Lions 2009 - Vickery back for new-look Lions

Eurosport - Fri, 03 Jul 11:30:00 2009

Phil Vickery has been recalled to a new-look British and Irish Lions team for the third and final Test with South Africa in Johannesburg on Saturday.

Phil Vickery - Lions 1st Test 2009 - 0

The England tight-head (pictured) replaces the injured Adam Jones, whose tour was ended by an illegal tackle from banned Boks' lock Bakkies Botha in the second Test defeat last weekend.

Vickery will be given a chance at Ellis Park to redeem himself after a difficult time in the first Test loss, when he struggled against opposite number Tendai Mtawarira before being replaced soon after half time.

Mtawarira will again be lining up opposite Vickery to provide one the most interesting sub-plots for Saturday's game.

"When a game goes against you it's a matter of pride and you wait for the opportunity to put it right," said Lions head coach Ian McGeechan

"I bet Vicks will be over the moon that he's got that chance now rather than stewing over the summer.

"He is a really strong character and I'm sure he'll take the chance."

In all, McGeechan has made seven changes to the side that lost 28-25 at Loftus Versfeld last weekend.

Injuries to Brian O'Driscoll and Jamie Roberts has forced McGeechan into naming a new centre partnership, with Tommy Bowe - wing for the first two Tests - moving infield alongside Riki Flutey, who makes his Test debut for the Lions.

Ugo Monye is recalled on the right wing, while Welsh wizard Shane Williams will look to end a disappointing tour on a high and replaces Luke Fitzgerald on the other wing.

In the back row, Martyn Williams takes over at openside from David Wallace, while Joe Worsley gets the nod at six ahead of England team-mate Tom Croft. Wallace and Croft drop down to the bench.

There are no changes at half-back, where Welsh duo Stephen Jones and Michael Phillips continue their impressive partnership, or in the second row, where Simon Shaw will once again pack down with skipper Paul O'Connell.

Ireland's Rob Kearney, who produced one of the great Lions performances at Loftus Versfeld, is retained at full-back.

"It is fair to say injuries have had an impact on the tour as you would expect," said McGeechan.

"However, the players coming into the starting XV are all talented internationals and are as keen as ever to turn the tables on the Springboks.

"Last Saturday we were minutes away from winning and that is a huge positive to take into the Third Test."

James Hook and John Hayes have been added to the replacements bench, where they join Alun-Wyn Jones, Ross Ford and Harry Ellis, all of whom provided cover for the second Test.

Wales' Hook takes over bench duties from Irish fly-half Ronan O'Gara, whose last-minute infringement in the second Test handed the Boks the chance to kick the winning penalty.

After two narrow losses the Lions will be determined to end the tour on a winning note and snap a seven-Test losing streak that goes back to 2001.

British and Irish Lions: 15-Rob Kearney, 14-Ugo Monye, 13-Tommy Bowe, 12-Riki Flutey, 11-Shane Williams, 10-Stephen Jones, 9-Mike Phillips, 8-Jamie Heaslip, 7-Martyn Williams, 6-Joe Worsley, 5-Paul O'Connell (captain), 4-Simon Shaw, 3-Phil Vickery, 2-Matthew Rees, 1-Andrew Sheridan.

Replacements: 16-Ross Ford, 17-John Hayes, 18-Alun-Wyn Jones, 19-David Wallace, 20-Tom Croft, 21-Harry Ellis, 22-James Hook.

Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport

Comment 45 - 64 of 84

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  1. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Only four Irish, surejames or whatever he's called­ must have had an input

    From p.lloyd142, on Thu 2 Jul 11:24PM

  2. IS THAT ALLYA GOT...VICKERY AINT GONNA SAVE YA SORRY­ HIDES...

    THE BRITISH ARE MORE RACIST AND TRIBAL THAN­ SA EVER WAS..HAVE YOU TRIED SUPPORTING ANYTHING BUT AN­ ENGLISH/BRITISH TEAM IN THE PUBS,WE GOT ATTACKED BY A­ HAMMER WIELDING TRIO WHEN SA BEAT THE ENGLISH DURING­ THE WORLD CUP,SMALL MINDED,TRIBAL INBREDS WHO HAVENT­ BEEN OFF THE ISLAND EXCEPT TO PUKE UP ALLOVER THE­ SPANISH TOWNS.

    From ,...,, on Thu 2 Jul 10:51PM

  3. THERE SHOULD BE NO MORE BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS TOURS -­ WHY ? - BECAUSE THE " SO CALLED WELSH AND ENGLISH­ " LIONS FANS TALK A LOAD OF TRIPE. I AM SICK AND­ TIRED OF SUPPOSED LIONS FANS STICKING THE BOOT INTO­ IRISH PLAYERS ON THIS TOUR. REMEMBER - IRELAND ( WITH­ O,GARA LEADING THE WAY ! ) WON THE GRAND SLAM, IRISH­ TEAMS WON THE THE HEINEKIN CUP , THE MAGNERS LEAGUE ,­ AND THE IRELAND "a" TEAM STUFFED THE ENGLAND­ SAXONS TO WIN THE CHURCHILL CUP ! ! ! - WHAT­ HAVE THE WELSH AND THE ENGLISH WON THIS PAST YEAR - I­ WILL TELL YOU - SWEET F. A. ! ! !

    From P W, on Thu 2 Jul 10:16PM

  4. im 19 1/2 stone can i be on next tour??

    From sean d, on Thu 2 Jul 9:57PM

  5. hayes is a better scrummager than cornish pastie!..

    From sean d, on Thu 2 Jul 9:55PM

  6. BOD, POC, ROG and now BOC? where will this all end?

    From Donald D, on Thu 2 Jul 9:41PM

  7. sugruejames,

    i've got some lovely potatoes here.­ could i be sending you some?

    From kdanie, on Thu 2 Jul 9:40PM

  8. what does BOC bring to the party,NOTHING.as a captain­ and leader,poor.Have not seen any aggression at all­ allowed boks 2nd rows to bully and shove his players­ around and does nothing[Jonno would never have allowed­ that].He can not off load a ball you know when he gets­ the ball whats going to happen[to floor and ruck]and­ slow.Very poor choice as captain and sorry but should­ never have started a test match[Shaw and­ wyn;jones].Nice guy though

    From stevencday, on Thu 2 Jul 9:03PM

  9. flutey made the england team by being a better inside­ centre than all his other competitors he showed this in­ the last three games of the six nations, d'arcy­ wasnt called up til later because he had only come on­ as a sub.

    From rugbymad666, on Thu 2 Jul 9:00PM

  10. I agree Ian. Du Preez has been awesome. Im a fan of the­ fleet footed wingers aswell mate. Shane Williams is­ well popular here (NZ).. you'll tend to get noticed­ when you make the big plays when it matters, and do it­ in style.
    With regards to player of the year, i was­ refering to last season earlier. Your right in saying­ Carters done nothing this year. Every NZ rugby fan cant­ wait for him to come back. Scary time here at the­ moment... without Mccaw and Carter our side has looked­ average at best. We can hear Australia and SA licking­ their lips from here grrr lol

    From wflorence14, on Thu 2 Jul 7:17PM

  11. Has Carter been at his best this year? I've not­ seen enough SH rugby to really comment. McCaw would­ probably get the award every year, but I thought it­ good for the game last year that they considered­ attacking backs for it; Habana and Williams are not the­ biggest guys we have playing the game, but last year­ both were seriously dangerous and seemed to be scoring­ at will.

    I'd not be surprised if SA's­ scrum-half, Du Preez, gets it this year

    From Ian, on Thu 2 Jul 6:56PM

  12. wflorence14... spot on.

    How Flutey even made the Lions­ tour is beyond me; he stayed in England just long­ enough to qualify and then pisses off to France,­ chasing the money. If the money was right, he'd go­ and live in Siberia for 3 years and play for­ them!!

    Agreed, BOD deserves consideration for World­ player this year; but Shane Williams was awesome last­ year, and everyone, whatever nationality, said so.­ Okay, this year he's not reached the standards­ (very high) he set last year, but he's not done­ anything wrong either. He deserves a start as much as­ Fitzgerald I reckon. He's certainly the more­ dangerous if given enough ball. As a Welshman, who­ argued that Shaw wasn't the right choice last week,­ it was a pleasure to eat my words. He was outstanding.­ I have also been really impressed with Doncha this­ tour; again, I asked why he was even going to SA, but­ he's done nothing but impress me in the games­ he's played. And Croft! I've even been­ impressed with Powell, who I'd not have taken ahead­ of Ryan Jones but, in the games he's played, has­ impressed me.

    From Ian, on Thu 2 Jul 6:52PM

  13. comment 53.. if by *world* you mean Northern Hemisphere­ then i think you may have a fair point.
    As for actual­ world player of the year honors, you may have to look a­ bit further mate. Its a tough decision..
    If only there­ was a player who, in the one season played a starring­ role in... (*takes a deep breathe*).. A Super14 title,­ a NZnpc title, a Bledisloe cup win, a TriNations title­ and a GrandSlam of the UK (while not conceding a single­ try)... hmm
    oh look! theres two of them... Carter and­ Mccaw.
    lol *world*... you crack me up mate

    From wflorence14, on Thu 2 Jul 6:36PM

  14. ugo monye rules he should hav been in every test match­ he is the best

    From Alex, on Thu 2 Jul 6:32PM

  15. shane williams world player of the year what a­ joke..BOD is twice the player he will ever be..if he­ doesnt get world player of the year this year it would­ be a joke

    From sugruejames55, on Thu 2 Jul 6:00PM

  16. Shane Williams is now hopeless.......Where is Fitz ???

    From paoconnell1, on Thu 2 Jul 5:35PM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    who cares who plays its over. scrap this nonsense its­ beyond a joke now. oh and didnt darcy go to south­ africa to join up with the lions because monye getting­ picked ahead of him is some joke.

    From chriswhitakerisarugbygod, on Thu 2 Jul 5:34PM

  18. How strange - the name for the bloke in the middle of­ the front row is a swear-word on yahoo-land.

    From Donald D, on Thu 2 Jul 5:26PM

  19. @#$%

    From Donald D, on Thu 2 Jul 5:23PM

  20. wflorence14

    Take out the deliberately inflammatory and­ uneducated remarks made by suegruejames55 and you will­ find it isn't really so bad.

    From Donald D, on Thu 2 Jul 5:19PM
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