Wood and Miller can still nail down place in first Test side

THE Lions flew from Johannesburg to Durban yesterday afternoon to prepare for their match against Natal, the Super 12 semi-finalists and Currie Cup holders at King's Park tomorrow. Durban presented a forbidding sight as the Lions arrived in torrential rain, wind and cold as they made their way to

Umhlanga, just outside the city.

The win over Gauteng at Ellis Park on Wednesday night, and the manner of its attainment, has given the Lions a considerable lift and renewed belief that they can now put a really formidable side in the field for the first Test in Cape Town tomorrow week.

Some preconceived ideas about the composition of the Test side are being hastily amended, and there is now no doubt that Ireland's second row, Jeremy Davidson, has emerged as a real prospect for inclusion.

Davidson is not in the side to meet Natal, because of a slight hamstring injury, but Ireland does have two representatives in the team: hooker Keith Wood, and Eric Miller, who is chosen at number eight, a position in which he will be much more comfortable than he was on the open side flank against Northern Transvaal.

Announcing this interesting selection, manager Fran Cotton said: "Jeremy Davidson would have been in the team but we have decided not to risk him as he has a slight hamstring injury."

The Lions management wanted to see Davidson paired with team captain Martin Johnson, and that in itself is significant. Davidson had an outstanding match against Gauteng and his play in the line out was complemented by his work rate around the field. Davidson is not taking anything for granted, nor living in expectation. But he is quite rightly pleased with the form he has shown on the tour.

Team coach Ian McGeechan paid full tribute to Davidson last night. "He is so eager to learn. He asks questions, studies his performances on the video and then asks more questions. He is playing superbly. It is like turning on a switch and off he goes. Left to himself, he would have played against Natal. It was hard to contain him in training today before we left Pretoria."

On the team chosen to meet Natal, McGeechan said: "This is not going to be the Test team. We are trying several combinations. Our last two matches have been against Super 12 sides, and the match against Natal is the third Super 12 side we will have encountered in the space of a week.

"In fairness to some players who were not chosen for the last two matches, we feel we must give them the chance to play against opposition of that nature. We had the slip-up against Northern Transvaal, but so many of our players are playing well that it widens our options for the Test."

Cotton endorsed that view: "We will make up our minds after we have seen the match against the Emerging Springboks on Tuesday."

While the Lions had problems in the scrum against Western Province and Northern Transvaal, the scrummaging against Gauteng was very good, and yet again Paul Wallace was rock solid on the tight head side.

The front row is an area that is certain to cause the selectors animated discussion and profound thought. One man who seems to have dropped down the order is David Young of Wales. He has started only one match, but plays tomorrow. The belief that he and Jason Leonard would be the Tests props with Leonard on the loose head side does not look likely to come to pass. The two best scrummaging performances given by the Lions on tour were against Mpumalanga band - Gauteng, and the props were Tom Smith and Paul Wallace.

Tim Rodber, who led the Lions in both matches, made the point - without seeking to take any personal credit - that the two best performances given by the Lions pack on the tour have been those against Mpumalanga and Gauteng. "The pack played extremely well in those matches and everyone saw the way they played on Wednesday night. That was a real test. I have never played on a winning side at Ellis Park. I was very proud to lead the Lions in that match."

Wood and Miller get a chance to enhance their Test claims tomorrow, and it now seems as if the Test number eight berth rests between Miller and Rodber. Barry Williams, and not Martin Regan, has emerged as the most serious challenger to Wood for the Test place.

Neil Jenkins, whose place kicking has been excellent, has been named at full back tomorrow. He also played well at outside-half against Mpumalanga. Alan Tait is named on the left wing, with Scott Gibbs and Allan Bateman in the centre. Bateman has been troubled by a hamstring injury, but came through the training session yesterday. Gibbs has started only one match, but was, of course, suspended for a match and not available for the game against Gauteng. Had he been, he and not Jeremy Guscott, a certainty for the Test, would have come in for Bateman in midweek.

The selection of Alan Tait on the left wing is another interesting choice. Tony Underwood, who was injured against Gauteng, had an examination by an orthopaedic surgeon yesterday for a neck-shoulder injury and he will be available for the match on Tuesday.

As expected, the half-back combination is Robert Howley and Gregor Townsend. Smith and Young are at prop, and Smith's selection is an indication that he now stands a great chance of getting into the Test side.

Certainly with Smith, Wallace, Graham Rowntree, who has not been impressive, Leonard and Young available, the selectors have a wide choice at prop. Leonard can play with equal facility at loose and tight head, and he is still favoured to get a Test place.

The back row tomorrow is as anticipated: Lawrence Dallaglio, Miller and Richard Hill. This means that Smith is the only one who started the match against Gauteng who is named again.