Livewire Luke warms to Pretoria task

LUKE Fitzgerald was handed the biggest Test experience of his life when selected to play for the Lions against South Africa in Pretoria tomorrow, adding another amazing Irish chapter in the history of the touring side.

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.