Irish rugby's boy wonder Brian O'Driscoll will launch his Lions career as a full-back after coach Graham Henrynominated him for the role today. p>
Gifted centre O'Driscoll has been handed the number 15 jersey for Friday's tour opener against Western Australia in a side skippered by fellow Irishman Keith Wood.
Will Greenwood and Mark Taylor form the midfield combination, with Henry taking an early opportunity to assess options ahead of the Wallabies test series, which starts on June 30th.
The exercise is aimed at discovering whether O'Driscoll could switch successfully from centre to full-back, if required, during a test match.
"It would be difficult to do that if Brian hadn't previously played in the full-back position," said Henry. "The major reason is that we are looking for options in a 22-man test squad if we didn't have another full-back apart from the number 15 that was playing. He's got all the attacking attributes and characteristics to play there."
Rated the top centre in the northern hemisphere, it would be a huge shock if O'Driscoll did not start there against Australia, with England star Iain Balshaw being a firm favourite for full-back.
But if Friday's experiment proves successful, the chances of Matt Perry - England's most capped full-back - making the test 22 as cover for Balshaw appear remote.
Lions(versus Western Australia): B O'Driscoll (Leinster and Ireland); B Cohen (Northampton and England), W Greenwood (Harlequins and England), M Taylor (Swansea and Wales), D Luger (Harlequins and England); R O'Gara (Munster and Ireland), R Howley (Cardiff and Wales); D Morris (Swansea and Wales), K Wood (Harlequins and Ireland, capt), P Vickery (Gloucester and England), D Grewcock (Bath and England), M O'Kelly (Leinster and Ireland), R Hill (Saracens and England), N Back (Leicester and England), S Quinnell (Llanelli and Wales). Replacements: I Balshaw (Bath and England), R Henderson (Munster and Ireland), A Healey (Leicester and England), S Taylor (Edinburgh and Scotland), J Davidson (Ulster and Ireland), J Leonard (Harlequins and England), R McBryde (Llanelli and Wales).
Western Australia:S Apaapa; M Gardiner, A Broughton, H Waldin or M Harrington, B Becroft; T Feather, M Fleet; D Gleghorn or A New, C Duff, T Stevens or A New, N Hollis, T Thomas (capt), H Grace, R Coney, A Brain. Replacements: D McRae, R Barugh, M Harrington or H Waldin, P Noriega, T Cameron, G Plimmer, A New or R Kellam.