RUGBY:IAN McGEECHAN reiterated the mantra that he has adopted from the outset of the tour that he will use all six matches in the preamble to the Test series to decide the composition of the team to take on the Springboks whom they meet for the first time this Saturday in Durban.

The Lions coach is probably being slightly economical with the truth given the team he announced for today’s game in Port Elizabeth; it’s fairer to suggest there are several players for whom a good performance tonight may win them a place on the bench this Saturday.

For the first time since arriving in South Africa, the Lions party has split into two groups, with today’s match squad plus two players travelling to face the Southern Kings, while the remaining 12 with travel straight to Durban this morning. The Scot refused to confirm the identity of the additional two players supplementing the match squad. Later it was revealed Tommy Bowe would travel to cover Shane Williams, who has a stomach bug.

Donncha O’Callaghan becomes the third Irish player to captain the Lions on this tour, following tour leader Paul O’Connell and Brian O’Driscoll. It is a singular honour and one O’Callaghan was still struggling to comprehend several hours after being informed at a team meeting.

The last time he led out a team was as a schoolboy. “It is the biggest honour of my life, massive. To be asked to lead a group of guys whom I have huge respect for and would go through a wall for is a huge honour. I’m still kind of taken aback.”

The Munster lock echoed McGeechan’s comments that none of the team that take the pitch today felt excluded from Test reckoning. “It’s a great situation for everyone playing. They’ve a chance to impress, to maybe force the coach’s hand a bit with a huge performance. It’s a great way for all of us to feel, that we’re fighting for the chance to hold on to the shirt.”

In explaining his decision to nominate O’Callaghan to lead the team, the Scot was positively effusive in his praise. “In 2005 I got to know Donncha well having never met him prior to that. He was a fantastic tourist and I valued what he did when I was working closely with him then. He brings something quite special and you don’t have to have been a captain in the past to lead a team.

“He has huge credibility amongst the players. I value what he’s brought and he’s very deserving of the captaincy.”

The Scot’s decision to put Nathan Hines in the backrow allows him to evaluate three secondrows in one fell swoop. Hines has played there for Perpignan and could conceivably be named there in the Test squad but it’s more likely Tom Croft will be handed that role.

The Leicester player and David Wallace are among the replacements, the Irishman required because Martyn Williams had five stitches inserted in a knee wound. Up front, Andrew Sheridan, Euan Murray, O’Callaghan, Hines, Joe Worsley and Andy Powell will believe they have a shot of making the Test squad.

It seems certain Gethin Jenkins will form the Test frontrow alongside Lee Mears and Phil Vickery, with Sheridan and Scarlets hooker Mathew Rees favoured to back them up. The fact Alun-Wyn Jones and O’Connell haven’t travelled could mean they will be the Test secondrow pairing, although McGeechan might prefer more bulk in the engine room: especially if Croft is chosen in the backrow.

The pack would be choc-full of athleticism and mobility but may lack a little grunt. Jamie Heaslip is the Test number eight and he’s likely to be alongside Croft and Wallace in the backrow; the latter just squeezing out Williams.

Powell is an obvious impact player but a good display from the indestructible Worsley might see him included among the replacements.

Behind the scrum James Hook’s versatility in being able to play outhalf, centre and fullback could see him squeeze out the loser in the selection head-to-head between Ronan O’Gara and Stephen Jones for the number 10 Test shirt. Today’s game is a huge chance for Hook and so too the 21-year-old Irish pair of Luke Fitzgerald and Keith Earls, at wing and full back respectively.

Gordon D’Arcy will have to produce an absolutely stellar display to nudge his way up the pecking order. The Test backline appears to be Lee Byrne, Tommy Bowe, Brian O’Driscoll, Jamie Roberts, Ugo Monye, Jones/O’Gara and Mike Phillips, with McGeechan’s main selection issues the choice at outhalf, secondrow and openside flanker.

The fact O’Gara is on the bench tonight rather than starting appears a curious one, especially in the absence of Jones, suggesting McGeechan is pretty sure who his Test outhalf will be.

A match that once looked innocuous in the fixture schedule could turn out to be one of the most important in the careers of a handful of players.

SOUTHERN KINGS: T Mangweni; W Human, F Welsh, De Wet Barry, M Turner; J van der Westhuyzen, F Hougaard; J Engels, D Kuun (capt), R Vermeulen; M Wentzel, R Skeate; M Mbiyozo, S Tyibilika, D Nell. Replacements: D du Preez, D Greyling, L Payi, D van Schalkwyk, J Fowles, B Fortuin, M Stick.

Referee: N Owens (Wales)

V Southern Kings

15 Keith Earls (Ireland)

14 Shane Williams (Wales)

13 Riki Flutey (England)

12 Gordon D'Arcy (Ireland)

11 Luke Fitzgerald (Ireland)

10 James Hook (Wales)

9 Mike Blair (Scotland)

1 Andy Sheridan (England

2 Ross Ford (Scotland)

3 Euan Murray (Scotland)

4 Simon Shaw (England)

5 Donncha O'Callaghan (Ireland, c)

6 Nathan Hines (Scotland)

7 Joe Worsley (England)

8 Andy Powell (Wales)

Replacements: M Rees (Wales), A Jones (Wales), T Croft (England), D Wallace (Ireland), H Ellis (England), Ronan O'Gara (Ireland), U Monye (England).

Inside the Lions' Den: With the first Test on the horizon, nervous tension in the camp is mounting. Get the inside word with Tommy Bowe's latest blog on www.irishtimes.com/sports