RUGBY/LIONS TOUR:THE LIONS have delayed finalising their squad for the tour to South Africa until today. They were due to announce the replacements for the injured Jerry Flannery and Tom Shanklin yesterday but chose to take more time to consider their options.

The Ireland hooker Rory Best and Scotland’s Ross Ford are on the stand-by list to replace Flannery, with Best having the advantage of being in the Ireland squad and throwing regularly to the Lions captain, Paul O’Connell, in the lineout.

Shanklin’s replacement is more complicated. The Lions decided originally not to replace the Wales centre having opted to take 37 players in the expectation that some one-third of them would be involved in tomorrow’s Heineken Cup final. Munster’s elimination at the semi-final stage reduced that number considerably so the tourists opted to fly out with 36 players, only for the Wales wing, Leigh Halfpenny, to suffer a thigh injury that will force him to miss the first two weeks of the trip.

The Lions are looking at a versatile player who can goal-kick. England’s Delon Armitage and Scotland’s Chris Paterson cover full-back and wing, with Armitage deployed by London Irish in recent months as an outside-centre, while Danny Cipriani has experience of fullback and outside-half.

Wales’s James Hook, an outside-half who has played at fullback and in both centre positions, has emerged as the main rival to Armitage with the Lions lacking cover at inside-centre.

“Leigh tested his thigh in training this week but he could only run at 40 per cent,” said the Lions backs coach, Rob Howley. “It was clear the problem needed to be addressed. He was very down but [head coach] Ian McGeechan reassured him that the outlook was positive and that he remained an integral part of our plans. He will play a part on the tour.”

South Africa warm up for the Lions with a match against a Namibian Invitation XV in Windhoek next Friday, the eve of the tourists’ opening match of their 10-game tour against a Royal XV in Rustenburg. It is the only outing the Springboks will have before the first Test on June 20th and in order to make the 80 minutes something more demanding than a training session, the home team has been packed with ex-South African internationals and Super 14 players.

Outhalf Derick Hougaard, who spent most of the season with Leicester, is in the side along with another former Tiger, fullback Jaco van der Westhuizen, while three other Springboks, Meyer Bosman, Wayne Julies and Tonderai Chavhanga have been included to ensure South Africa have a meaningful work-out. Five of the side are Namibian.

Armitage, meanwhile, believes his London Irish team-mate and coach, Mike Catt, will retire after last weekend’s Guinness Premiership final play-off defeat by Leicester. Catt, 38 later this year, said after the game he had not made a decision about his future.

“I think Mike’s going to call it a day,” said Armitage. “He’s feeling it now. Two physical matches against Harlequins and Leicester in the play-offs have hurt him. It’s huge to have someone like that on the field leading us younger guys, especially when your head drops or your mind goes. I’d like him to play another year but, while his mind is saying yes, his body is saying no. I hope he can do it but we’ll see.”

Wood backs Best to get the nod after Flannery's withdrawal

KEITH WOOD has backed Rory Best to replace the injured Jerry Flannery in the British and Irish Lions squad.

“Without playing the Irish card – and one of the most important things with the Lions is that you leave your nationalistic bias at the door – I would have plumped for Rory Best in the original squad,” said Wood, the former Lions and Ireland hooker.

“I just think he has the level of size and doggedness about him that is necessary.”

Wood admitted he is “absolutely gutted” for Flannery, who would have flown to South Africa on Sunday night as favourite for the hooker’s jersey in the first Test.

“I know him personally. He has worked very hard. He is a guy who always plays with his heart on his sleeve. He will have trained like that this week,” said Wood.

“I feel very sorry for him. He was looking to fulfil one of his ambitions and it weakens the Lions.

“He has been comfortably the best hooker in the last two seasons. He throws unbelievably well and against Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield accuracy is paramount.”