Livewire Luke warms to Pretoria task
Sammy Walker led the Lions to South Africa in 1938 and was one of eight Irishmen in the team that won the third Test 21-16. There are seven in tomorrow’s team and eight in the squad of 22.
The selection of some of that 1938 group of eight was down to a critical injury problem in the party at the time.
Even as the Irish fans here took delight in the current huge representation, there was sympathy for outhalf Ronan O’Gara, who failed to dislodge Stephen Jones, and for Donncha O’Callaghan, who surprisingly lost his place on the bench.
Fitzgerald’s inclusion is one of five changes from the team beaten 26-21 in the first Test. He replaces Ugo Monye, Rob Kearney is in for the injured Lee Byrne, Simon Shaw for Alun-Wyn Jones, Adam Jones for Vickery and Matthew Rees for Lee Mears.
Yesterday was special for Fitzgerald, whose father, Des, represented the Lions against the Rest of the World in Cardiff in 1986 but missed out on a full tour when the trip to South Africa was cancelled on the apartheid issue.
“I haven’t been able to talk with him because he was in flight on the way here when I got the news; I know he will be a very happy man though when he finds out after touching down,” said 22 year-old Luke yesterday.
There has been much talk that Pretoria will be a fearsome venue for the tourists after the local Blue Bulls produced a devastating display recently to win the Super 14 and also because of the effects of playing at altitude.
Fitzgerald summed up the feeling within the Lions camp: “We’re ready for anything. People talk about cauldrons but that is the challenge we have to face. There are going to be thousands of Lions supporters at the ground, plenty of red to look to for inspiration, so it doesn’t worry me.
“All of us in this squad, for this team, for our individual countries and club, have been through tough battles in different ways over the years; I see it as another tough battle, although a very challenging one. Conditions and the surroundings might appear to favour the Springboks, but we won’t be intimidated and will treat it just the same as we would any other Test match.”
He admitted to being slightly disappointed at his exclusion last week. “It goes without saying I wanted to be involved in the first Test; everyone wants to achieve that recognition of being selected for such a big game, but it has turned around now. I knew I was in contention with Ugo (Monye) and the roles are reversed now, but we talked about it and he wished me luck just as I had wished him luck before that first game.
“I had a bit of a slow start to the tour; I had a chest infection and a bit of a leg strain so I had some ground to make up. I think I have put in some pretty decent performances since my first game, so I suppose that opened up the opportunity for me,” he said.
He acknowledged he would have a difficult task in trying to tie JP Pietersen down. “Yes, the guy is pretty good, there doesn’t seem to be a weakness there; he is a fantastic athlete but as a professional rugby player you want to pitch yourself against the best. It’s a challenge, an individual one for me but a collective one for the team.”
Unlike his famous prop forward father, the young Fitzgerald likes to run and hopes it will be an expansive game tomorrow, explaining: “I think if you look at the back division, there is a lot of pace, a heck of a lot of pace. It would be nice to be able to make use of it.”
Another man faced with a massive task is Adam Jones who must face the ‘The Beast’, the loosehead prop who demolished the Lions scrum last week.
Phil Vickery has asked the Welshman to “make sure you stuff him. Vickery lost his place to Jones after being put through the mincer by Tendai Mtawarira last weekend.
Jones is ready to invoke the spirit of 1997 by emulating the performances of Irish prop Paul Wallace, whose ability to turn the tables on Springbok Os du Randt was a key factor in the Lions’ series victory.
“Everyone can see he is a big strong bloke. He hasn’t been playing there that long so I will have to pull any tricks out of the bag to stop him pushing me backwards,” said Jones.
“I need to back my technique, back my ability. I have got over any demons in the scrum I had in the past and I have played against him before.
“I know the guy will be a lot stronger than me – it will be very much a Paul Wallace-Du Randt situation.
“To come on last week was pretty special. I am very excited to be starting on Saturday. It is dreams-come-true stuff.”
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