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PLAYERS RETURN from Lions tours in all manner of conditions, both mentally and physically. Some take longer to recover than others. In Luke Fitzgerald’s case, he has begun to make good on his avowed intention to turn his acute disappointment into a source of positive energy.

Fitzgerald looked razor sharp on the Lions’ tour but having been laid low with a cold and then tried at inside centre against the Cheetahs – and as he acknowledged yesterday there was no way of breaking into the Jamie Roberts-Brian O’Driscoll midfield partnership – he was eventually brought into the second Test starting XV on the left wing after three appearances there on tour. However, he was judged more harshly than others when dropped for the third Test to afford Ugo Monye a chance of redemption after seemingly being held culpable for the first Boks’ try by JP Pietersen which Fourie du Preez set up off lineout ball.