallace in terms of pace in the forwards of the Irish squad and his soft hands, shown in Luke Fitzgearld's first try against Italy, remanants of his schooldays at centre will benefit the Lions immensely.

Powell is in South Africa for his bullocking runs but needs another dimension to his play to seriously challenge Jamie Heaslip. On the evidence of the Six Nations Heaslip will start at No. 8 and will come back with the distinction of the best No. 8 in the Northern Hemisphere.

Hopefully both players will pull through and play a starring role tomorrow but there is a ready made replacement for Powell in Ryan Jones whereas there is no blindside flanker to match Ferris in McGeehan's phone book.

Lions to win at a lope

The British and Irish Lions face into the first match of the tour this weekend against the Royal XV, a team which in reality the Lions should have few problems dispensing with. The true value of this outing will be in testing new combinations and seeing which players are coming into form at the right time.

The Lions have named a monster pack weighing in at a mammoth 918kg which would have no difficulty in matching the physicality of any of any of the South African teams. The two props, Adam Jones and Andrew Sheridan, almost picked themselves considering Phil Vickery is a likely captain of the midweek team and Euan Murray is recovering from an intensely physical final against Bourgoin. Sheridan faces a straight shoot out for the loosehead position with the in form Gethin Jenkins and a big performance is a must from him.

The second row of Paul O’Connell and Simon Shaw has the look of a possible Test combination while Matthew Rees will be very grateful for two big targets to hit with his sometimes wayward darts. Shaw will be looking to impress on the hard grounds of South Africa and finally nail down a Test spot for the Lions having lost out in 1997 to Jeremy Davidson and in 2005 to Ben Kay and Donncha O’Callaghan.

The backrow combination and centre combination are the least likely to start in the Tests. The backrow of Martyn Williams, Andy Powell and Joe Worsley doesn’t look like it will combine very well and Andy Powell and Joe Worsley are one dimensional players. Powell offers hard, direct running and little else while Worsley’s defensive performances have been impressive an off load from the flanker is greeted with shocked gasps from the crowd. Martyn Williams will be left to do most of the link play and work at the breakdown but he does have two impressive centres to play off. Keith Earls’ dream season continues as he lines up outside the Welsh battering ram Jamie Roberts. If Roberts can draw in some defenders with his hard running Earls’ intelligent lines of running and searing pace could help him lay down a marker for a possible place on the bench for the Tests.

The Opsreys’ back three line up with Lee Byrne and Shane Williams looking to rediscover some form and Tommy Bowe looking to finish his best season yet.

The half backs look the most likely pairing to start the Test matches with Mike Blair’s sniping runs and excellent game management hopefully providing a foil for the kicking game of O’Gara, whose passing game should release his backs outside him.

While the Lions should win this at a canter it will be interesting to see how they plan on doing it. Expect a hugely physical performance up front with thundering runs from Powell, Sheridan, Shaw and O’Connell as well as the Lions making use of the maul as it now illegal to collapse after the ELVs’ repeal. This should free up some space for the pacey back three and centre
combination to do some damage out wide. This Lions team will go wide but only after it’s earned the right to do so. The time for talking is done. Now it’s down to business.