Lions 2009 - McGeechan: Test team to be 'untried'

Eurosport - Tue, 09 Jun 17:36:00 2009

Head coach Ian McGeechan has indicated he is unlikely to give his British and Irish Lions Test team a trial run before their opening showdown against world champions South Africa.

Ian McGeechan - 2009 Lions - 0

McGeechan's side to face the Sharks on Wednesday night features probable Test combinations in centres Brian O'Driscoll and Jamie Roberts, plus a back row of Tom Croft, David Wallace and Jamie Heaslip.

"We will try to get combinations together but, as a XV, it is unlikely they will play as a XV before the Test match," McGeechan said.

There is also a first chance together for possible Test locks Paul O'Connell and Alun-Wyn Jones, but McGeechan insisted the selection race towards Durban on June 20 will be allowed to run its full course.

And that might even mean some Test starters playing part of Tuesday week's Port Elizabeth appointment with the Southern Kings.

"The main thing had been to get everyone playing in those first three games. Now, in the next three games it is to keep looking at some of the combinations," said McGeechan.

"The only other way of doing it is you separate the teams and you say to half the squad 'you are not going to be involved in a Test match', and I am not prepared to do that.

"It's got to be about us and what we want to try and be come first Test day. There are some risks, I am aware of that, but I think what we get out of it as a squad far outweighs that.

"As far as I am concerned, we have to be fair to the players and have to construct everything we are doing that is using everybody.

"As coaches and players, we have to be very focused in our understanding of what we are trying to bring to that first Test match. Everyone has a role to play in that."

PA Sport

Comment 2 - 21 of 21

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  1. Just been watching the game none of the backrow really­ putting their hands up for a test place except croft

    From dare.samuel77, on Wed 10 Jun 7:02PM

  2. Soz, just read the Ferris bit, bad news , hes shone­ well so far. Good replacement with Jones i guess.
    What­ about capn' Paul ? Not good so far.. still a good a­ jumper just keep his hands off the ball,another grafter­ along side him. Donnca not up to it , so shaw for me ,­ hes got the bulk and hes up for it.

    From vincegallucci, on Tue 9 Jun 7:32PM

  3. Ryan Jones is on the way according to RTE Sports News

    From hylmike, on Tue 9 Jun 7:23PM

  4. But Ferris is out injured.

    From hylmike, on Tue 9 Jun 7:21PM

  5. worsley 7, heaslip 8, Ferris 6 hes not a natural 7 but­ give him a job to do and hell do it and hes a dog of­ war. Its about the contact. Powell will lose the ball­ on one of his mazy runs and croft is crafty enough hes­ an ideal auxilliary lock , but eventually an 8­ possibly. front five will have the grunt whoever they­ are, but oconnel looks lightweight to me, worrying...

    From vincegallucci, on Tue 9 Jun 7:17PM

  6. So maybe Wallace Heaslip and Martyn­ Williams?

    From hylmike, on Tue 9 Jun 6:58PM

  7. Poor Ferris. Ryan Jones a test place? Maybe!

    From hylmike, on Tue 9 Jun 6:56PM

  8. well siad roxycappo

    From sugruejames55, on Tue 9 Jun 4:33PM

  9. Isn't this the point of trying out different­ combinations before the tests though? What about­ O'Driscoll and Roberts? They seem to really­ compliment each other at centre and have formed what is­ likely to be the test combination there. Yet they both­ play for different countries nationally. If you're­ going to suggest three players solely on the basis of­ 'tried and tested' you'd pick­ O'Driscoll and D'arcy in the centres and­ O'Connell and O'Callaghan in the 2nd row too,­ surely? They'll pick Ferris, Wallace, Heaslip if­ they end up being the best combination (or should do­ anyway), but who knows? Croft, Wallace and Heaslip­ might end up being the best combination. Or Ferris,­ Heaslip and Williams etc. I don't know. Don't­ write off combinations because they haven't played­ together nationally.

    I would tend to agree that­ Ferris, Wallace and Heaslip are the most likely­ (assuming they remain un-injured) because Ferris has a­ bit of pace and did well at the breakdown. Although, as­ I said, who knows? Croft might have a blinder now­ he's seen what Ferris brings to the game. I still­ think it's too early to judge certain players and­ positions, especially those who have only started one­ game.

    From Alex, on Tue 9 Jun 4:32PM

  10. Big Rich and Alex Ferris­ Wallace and Heaslip 6, 7 and­ 8 as they play for Ireland. Tried ad trusted. Martyn­ Williams maybe if Heaslip does not show his Irish form

    From roxycappo, on Tue 9 Jun 4:11PM

  11. BigRich: I assume you'd have Wallace at 8 in your­ back row line-up. Bad idea in my opinion. We saw­ against the Royal XV that his ball controlat the back­ of the scrum is nowhere near good enough to be first­ choice 8. I'm not trying to demean him, but 8­ obviously isn't his first choice position and it­ shows. He looked good at 7 against the Golden Lions and­ I think that unless Williams comes back from injury and­ has an absolute stormer, Wallace has a very good chance­ of being selected at 7 for the first test (assuming he­ plays well against the Sharks). If you were thinking­ Ferris at 8 (can't imagine you'd suggest Martyn­ Williams there), could be an interesting one.­ Haven't seen him play there before so I don't­ know if it would work or not.

    I'm looking forward­ to seeing Croft play again now he's seen what­ he's competing with.

    From Alex, on Tue 9 Jun 2:14PM

  12. firstchoicepm Keep it real your aggitator and bully­ boy. Ulstermen generally feel more an affiliation with­ England than Munster or Leinster. I was villified in my­ posts on other threads for saying England should have­ at least 1 player in the test team. If Irish­ contributors are damned if you do and damned if you­ don't is there any point in contributing. Is this­ some sort of justification for your anti Irish stance.­ Come out of the fog and support the Lions. No matter­ what part of the Islands they come from. C'mon the­ Lions and boo the begrudgers.

    From hylmike, on Tue 9 Jun 1:04PM

  13. firstchoicepm im from ulster..not a clue who orange2tuf­ is..not sure what your problem is but you can get lost­ mate

    From sugruejames55, on Tue 9 Jun 12:46PM

  14. Is sugruejames55 orange2tuf with yet another alias ? He­ hasnt mentioned Munster , Earls or called the English­ scum yet so I dont think so but early days yet !

    From firstchoicepm, on Tue 9 Jun 12:31PM

  15. skyrmel, whats your problem im just giving my­ views..why be an @#$%??

    From sugruejames55, on Tue 9 Jun 12:27PM

  16. Hey BigRich do you think Sugerbabe55 watches or knows­ much about rugby?

    From skyrmel, on Tue 9 Jun 12:22PM

  17. guys come on croft is seriously dangerous, he is the­ kinda of guy we need to give the boks back row­ something to think about apart from scavenging, when­ they realie he can go around them as oppose to through­ them it will make rucking easier as they wont all be at­ the same breakdown

    From frazerobrien, on Tue 9 Jun 12:18PM

  18. what has martyn williams done sweet **** all..heaslip­ is a superior athelte and will prevail where williams­ will fall

    From sugruejames55, on Tue 9 Jun 11:48AM

  19. Try Ferris, Wallace and Martyn Williams. Heaslip­ hasn't done anything yet and we must have a­ 'dog' to do what Brussouw did last Saturday.

    From BigRich, on Tue 9 Jun 11:42AM

  20. Guess you must be Irish then !

    From BigRich, on Tue 9 Jun 11:37AM
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