Ever since the initial squad was announced, with only two recognised fly-halves included, fans and pundits alike have questioned whether that was the right choice. Perhaps a lack of standout performers in such a pivotal position forced the selectors’ hands somewhat, but the lack of real cover for Stephen Jones and Ronan O’Gara has still been a major talking point. They are looked upon as being very similar in playing style, both reliable kickers, but neither world class at releasing their respective backlines. Many questioned the absence of another style of ten; one who would run the ball and really get the outside backs moving.

There has been plenty of suggestion that Riki Flutey, usually deployed at centre for both club and country, would be the man to provide back up; this however would be a huge call for Ian McGeechan to make. The way I see it, Flutey could certainly do a job at fly-half, but to ask him to do so would simply detract from the natural game he has settled into at number 12 over the last few years.

Admittedly when he initially came over to England and joined London Irish in 2005, he started out at fly-half, but it is only since moving out one position that he has really hit the form that earned him international selection. As we saw in this years Six Nations, Flutey certainly enjoys the additional space and time allowed to him at inside-centre, where he can either exploit either his eye for a line-break or look to send a team mate through a gap. He's a classic distributing 12.

Indeed, his performances at centre produced some of the biggest plus points for England during their last campaign, and shifting him from there would definitely be to his detriment. I believe the Lions should leave Flutey to battle with the muscular Jamie Roberts for the number 12 berth, whilst looking elsewhere for alternatives at 10.

Interestingly enough, another option has arisen over the last few days, with Welshman James Hook being chosen as replacement for his fellow countryman Leigh Halfpenny. By choosing him above Halfpenny’s more like-for-like replacement Delon Armitage, the management have surely now acknowledged that originally going with only two out and out fly-halves was something of a mistake.

Most critically, as well as being another goal-kicking option, Hook brings with him attributes that neither Jones nor O’Gara can supply. His natural willingness to run the ball and play much more of an attacking game provides the Lions with something different in the playmaking position, his style contrasting greatly with those of his peers.

In my opinion the Lions must start with one of the primary fly-halves, but have Hook on the bench to come on and change the game if the original strategy isn’t working. Although he has certainly made costly mistakes in the past, when trying to open a game up just that little bit too much, it can’t be denied that when he is on song he's one of the most exciting running 10's in the Northern Hemisphere.

To conclude then, it’s nailed on that one of the two original fly-halves will start against the Springboks, be it Jones or O’Gara; the Lions simply cannot do without the experience and maturity that they both bring to the party. However, I feel that one of them is going to be extremely unlucky and perhaps miss out on Test selection completely. Although we all hope that the time never comes, it may be that the Lions are required to throw caution to the wind, in order to pull back a match that may be slipping away.

If this is the case, then James Hook is more capable than both of his more senior rivals of setting a game alight, of producing that moment of inspiration which will unlock the miserly Bok defence. It’s undoubtedly a big gamble for Geech and Co to take, but one which I think, at some point, they may have to make.