Lions Tour:World player of the year Shane Williams will be on the bench when the British and Irish Lions face Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth at 2pm today. The Welsh winger was suffering from "a minor tummy bug" yesterday, but has recovered in time to make the trip from Cape Town. England star Ugo Monye meanwhile will start.
Ireland lock Donncha O'Callaghan will lead the Lions today, taking charge of a side containing several Test hopefuls. And coach Ian McGeechan has reiterated his stance that all fit players remain in the frame.
"I told the players that on the first day, and I won't change. We won't pick the Test team until Wednesday morning," he said.
McGeechan paid tribute to O'Callaghan, who has reached a career pinnacle at the age of 30 following 55 Ireland caps.
"I got to know Donncha pretty well in 2005 (Lions tour of New Zealand), and I know his reaction when he was first selected. He's a fantastic tourist," added McGeechan.
"I valued what he did in 2005 when I was working pretty closely with him, and he has taken it a step forward with this group. You don't have to have led a lot to know people will follow you.
"I value what he has brought. I didn't know him before 2005, and our relationship has grown on this tour. He's very deserving of the captaincy, in my book."
The Southern Kings play their first Lions fixture, with coach Alan Solomons drafting in a handful of players with Guinness Premiership appearance, including former Harlequins centre De Wet Barry and former Bath backs Wylie Human and Frikkie Welsh.
Whether the game ends up having much bearing on McGeechan's Test selection remains to be seen, but there is a fierce determination to get another job done and preserve their 100 per cent tour record.
"I've felt we have had to use all six games, and hopefully out of that comes the way we want to play," McGeechan continued.
"If I tried to do it any other way, I wouldn't have been honest or fair.
"The way the players have taken it on board, I couldn't have asked for anything more. We know we have got keep that focus.
"I've tried not to hide anything - I am not going to say one thing and do another."
South Africa, meanwhile, have drafted Cheetahs flanker Heinrich Brussow into their squad ahead of Saturday's first Test in Durban.
Brussow, who had an outstanding game for the Cheetahs against the Lions in Bloemfontein nine days ago, has been called-up in place of the injured Schalk Burger, who has missed out on the place in the first Test due to a calf muscle injury.
Southern Kings: T Mangweni; W Human, F Welsh, De Wet Barry, M Turner; J van der Westhuyzen, F Hougaard; J Engels, D Kuun (capt), R Vermeulen; M Wentzel, R Skeate; M Mbiyozo, S Tyibilika, D Nell. Replacements: D du Preez, D Greyling, L Payi, D van Schalkwyk, J Fowles, B Fortuin, M Stick.
Lions: Keith Earls (Ireland), U Monye (England), Riki Flutey (England), Gordon D'Arcy (Ireland), Luke Fitzgerald (Ireland), James Hook (Wales), Mike Blair (Scotland), Andy Sheridan (England), Ross Ford (Scotland), Euan Murray (Scotland), Simon Shaw (England), Donncha O'Callaghan (Ireland, C), Nathan Hines (Scotland), Joe Worsley (England), Andy Powell (Wales). Replacements: M Rees (Wales), A Jones (Wales), T Croft (England), D Wallace (Ireland), H Ellis (England), Ronan O'Gara (Ireland), Shane Williams (Wales).
Referee: N Owens (Wales)
