WARREN GATLAND DECLARED before his squad announcement that all players would be selected on form.
He then selected Dan Lydiate; undoubtedly talented but five games into a comeback from an ankle injury with Newport Gwent Dragons. The Welsh side were hammered in four of those games and the only win came at home against a second-string Munster side.
Lydiate looks a touch rusty on tour and, despite being declared ‘my wing-man’ by captain Sam Warburton, should struggle to be in the First Test shake-up. Warbuton, on the other hand, may defy fans and pundits alike by starting at openside. The Welshman has featured in just one of the four Lions games so far this summer but will get another opportunity, this Saturday, against Michael Cheika’s Waratahs.
The knee injury that delayed his playing start to the tour may mean 60 minutes at the coalface for Warburton before he is called ashore and wrapped in cotton wool until Brisbane on 22 June.
Warburton, who led his country to the World Cup semi-final in 2011 and a Grand Slam the following year, is discovering that absence is not quite having that fondness effect. His work at the breakdown is superb and Gatland feels his genial nature will help with southern hemisphere referees but Justin Tipuric is making the case for a back row dynamo.
The Ospreys man has faced brittle opposition to date but looks hugely effective as a rampaging flanker that links up very well with his backline, has an eye for a pass and can offload like a fine, All Black vintage. Sean O’Brien looks set for the role of impact sub and lineout concerns are leading many to tip England’s Tom Croft as the best blindside option. It could mean Gatland is forced to couch his form talk for the remainder of the tour and leave out a man, in Tipuric, that is doing everything requested of him and more.
Rory Best’s throwing wobbles have ceased to desist. (©INPHO/Dan Sheridan)
Lock Ian Evans had a decent outing against the Combined Country XV on Tuesday but, in a post-match interview with Sky Sports, attempted to brush off the Lions’ lineout niggles as an issue that could be ‘ironed out’ at training. Richie Hibbard and Rory Best combined for five botched throws in the 64-0 win but Evans insisted a collective blame fell on the pack.
In 2005, the Lions management became so paranoid about spying from New Zealanders (real or imaginary) that forwards coach Andy Robinson switched all the lineout calls 24 hours before the First Test. The late changes muddied minds, with Chris Jack, Ali Williams and co. helping themselves to Shane Byrne’s throws in a first half to forget.
There were echoes of 2005 on Monday as the Lions had staff members sweeping the perimeters of their training ground to ensure no-one was filming practice. A camera was confiscated from one onlooker at the weekend but he turned out to be a wedding planner scouting a venue. Perhaps the Lions coaches could have asked him for some advice on locating lineout jumpers in red jerseys.
