Sport

Fitzgerald set to make debut

LIONS COACH Ian McGeechan’s desire to see everyone start in the opening three matches will ensure another heavily-changed team…

JOHN O'SULLIVAN in Bloemfontein
Fri Jun 05 2009 - 01:00

LIONS COACH Ian McGeechan’s desire to see everyone start in the opening three matches will ensure another heavily-changed team from that which thumped the Golden Lions for tomorrow’s game against the Free State Cheetahs at Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein.

The Scot will confirm the selection at lunch-time today but by employing a process of elimination guessing the composition of most of the side shouldn’t be too difficult.

Luke Fitzgerald will make his Lions debut, probably at outside centre, after recovering from a mild knee strain and a chest infection.

He is likely to be joined by fellow 2009 Grand Slam winners Stephen Ferris, Donncha O’Callaghan, and Ronan O’Gara in a team led by Paul O’Connell.

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Lee Byrne is expected to return at fullback, with 20-year-old Leigh Halfpenny on one wing and Shane Williams on the other. Fitzgerald might play on the right wing but McGeechan may prefer to choose him in the centre because of injury concerns.

Riki Flutey is definitely out, although his knee is improving, while Jamie Roberts and Tommy Bowe, who moved to the centre during the game at Ellis Park, have played in the last two matches. If Gordon D’Arcy is deemed fit enough after his mammoth journey then he could start at inside centre but it is more likely that James Hook might be asked to fill in there.

Harry Ellis will partner O’Gara at halfback, while the frontrow will see two Scots, Ross Ford and Euan Murray, start for the first time after coming on as replacements in midweek. They will be joined by England’s Andrew Sheridan.

The Munster axis of O’Connell and O’Callaghan will pack down in the secondrow, while Ferris, who scored the final try at Ellis Park on Wednesday night, will be named at blindside flanker. Welsh duo Andy Powell and Martyn Williams will complete the backrow.

For the players that hit their straps there might be a spot on the Lions side to face Western Province in Cape Town tomorrow week; it’s a team that should bear an uncanny resemblance to that which plays in the first Test against the Springboks seven days later.