ALAN QUINLAN’S Lions dreams were left hanging by a thread last night as the ERC confirmed the Munster flanker will face an Independent Disciplinary Committee hearing following an alleged eye-gouging incident during the second half of Saturday’s Heineken Cup semi-final.

Barbarians 22 South Africa 5

EDDIE O’SULLIVAN’S odds on being the British and Irish Lions coach for the 2009 tour to South Africa drifted further yesterday after an admission by Lions bosses that the coach may not be from the four home nations.

Gavin Henson will make his first Test start for more than a year when Wales tackle world champions South Africa at the Millennium Stadium this weekend.

THE PICTURE seems so much clearer now. With two games and six days to go before Clive Woodward’s team for the first Test against New Zealand is revealed, a number of places in the starting XV were signed and sealed following the Lions’ 23-6 victory over Wellington yesterday.

NOBODY will be surprised that Martyn Williams’ tackle count at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday exceeded all others.