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Tommy Bowe was delighted to be named on the right wing. ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan
Time to shine

Left or right wing, it doesn't matter to Tommy Bowe as he eyes Lions tries

After a nervous wait for squad selection, the Ulsterman is ready to get down to business.

TOMMY BOWE ADMITTED today that he was ‘bricking it’ on the morning of Lions coach Warren Gatland’s squad announcement for the 2013 Tour.

Having just returned from a nasty knee injury and played just and a half games of rugby, Bowe could well have been left at home or to tour with Ireland to North America. However, he had four pluses: Gatland is a fan, he toured well in 2009, he scored two tries in three comeback games and showed he could easily operate on either wing.

The Ulsterman was duly named and, after sitting out Saturday’s win over the Barbarians in Hong Kong, is itching to make his mark against Western Force. Bowe has been named in a back three with Welshmen George North [left wing] and Leigh Halfpenny [fullback].

He told lionsrugby.com, “I’m sure the crowds will start flocking in when we get over to the east coast – but, with it being my second tour, I’ve kind of been there and seen it and will be able to take it all on board and enjoy it.

“It’s not been an anxious wait at all (to start playing) but it’s obviously difficult to watch the guys play against the Barbarians and go so well – you want to be a part of it.” Bowe added:

So far in the week that I’ve been involved, with the heat that there was in Hong Kong, the running has been pretty extensive, with the wingers trying to get involved, the backs trying to move the ball wide and the forwards having to work very hard.

“We’re coming over here to play a good game of rugby and an expansive style of rugby. Hopefully that will mean me getting lots of ball in hand and maybe a few tries.”

When the Lions played in Perth on the 2001 tour, they ran in a slew of tries and won 116-10. The Western Force has been created since that tour and have slowly established themselves as a decent Super Rugby unit.

The Welsh lads held sway on Saturday in Hong Kong but, with eight Irishmen named in Wednesday’s starting XV, it is time for Bowe and his international colleagues to reproduce the form they showed against Argentina last November and at the Millennium Stadium in February.

*TheScore.ie will be liveblogging all the action from Lions v Western Force on Wednesday morning.

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