Lions Vs Western Province -Preview

The Lions will take on the Western Province which is basically the Stormers S14 team but with out there Boks and notably they be with out, that man, Schalk Burger. It be a strung team as they get ready for this years Curry Cup and as there may not have as many players in the Bok set up as they would like, they will be a lot of good players and will be the best team the Lions have come up against yet. They do have the odd player out with injury but they still be a well drilled team.

The Lions have pick a stung team. It might not be as stung as the team who ran out against the Sharks. A lot of the players will be looking to put there hands up for a test shirt and after today's game most of the team sheet would have written it self. Stephen Jones is probably the only player who name is already down on the team sheet with Tommy Bow just needing a average game to see him throw.

The backs should be a good fast running line up with Jones as the General and Flutty showing why he could still be a name to start a test, maybe not the first test but if Roberts get a knock or even worse has a bad game Fluty might be the man to step in. Young Earls should benefit greatly by playing with Jones and Flutty who will take him under there wing and make some nice holes to put him throw. Wings as I said Bow just needs a OK game to see him on the team sheet and Monye needs to show that he a wee bit calmer and if he get stuck in he will be putting him self in that other shirt. Kearney is unlucky he up against Burn as he a good player, he should be should under the ball. Ellis I hope to see him play like he did last week. He is in good shape to play a part in the test series.

Sheridan and Vickry need to put there hands up today. Sheridan needs to look danders and match Jenkins in the open and Vickry need to show some of that great form. Murry off the bench will get a go Tuesday I expect him and Vickry in the test team but I don't no which one will start. O'Callaghan, Hines with Shaw; off the bench, a good game from ether one, can pall that shirt off A-W Jones. Worsley and the perfectly, non broken hand of Powell need to stop mucking around in the open, looking for big hits and the ball to crush up and get there hands dirty and hit the brake downs. Williams will be looking to play him self on the bench and keep his name alive for the other tests.

D'Arcy on the bench I think he will be playing on Tuesday to give BOG a rest but will come on for Earls at some point. Croft on the bench as back up in case Worsley and Powell play like they did last time, Geech learned his lessen and put a some back up back row there. Hook will come on to save Jones for the tests.

I said this last Saturday but I think this team could slip up as they will be up against a good team it all down to if they can have that amazing D like Wednesday and if they can boss the brake down. If they do it be a good lions win if they don't boss the brake down and if they are loose in the D we could be looking at a slip up.

Lions Team to take on WP:
Rob Kearney (Ireland); Tommy Bowe (Ireland), Keith Earls (Munster), Riki Flutey (England), Ugo Monye (England); Stephen Jones (Wales), Harry Ellis (England); Andrew Sheridan (England), Matthew Rees (Wales), Phil Vickery (Captain-England), Donncha O'Callaghan (Ireland), Nathan Hines (Scotland), Joe Worsley (England), Martyn Williams (Wales), Andy Powell (Wales).
Subs: Ross Ford (Scotland), Euan Murray (Scotland), Simon Shaw (England), Tom Croft (England), Mike Blair (Scotland), James Hook (Wales), Gordon D'Arcy (Ireland).

Western Province Team:
Joe Pietersen; Tonderai Chavhanga, Morgan Newman, Peter Grant, Gcobani Bobo; Willem De Waal, Dewaldt Duvenage; Wicus Blaauw, Tiaan Liebenberg, Brok Harris, Martin Muller, Anton Van Zyl, Pieter Louw, Duane Vermeulen, Luke Watson (captain).
Subs: Hanyani Shimange, JD Moller, De Kock Steenkamp, Zandre Jordaan, Conrad Hoffmann, JJ Engelbrecht, Gio Aplon.