Luger headache for wounded Lions

Chris Jones13 April 2012

Lawrence Dallaglio was today handed the chance to strengthen his case for a place in the First Test, at the expense of Richard Hill, as the Lions named a powerful side to tackle New South Wales on Saturday.

The near Test-strength side - including 10 English players - was revealed as the Lions confirmed Mike Catt's tour was over due to a calf injury and Wales strong man Scott Gibbs, the third replacement called out, will arrive in Sydney tomorrow evening.

Catt, who limped off during yesterday's defeat to Australia A, said: "I have been a bit dodgy with the calf for a while, but I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I hadn't tried to play. It's hard for any player to be going home early in the tour but the calf went the first time I pushed it.

"It's pretty demoralising, although it is a relief that a decision has been made. I believe we can beat the Wallabies and as far as Scott (Gibbs) is concerned, he is a big-match player and I hope he can pull another one out of the bag."

Hill will be disappointed as he has been one of the major successes. Dallaglio, making his tour debut after a knee injury, failed to impress yesterday. The London Wasps captain also was given a yellow card for persistent infringement in the rucks.

Yet, with the First Test looming on 30 June, the selectors have picked, effectively, their Test side for the NSW match. There are some concerns, though. The Lions are worried about their line-out options in the back row if they opt for Neil Back and Scott Quinnell, two men who are not ball winners in this vital area. Dallaglio is a regular source of ball for England while Hill has been used more on this Lions tour at line-out than at any time in his career. The only way into the Test side for Hill if Dallaglio shows his true form on Saturday is in place of Back, at openside flanker.

Lions coach Graham Henry said: "We are trying to look at all the possible back-row options and Richard Hill has played exceptionally well. We do need a line-out option at the back, although I want to stress this is not the Test line-up.

"It is the nucleus of the Test side but there are positions still to be decided and we will do that after the next two games. That is the message we have given the players."

Martin Johnson leads the team against NSW keenly aware of the damage the loss to Australia A has inflicted on a party that is now starting to split into the 22 First Test squad men and the other 15 players who will not be part of the Test in Brisbane.

Johnson said: "No one likes to lose a tour match and the resolve is there to get the right result on Saturday. It is the responsibility of the team to get the tour back on track."

The scrum-half position is Robert Howley's - when the Welsh No 9 recovers from a rib injury. He is expected to prove his fitness for the Test in Tuesday's game against New South Wales Country in Coff's Harbour. Matt Dawson, the 1997 Lions Test scrum-half, starts on Saturday, but has been off form on tour.

Henry's major dilemma concerns the wings, where Dan Luger was today forced out with a facial injury suffered in training. Dafydd James, the tall Welsh wing, gets the vote on the right and England's Jason Robinson, who has scored six tries on tour, comes in for Luger. Ben Cohen joins the replacements.

Henry has broken up the Irish midfield by pairing Brian O'Driscoll with England's Will Greenwood, at the expense of Rob Henderson.

The arrival on tour of 1997 hero Gibbs to replace Catt could cloud the midfield debate further as he is determined to prove the selectors were wrong to leave him at home in the first place.

Lions v NSW Waratahs

I Balshaw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .England
D James . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wales
B O'Driscoll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ireland
W Greenwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .England
J Robinson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .England
J Wilkinson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .England
M Dawson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .England
D Morris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wales
K Wood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ireland
P Vickery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .England
M Johnson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .England, capt
D Grewcock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .England
L Dallaglio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .England
S Quinnell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wales
N Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .England

Replacements: T Smith (Scotland), R McBryde (Wales), M Corry (England), R Hill (England), A Healey (England), R O'Gara (Ireland), J Robinson (England).

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