Vickery to Lead Lions

12/06/09 09:06 Filed in: Team Announcement | Squad

The Lions team to face Western Province will be captained by Phil Vickery and is as follows:

15. Rob Kearney (Leinster/Ireland)
14. Tommy Bowe (Ospreys/Ireland)
13. Keith Earls (Munster/Ireland)
12. Riki Flutey (London Wasps/England)
11. Ugo Monye (Harlequins/England)
10. Stephen Jones (Scarlets/Wales)
9. Harry Ellis (Leicester Tigers/England)

8. Andy Powell (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
7. Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
6. Joe Worsley (London Wasps/England)
5. Nathan Hines (Perpignan/Scotland)
4. Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster/Ireland)
3. Phil Vickery (London Wasps/England) (c)
2. Matthew Rees (Scarlets/Wales)
1. Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks/England)

Replacements:
16. Ross Ford (Edinburgh/Scotland)
17. Euan Murray (Northampton/Scotland)
18. Simon Shaw (London Wasps/England)
19. Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers/England)
20. Mike Blair (Edinburgh/Scotland)
21. James Hook (Ospreys/Wales)
22. Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster/Ireland)

The starting 15 is all change from the team that ran out victors over the Sharks last Wednesday, though 7 of the players did have a role to play off the bench last time out. Tom Croft who started against the Sharks is named on the bench.

Mike Blair will remain frustated - he's only had one start in five games (against the Royal XV) and has remained injury free. Meanwhile Riki Flutey gets his first start after a knee injury threatened to rule him out of the tour. The Wasp has been up every two hours during the night icing the offending limb and had a short, though impressive, 10 minute spell off the bench against the Sharks.

Tour manager Gerald Davies said, "As a tour party we are delighted that we have reached Cape Town and the final Saturday provincial match prior to the Test series with an unbeaten record. Team morale is high and each team that takes the field is determined to maintain the momentum and to fight for an individual Test place."

Also commenting on selection, Geech said, "The coaching staff is very pleased with the way the squad reacted to some bad injury news this week. The players took the news on the chin, trained well, focussed on the next match and the performance against the Sharks was excellent."

"The squad is very close as a group of players but now there is now a competitive edge developing as we approach the Test series. That is how it should be. I reminded the players when I told them the team to play Western Province that we were not selecting the Test side until next Tuesday following the Southern Kings match."

"The team for Western Province will be captained by Phil Vickery who is one of the many leaders in the squad. It is just reward for a thoroughly professional player who will play in his tenth Lions match. Vicks is a former captain of England and he played three Lions tests against Australian in 2001."

"No starting players are backing up from the Sharks match as we continue our desire to see all players involved in at least two full matches prior to Test selection. Martyn Williams comes into the starting XV following his recovery from a shoulder knock and Riki Flutey gets his first starting role after proving his fitness off the bench against the Sharks."

The Lions face a Western Province side led by Luke Watson on Saturday and for many, it will be a last chance to try and stake their test team credentials. Flutey, who hasn't yet started, has a huge job to unseat the brilliant incumbent pair of O'Driscoll and Roberts. Likewise Martyn Williams will look to go well after a fine performance from David Wallace at 7 on Wednesday.

The Western Province side looks like the toughest test yet for the Lions with plenty of Springbok experience and it will be up to Vickery's team to continue the winning momentum ahead of the test series.

0 Comments

Recent Features

Vickery to Lead Lions