Ronan O’Gara will become the fourth Irishman to captain the Lions in South Africa this year when he leads the tourists out to face the Emerging Springboks at at Newlands in Cape Town tomorrow afternoon. The Munster outhalf is joined in the XV by five compatriots, three Welshmen, four English and two Scots.
Keith Earls, Gordon D’Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald, Donncha O’Callaghan and John Hayes also being given the chance to play their way into the team for Saturday’s second Test.
"Ronan O'Gara will lead the team against the Emerging Springboks which is a well deserved honour for a senior player who has served Munster, Ireland and the British & Irish Lions with distinction," said head coach Ian McGeechan today.
McGeechan insisted there were positives to be drawn from defeat in the first test in Durban and the series could still be won.
“There were many positives that came out of the Test match on Saturday. The Emerging Springboks match, and our training this week, will allow us to build on these, plus address areas we know we need to improve on. There is still a lot to play for and the players are well aware of that.
"The mood in camp is still very positive due to the fact that we did come very close to winning on Saturday and the fact that we created so many scoring opportunities.
“The players are well aware of the importance of the match tomorrow against the Emerging Springboks. We need to step up our performance against a talented outfit whose players, like ours, will be determined to show that they are worthy of a Test place. It should be a great match.
"The two latest squad members Tim Payne and John Hayes will start against the Emerging Springboks to give them immediate field time.
“This is important in terms of the balance of the squad as three of our other props played in the Test match only two days ago and Andrew Sheridan is recovering from injury.”
Conspicous by their absence are Matthew Rees and Adam Jones who look sure to start the second Test with Phil Vickery and Lee Mears on the bench tomorrow.
The openside flanker berth still looks up for grabs with Martyn Williams set to start and David Wallace on the bench, while O'Callaghan will feel he has a chance of ousting Alun Wyn-Jones to partner Paul O'Connell in the second Test.
Emerging Springboks: Z Kirchner (Blue Bulls); L Vulindlu (Sharks), D van Rensburg (Leopards), M Newman (Western Province), B Basson (Griquas); E Rose (Golden Lions), J Vermaak (Golden Lions); W du Preez (Cheetahs), B Maku (Blue Bulls), W Kruger (Blue Bulls), S Sykes (Sharks), W Steenkamp (Blue Bulls), D Potgieter (Blue Bulls, capt), J Deysel (Sharks), D Vermeulen (Western Province).
Replacements: T Liebenberg (Western Province), P Cilliers (Sharks), F van der Merwe (Golden Lions), J Botes (Sharks), H Adams (Blue Bulls), W de Waal (Western Province), D Demas (Cheetahs).
Lions XV:Keith Earls (Munster/Ireland); Shane Williams (Ospreys/Wales), Riki Flutey (London Wasps/England), Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster/Ireland), Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster/Ireland); Ronan O'Gara (Munster/Ireland) Captain, Harry Ellis (Leicester Tigers/England); Tim Payne (London Wasps/England), Ross Ford (Edinburgh/Scotland), John Hayes (Munster/Ireland); Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster/Ireland), Nathan Hines (Perpignan/Scotland); Joe Worsley (London Wasps/England), Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues/Wales), Andy Powell (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
Replacements: Lee Mears (Bath/England), Phil Vickery (London Wasps/England), Simon Shaw (London Wasps/England), David Wallace (Munster/Ireland), Mike Blair (Edinburgh/Scotland), James Hook (Ospreys/Wales), Ugo Monye (Harlequins/England)
