Lions 2009 - Jones gets nod for first Test

Eurosport - Fri, 19 Jun 16:57:00 2009

Stephen Jones will start at fly-half for the British and Irish Lions in the first Test against South Africa in Durban on Saturday.

Stephen Jones - Lions 2009 - 0

Wales' Jones (pictured) won his personal dual with Irish rival Ronan O'Gara to wear the number 10 jersey in the crucial clash at the ABSA Stadium against the world champions.

Jones will form a half-back pairing with international team-mate Mike Phillips in a side that features six players from Wales, five from Ireland and four from England.

As expected, Lee Byrne starts at full-back, Brian O'Driscoll partners Jamie Roberts at centre, while Tommy Bowe and Ugo Monye start on the wings.

Up front, captain Paul O'Connell packs down in the second row with Alun-Wyn Jones, who is preferred to the Lions' heavier lock options Donncha O'Callaghan, Simon Shaw and Nathan Hines.

The openside flank berth goes to Ireland's David Wallace - who is selected ahead of Martyn Williams - in a back row that also includes number eight Jamie Heaslip and blindside flanker Tom Coft.

Props Gethin Jenkins and Phil Vickery pack down with hooker Lee Mears in the front row.

Martyn Williams is joined on the bench by O'Gara and O'Callaghan, but there is no place for Wales wing and former IRB player of the year Shane Williams amongst the replacements, or giant England prop Andrew Sheridan.

Rob Kearney provides cover for the wing and Adam Jones for prop. Matthew Rees backs up Mears, and Harry Ellis will cover the scrum-half role.

The Lions have won all six of their provincial games to date and head coach Ian McGeechan said the Test team had been picked purely on form.

"The Test team has been picked on form following the six provincial matches," said McGeechan.

"There were some very difficult calls to make as the players as a group and individually have done everything that we have asked of them and performed on the field."

The Test starting XV has not yet played together on tour, but McGeechan was comfortable going into the showdown against a Boks side that - bar flanker Heinrich Brussow - has not featured in any of the tour games.

"It has been 20 years since a Lions team has won all of it provincial matches leading up to the Test series so it is very satisfying to be in such a position," added McGeechan.

"The entire squad and the management have worked hard to create an outstanding team environment. Everyone has done this very professionally and it is fair to say that I would not change anything that we have done so far."

Skipper O'Connell said he was confident of his team's chances despite the quality of the opposition.

"It's a great team, our focus is good, we know what we are doing and I think we've got a great chance," said the Munsterman.

"We had a good training session today and the spirit is there. The next few days are going to be important in ticking off the little details that can make such a big difference.

"When we've got the little things right on this tour we've looked a very good side. But we know the Springboks are the best team in the world, a really serious side who are going to provide us with a massive challenge."

British and Irish Lions: 15-Lee Byrne, 14-Tommy Bowe, 13-Brian O'Driscoll, 12-Jamie Roberts, 11-Ugo Monye, 10-Stephen Jones, 9-Mike Phillips; 8-Jamie Heaslip, 7-David Wallace, 6-Tom Croft, 5-Paul O'Connell (capt), 4-Alun-Wyn Jones, 3-Phil Vickery, 2-Lee Mears, 1-Gethin Jenkins.

Replacements: 16-Matthew Rees, 17-Adam Jones, 18-Donncha O'Callaghan, 19-Martyn Williams, 20-Harry Ellis, 21-Ronan O'Gara, 22-Rob Kearney.

Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport

Comment 116 - 135 of 135

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  1. 120 this is always the case with the lions ,they are­ subject to change and disruption at the best of times­ ,they will cope ,come on the lions

    From handyandyisalways, on Sat 20 Jun 9:02AM

  2. Well whatever and whoevers in the test team l will get­ behind and scream like a man possesed tomorrow, COME ON­ THE LIONS DO IT FOR US ALL STUCK BACK HOME , WE`RE ALL­ BEHIND YOU.

    From trufftastic, on Fri 19 Jun 10:42PM

  3. Shane Williams (I.R.B. player of the year 08) has­ always taken plenty of stick throught his­ career.Granted he hasn't played well lately,but one­ moment of magic is all he needs to regain his­ confidence.He was described as a "joke" by­ some potato couch on another post.I hope he regains his­ form before he retires,he deserves that!
    C'mon the­ LIONS!

    From pajulu, on Fri 19 Jun 8:29PM

  4. Dennison J MacKinnon, your mad !!!! shane willims hs­ done nothing to merit a place on the bench for sat an­ some might say to be on the tour at all this season!!!­ as for martin williams respect to the man hes a class­ act but i cant see him standing up to the battering­ that will occur in the first 55/60 mins .... impact sub­ is the way to use him , when things open up and bodies­ are hurting he will do his stuff. wallace is the better­ option to start.

    From jonathan c, on Fri 19 Jun 5:26PM

  5. response to-sugru.

    Your not a lions fan let alone a­ rugby fan, the spirit & ethos of the lions is the­ coming together of the 4 home nations, i care less­ where a player comes from as do true lions fans &­ rugby supporters. your comments are as narrow minded as­ they get.. take your lions top off, find something­ really high & try flying. you're a nob(prolly a­ really small one that girls have laughed at all your­ life)

    To the Irish, Welsh, Scots & English lions­ fan.. I hope everyone of you has a fantastic day­ tomorrow & lets roast a bok.

    From Gaz, on Fri 19 Jun 3:32PM

  6. I am an Irish Rugby Supporter, and I SHOCKED myself big­ time, Vickery came on and put in a couple of great­ tackles and i found myself roaring him on.
    This is what­ the Lions is all about NORTHERN HEMISPHERE SUPPORTERS I­ dont care if he is an Englishman/Scott/Welsh or Irish­ all I want is for all of us to Face up to the BOKS with­ pride.

    From Mark C, on Fri 19 Jun 12:02PM

  7. Ewen. Hines has played ok in the 2nd row on tour but­ struggled with a lack of pace on tuesday at 6. Shaw­ should be on the bench instead of o callaghan,adds a­ few more dimensions than him.

    From buff, on Fri 19 Jun 11:38AM

  8. Haven't read many comments but think it's a­ great selection. Only doubt is Monje. O'Connell­ will shine, Williams probably should have started with­ Wallace coming on later. Lions to win first two tests.

    From martinmortimer, on Fri 19 Jun 10:45AM

  9. re comment 129,what an apt statement,as the few people­ on here who actually love the game,not the "he­ should have/shouldnt have gone" nonsense,nice to­ see an actual fan who watches the game not the­ players,obviously if a player shines then we'll­ watch him,but as you say,i'll be watching the boys­ as if they were my own countrymen!!

    come on lions,its­ time to step up now,just do your best,cos we all know­ your best IS good enough!!!
    ,

    From chris, on Fri 19 Jun 6:27AM

  10. Very disappointed that Hines and/or Shaw are not­ getting a start on Saturday and that O'Connell is.­ I know he is the skipper and understand therefore there­ is some pressure for him to play..BUT he has been­ conspicuously poor by his own normally high standards­ on this tour so far. Maybe the captaincy is affecting­ his form? He wouldn't be the first to suffer from­ this, but shoulod be man enough to admit this and step­ aside to play the best men in form at the moment and­ there are at least two on the bench that must be­ wondering what they have to do to get a place, Shaw and­ Hines, both of whom are so on form right now its a­ travesty not to start at least one of them. Poor­ selection I'm afraid O'Connell and Mighty­ Mouse....please prove me wrong

    From Steve, on Fri 19 Jun 5:50AM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Recently, I discovered a hot place -- Mixedmingle Co m­ -- where many sexy singles who like sports and chatting­ there. I'm an open minded girl from UK, I also like­ discuss sports and love with handsome guys on it.

    From kobiblent04, on Fri 19 Jun 3:43AM

  12. First, I love the comment re the dream about the Lions­ winning 50 - 3, It just shows how much people are­ looking forward to this, me included!
    All you Powell­ lovers, what exactly has he done to merit selection?­ He's conceded more turnovers than all the other­ lions back rows combined and he's had a pretty poor­ season, including a poor 6n and not even starting for­ Cardiff in the end The Boks would make short work of­ him. He has a bit to learn at this level, I think­ he's def one for the future though. Heaslip will­ outplay Spies on Saturday, you might not see too much­ of Heaslip, but you wont see much of Spies either.
    A­ little prediction, ROG will start the second test. I­ wish Jones luck and I appreciate where is game is­ superior to ROG's but when ROG comes on on Staurday­ you'll see things liven up a little more.
    Finally,­ everyone of you would love to be able to cheer the­ likes of O'Driscoll and O'Connell on if they­ lined out in your contries coulours each spring, as we­ would with your top players. Let me tell you what­ I'm gonna do, I'm gonna grasp the opportunity­ that I only get every four years and cheer your boys on­ like they were my own! You should really do the same.­ Stop sniping at O'Connell and others, they all more­ than deserve to be where they are and come Saturday the­ Bokkies are gonna find out why!
    LIONS LIONS LIONS­ LIONS!!!!!

    From ptothej, on Fri 19 Jun 1:13AM

  13. Geech gets it right a statement to come back to haunt­ us over the next month?

    From iancampbell11, on Thu 18 Jun 11:55PM

  14. Geech gets it right a statement to come back to haunt­ us over the next month?

    From iancampbell11, on Thu 18 Jun 11:55PM

  15. only wrong call is not having sheridan at least on the­ bench in case it needs to get really physical i think­ the assumption is as in the warm ups that scrums are­ going to be largely obselete and not contested if that­ doesnt occur then the selection is very underpowered

    From delboy, on Thu 18 Jun 11:10PM

  16. i think its a really good lions squad this year.People­ keep talking about S.A. like they beat everybody by 50­ points!!. But i think the lions will win the series and­ bring everybody back down to earth.

    From Brian, on Thu 18 Jun 11:01PM

  17. Of course Shane Williams should be at least on the­ bench - and they'll be screaming for Martyn­ Williams before half time. Otherwise, a great­ selection!

    From Dennison J MacKinnon, on Thu 18 Jun 10:20PM

  18. Of course Shane Williams should be at least on the­ bench - and they'll be screaming for Martyn­ Williams before half time. Otherwise, a great­ selection!

    From Dennison J MacKinnon, on Thu 18 Jun 10:19PM

  19. Ronan O'gara has not played better than jones! he­ is so scared of contact and keeps putting through­ stupid kicks when we have overlaps. And when we are­ defending a scrum, anyone noticed he is moved to­ outside centre because he cant tackle the no8 or crash­ ball centre on him. Jones has been playing consistently­ and well, brining on roberts and odriscoll giving well­ timed passes, just because o gara dropped a gaol to win­ the six nations doesnt mean he should start! Hook would­ have been on the bench if he hadnt been injured.

    From bmuirboy, on Thu 18 Jun 10:16PM

  20. it's gonna be tough,but i think the boks will take­ the first test.the lions have not played together at a­ higher level,this will count against them,even a side­ of their quality.

    From jprbambie, on Thu 18 Jun 9:07PM
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