No sooner had the Lions tour of Australia experienced a vibrant lift-off than it is set to run anti-climactically to ground again. Following on from the white hot intensity generated by an ultra-ambitious Reds and a near-capacity Suncorp Stadium, the Lions move on to the more sedate surrounds of the Hunter Stadium, about two hours north of Sydney, near the wine country of Hunter Valley to play a composite club side of some, if limited, Super Rugby experience.
The 33,000-capacity stadium – not unlike, say, a less salubrious Liberty Stadium – is home to the Newcastle Knights rugby league team and Newcastle United FC and is struggling to reach two-thirds capacity as the Lions play opponents who have had three sessions together.
The hosts, for sure, will assuredly be full of fire and brimstone. One only has to think of the de-powered Munster side which faced the touring All Blacks in Thomond Park in November 2008 – everyone of the home pack had played AIL that season – to appreciate how a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity can inspire. And a little fear can also concentrate the mind wonderfully.
No further injuries
Nevertheless, it's hard to see what the Lions can gain from this game bar another big win and escaping with no further injuries to their already careworn-looking squad – Jonny Sexton and Owen Farrell joined Tommy Bowe on the sidelines at training yesterday. As that risk will probably be just as great no matter the quality of the opposition, one ventures the coaching staff would have preferred a potentially more meaningful match.
“It’s about getting better at what we’re working on,” maintained defence coach Andy Farrell diplomatically. “We’re trying to add and add. We’ve got to make sure that we keep developing. That’s the main thing. The score obviously will take care of itself if that happens. Course you want to keep a fully fit squad but the nature of the sport is that’s in the lap of the gods.”
In so much as the contest permits, it perhaps allows Alex Corbisiero to press his claims for the Test side by underlining his well-being, Ian Evans could do with a bigger game than against the Force to make his case in the apparent queue to partner Paul O'Connell, while another high-energy effort from Jamie Heaslip ought to strengthen his hold on the number eight jersey.
“We have Grand Slam winners, Six Nations winners, Heineken Cup winners, there is a really good mix there,” said Heaslip comparing the backrowers here to four years ago.
“It is a little bit different in terms of the age profile. I am four years wiser and bit more experienced and a bit more street-smart. What I try to bring from the last tour is the experience I had.”
Even more intriguing will be the performances of Seán O'Brien and Justin Tipuric, for given Sam Warburton, Dan Lydiate, Tom Croft and Toby Faletau are all still in the mix, three of these players won't even make the match-day squad for the first Test.
It's hard to see how Conor Murray can make up ground in a fixture such as this, and he is liable to face some fierce "fringing" in the early stages; Stuart Hogg's versatility will receive its first examination while the three-quarter-line looks like the first Test combination in waiting.
Home-town player
The one home-town player, Lewie Catt, from Newcastle's Wanderers Rugby Club, Catt is the only NSW Country Rugby player in the Combined Country starting XV, and will line out alongside eight Super Rugby players, two Queensland Country players and four Sydney Premier Rugby players. They will be led by Melbourne Rebels number eight Tim Davidson.
The home side has been weakened by the loss of Queensland Reds flanker Beau Robinson who, not surprisingly, has been ruled out following his clash of heads with Mako Vunipola during last Saturday night’s match. Robinson’s Reds’ team-mate Jarrad Butler has moved to openside.
The side will be coached by Cameron Blades, a former Wallabies prop who was part of the Australia A side which beat the Lions and also the Waratahs side which lost an abrasive encounter featuring Duncan McRae's flurry of punches on Ronan O'Gara which led to a red card and a seven-game ban.
Vividly recalling both games yesterday, Blades maintained there was no pre-ordained desire to rough up the Lions, more how several of them wanted to sign off their final game with the Waratahs in style.
“They hadn’t been the most gracious of losers after the game against Australia A, so we made a pact to go out there and put it to them.
"We will be looking to climb into them from the start and I'm really confident that my players will leave nothing out on the field," said Blades.
COMBINED COUNTRY XV: N Trist; A gibbon, L Catt, T Siakisini, T Cox; A Roberts, M Snowden; H Hirsimaki, J Mann-Rae, T Metcher, P Battye, B Enever, R Stanford, J Butler, T Davidson (capt). Replacements: T Kearney, D Evan, R Abraham, R Arnold, T Dyer, A McCormack, S McDarthy D Ahwang.
BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS: S Maitland (Scot); A Cuthbert (Wal), B O'Driscoll (Ire, capt), J Roberts (Wal), G North (Wal); S Hogg (Scot), C Murray (Ire); A Corbisiero (Eng), R Hibbard (Wal), D Cole (Eng), R Gray (Scot), I Evans (Wal), S O'Brien (Ire), J Tipuric (Wal), J Heaslip (Ire). Replacements: R Best (Ire), R Grant (Scot), M Stevens (Eng), A-W Jones (Wal), T Faletau (Wal), M Phillips (Wal), J Davies (Wal), L Halfpenny (Wal).
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia).
Forecast: Lions to win.
