All the guessing games will come to an end tomorrow (Thursday) at lunch time when Ian McGeechan will name his match day 22 to face the Springboks.
The British & Irish Lions, with Limerick’s Keith Earls featuring at full-back, completed the build-up to their first test with a hard-fought 20-8 win over the Southern Kings in the Mandela Bay Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
Although the Lions’ 12-point winning margin would suggest otherwise the clash with the Southern Kings proved a bruising encounter.
And, Ian McGeechan is counting the cost with Euan Murray (ankle) and James Hook (concussion) now listed as doubtful for Saturday’s battle with the South Africans.
The Lions struggled for long periods against the Southern Kings and were grateful for a penalty try which allowed the touring side a little breathing room late in the second half.
Munster’s Donncha O’Callaghan captained the side and although David Wallace was named on the bench he played no part in Tuesday’s game in Port Elizabeth.
Ronan O’Gara, who was outstanding when introduced as a replacement in the 12th minute, drew the sides level at three points apiece before pushing the Lions into a three-point lead with another penalty just after the break. The Munster out-half then picked out winger Ugo Monye with a superb cross-field kick for the Lions’ first try which the Cork man also converted. Referee Nigel Owens awarded a penalty try against the Southern Kings in the 68th minute for infringements at the scrum and O’Gara converted to give the tourists a seventeen-point lead (20-3) entering the final minutes. The Kings did score a late try, but such resistance proved futile.
The Irish fly-half also pulled off a superb try-saving tackle on the Southern Kings’ Wylie Human after the Lions defence had been initially shredded at a crucial juncture in the game. Referee Nigel Owens also sin-binned two Southern Kings players - fly-half Van der Westhuyzen and Ross Skeate.
Having played twice previously in the centre for the Lions Keith Earls was, this time, handed the full-back role. The Limerick man sliced through the Southern Kings’ defence on occasion, but it is unknown at this point whether Earls’ display, allied to his try-scoring performance in Bloemfontein on Saturday, was enough to force his way into the test side.
It’s interesting to note that 12 probable test starters, including captain Paul O’Connell, had already flown north up the coast and watched the game against the Southern Kings from a safe distance. Ian McGeechan is taking no chances with his side to face the South Africans in the first test.
Although McGeechan has long insisted that the match day 22 for Saturday would not be selected until after the game against the Southern Kings the evidence would suggest that the wily Scot has already settled on the majority of his starting XV.
The second (June 27 in Pretoria) and third (July 4 in Johannesburg) tests against the South Africans will be played at altitude and if the tourists are to have a reasonable chance of series success they must beat the Springboks on Saturday.
And, since the South African players have not played any practice matches of note (the Springboks, without their Super 14-winning Blue Bulls core, had one outing against Namibia) now is the time for the Lions to pounce.
The British & Irish Lions starting team however will be crucial and the areas of most debate for the Lions management team appear to centre around numbers three, four, six, 10 and 11.
Wales’ Lee Byrne is expected to start at full-back while Tommy Bowe and Ugo Monye have been touted to join Byrne in the back three - Luke Fitzgerald is pushing hard for inclusion in this sector while Shane Williams’ loss of form appears to have ruled out the 2008 World Player of the Year.
Although Keith Earls will hope to be included in the match day 22 Brian O’Driscoll and Jamie Roberts are expected to form a partnership in midfield. At half-back Stephen Jones had appeared to represent a fait accompli at fly-half alongside scrum-half Mike Phillips, but Ronan O’Gara’s brilliant performance against the Southern Kings has certainly given the management an alternative to seriously consider. The concussion incurred by James Hook on Tuesday should rule the Welshman out and at the very least O’Gara should be named on the bench.
Up front props Gethin Jenkins and Phil Vickery look likely to partner hooker Lee Mears in the front-row while Wales’ Alun Wyn Jones is now favourite to partner Paul O’Connell in the second row. Scotland’s Nathan Hines, England’s Simon Shaw and Ireland’s Donncha O’Callaghan are all vying for the number four shirt while Tom Croft and Jamie Heaslip are favoured to start in the back-row. Martyn Williams’ performance on Saturday could threaten David Wallace’s place in the starting XV.
On Tuesday evening the Springboks sprung a surprise when South Africa named their starting XV for Saturday’s first test and included Heinrich Brussow in place of the injured Schalk Burger (calf) - the Cheetahs flanker, who was called into the squad less than 24 hours before being named on the team, will start at blindside flanker. Morne Steyn, the stand-out fly-half from the Super 14, is the only uncapped player in the match 22 but will have to wait for his debut with the disputed number 10 jersey going to Ruan Pienaar.
The other contested position, full-back, went to Frans Steyn, while the rest of the squad, which will be led by John Smit is packed with experience.
South Africa: F. Steyn (Sharks), J.P. Pietersen (Sharks), A. Jacobs (Sharks), J. de Villiers (Stormers), B. Habana (Bulls), R. Pienaar (Sharks), F. du Preez (Bulls); T. Mtawarira (Sharks), B. du Plessis (Sharks), J. Smit (Sharks), B. Botha (Bulls), V. Matfield (Bulls), H. Brussow (Cheetahs), J. Smith (Cheetahs), P. Spies (Bulls).
Brian McDonnell
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