Lion Team News:Paul O'Connell will captain the British and Irish Lions side that includes six Irishmen and sees Brian O'Driscoll re-form a centre partnership with Jamie Roberts for the fourth game of the tour against the Sharks in Durban on Wednesday (6.10pm Irish time).
Munster captain O’Connell was on hand for last Saturday’s difficult encounter with the Cheetahs when the visitors came away with a narrow 26-24 win in Bloemfontein.
Had it not been for the industrious work rate of O’Connell and his Munster and Ireland sidekick Donncha O’Callaghan – who is rested for the Sharks game - in the engine-room against the Cheetahs, the Lions would have been staring at their first defeat of the tour, such were amount of errors in the game.
That said coach Ian McGeechan is simply content to reach this stage of the tour with injury worries kept to a minimum.
"I am delighted that as we head into the fourth match we only have one player who is unavailable for selection,” said McGeechan. “The players and the medical staff have managed the injuries that have been sustained in a very professional manner.
“This is crucial as we enter matches against two of South Africa's strongest provinces in the Sharks and Western Province in the space of four days."
The Scot is all too aware of the challenge they face on Wednesday and will want to erase any harbouring negatives from the Cheetahs game.
"Four starting players from the Cheetahs match will back up against the Sharks, while five players are starting their third match of the tour,” added McGeechan.
“Those players are captain Paul O'Connell, Lee Byrne, Shane Williams, Jamie Roberts and David Wallace. Paul will start with his third different secondrow partner in Alun-Wyn Jones, while we also have new starting partnerships in the back three, the halfbacks and in the front row."
"The next two matches are obviously critical in the development of the Test side. While we have these new starting partnerships for the Sharks match we also have a centre pairing in Jamie Roberts and Brian O'Driscoll, and a backrow of Jamie Heaslip, David Wallace and Tom Croft that have played together on tour in the Golden Lions match."
O’Driscoll and Roberts were a devastating partnership when the Lions mauled the Golden Lions 74-10 in the second game in Johannesburg. O’Driscoll is joined in the starting XV by his Leinster team mate Heaslip after he too missed the Cheetahs game. Ronan O’Gara also returns at outhalf while Luke Fitzgerald keeps his place on the wing.
Lions Tour general manager Gerald Davies was keen to draw on the positives at this juncture of the tour.
"We are now halfway through the provincial matches prior to the first Test and the important factor is that the Lions are unbeaten,” said Davies. “The next challenge is the Sharks in Durban. The selected team will want to ensure that the one hundred per cent playing record is maintained with a victory at ABSA Stadium which is also the venue of the first Test."
Earlier today former Lion and Wales outhalf Neil Jenkins was named as the new kicking coach for the remainder of the tour and is set to join up with the rest of the squad in Cape Town on Thursday.
"We found out that Neil is going to be in South Africa during the latter stages of the tour,” added Davies. “Therefore, the coaching staff thought it would be a good idea to ask him to become involved with the squad as kicking coach when he was here. He is Wales' kicking coach and the former world record points holder."
McGeechan also welcomes Jenkins’ arrival later this week: "We did not appoint a kicking coach initially as Rob Howley and Shaun Edwards have experience in this area and have adequately taken responsibility for looking after the kickers.”
“However, when someone of Neil's ability is available and on hand it would be foolish not to take advantage of it.
"If anyone knows about what is required in terms of general kicking and goal kicking in South Africa it is Neil. It was his all round kicking game that helped the Lions to victory in the 1997 Test series out here against the then World Champions.”
Jenkins was only to glad to accept the offer: "It is a great honour to be part of a British and Irish Lions tour and I am delighted and grateful to have been offered this fantastic opportunity.
"I have clear ideas of what I would like to contribute and I know so many of the players, coaches and back up team that I will be able to get out onto the training pitch and get started as soon as I arrive.”
British and Irish Lions Team (v Sharks)
Lee Byrne (Ospreys/Wales), Shane Williams (Ospreys/Wales), Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster/Ireland), Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues/Wales), Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster/Ireland), Ronan O'Gara (Munster/Ireland), Mike Phillips (Ospreys/Wales), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster/Ireland), David Wallace (Munster/Ireland), Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers/England), Paul O'Connell (Munster/Ireland) captain, Alun-Wyn Jones (Ospreys/Wales), Adam Jones (Ospreys/Wales), Lee Mears (Bath/England), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
Replacements: Matthew Rees (Scarlets/Wales), Phil Vickery (London Wasps/England), Simon Shaw (London Wasps/England), Joe Worsley (London Wasps/England), Mike Blair (Edinburgh/Scotland), Riki Flutey (London Wasps/England), Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
