Finding the positives from the phoney war

Four games in and despite the fact that three of the Lions’ ‘contests’ had nothing like the competitiveness Warren Gatland is craving, his test side is beginning to take shape in Australia.

After the adrenaline rush that accompanied that classic contrast of styles in Brisbane last Saturday when the Reds asked some interesting questions of the tourists, it was back to the shadow boxing in Newcastle yesterday against a Combined Country side which was completely out of its depth. It didn’t help either that, in an attempt to reveal nothing to the forensic analysis that fuels the Australian management, the Lions revealed nothing by way of back line moves and lineout options.

If the Lions go on to win the series against the Wallabies over the next few weeks, and all the early evidence suggests that they are more than capable of doing that, then they will have done so despite the best efforts of the Australian Rugby Union to dilute the value and significance of the games leading up to the opening test.

Yesterday’s encounter in Newcastle proved yet another meaningless clash with very little value to the tourists. The news that the Waratahs will be short practically their entire first choice starting side when they host the Lions at Sydney Football Stadium on Saturday night detracts again from what should be a fantastic rugby occasion.

Former Leinster coach and current Waratahs chief Michael Cheika is very unhappy with the situation as he feels that with a full side at his disposal, his charges would push the Lions all the way and create a bit of history of their own. Charged with reviving the fortunes of yet another sleeping giant positioned in a big centre of population, Cheika is attempting to do for rugby in Sydney what he achieved with Leinster in Dublin.

It is interesting to note how both he and Queensland Reds coach Ewen McKenzie name-checked Munster in the build up to their respective games for the province’s historic deeds in tour games against New Zealand and Australia. It is no coincidence both of those coaches spent time in Europe — McKenzie, like Cheika, had a spell in charge of Stade Francais — and both understand the significance of downing the colours of a famous touring side and the spin-off it could have for the respective franchises.

Unfortunately, the Waratahs are set to be even more under strength than the Reds with 10 players in Robbie Deans’ Wallaby squad. His half-backs Bernard Foley and Matt Lucas are likely to be required by the Australian sevens squad preparing for that World Cup while there are a number of injuries to other squad players also.

It will be interesting to see what kind of team Cheika will be capable of cobbling together come Saturday. At least the majority of his side for that game had a successful outing together last Sunday when they beat the Western Force in Perth, 28-13. To think that the Force coach Michael Foley held back nine of his charges from their game against the Lions for that contest and still lost. Clearly many of his players were shattered to be denied the opportunity of facing the Lions and that disappointment was reflected in such a flat performance against the Waratahs. As a result, Foley and the Force came up short on both fronts.

To what extent the lack of serious opposition to challenge the Lions in the build up to the opening test will impact on their performance remains to be seen. Gatland has taken on board the lessons of four years ago when a similar sequence of meaningless contests left the Lions undercooked going into the first test against the Springboks and led to mistakes in the selection of the front five that ultimately cost them the series.

IT is impossible to escape the sense that the side for that opening test at the Suncorp Stadium on Saturday week is, in many cases, selecting itself.

Adam Jones and Richard Hibbard are stitched on to start in the front row with the injuries to Cian Healy and Gethin Jenkins muddying the waters slightly at loose head. Paul O’Connell looks in great shape and his cameo appearance off the bench last weekend only served to highlight his work rate even further.

A half-back partnership of Mike Phillips and Jonny Sexton appears written in stone while in midfield, the 2009 first-choice test combination of Jamie Roberts and Brian O’Driscoll appears to have already beat off stiff competition from Manu Tuilagi and Jonathan Davies.

The fact they were reunited for the first time since that Springbok tour yesterday and performed admirably, would suggest that they will now be put in cotton wool until Brisbane.

Leigh Halfpenny’s extraordinary exploits with the boot along with his exceptional positional play sees him nailed on at full back alongside fellow countryman George North. The big Welsh winger as been sensational to date and demonstrated when coming off the bench against the Reds that he has much more than sheer power and pace to offer.

While that in itself represents a lethal combination, he displayed remarkable dexterity on his feet for such a big man and subtle hands to boot. He has everything and is the player the Wallabies will fear most. It is hard to believe that he only turned 21 last April yet has already amassed 31 Welsh caps. He is now running incredibly subtle lines in behind the Lions midfield and whether operating as a dummy runner or a receiver on the switch, has the ability to create havoc in the opposition defence.

The unfortunate injury to Tommy Bowe, who appeared a certainty for the test side, has opened the door for others, at least temporarily, as he recovers from his hand surgery.

Alex Cuthbert has been unconvincing in defence in big games while Sean Maitland and even the recently arrived Simon Zebo will feel that they have a test jersey to aim for.

Hopefully Rob Kearney will come into that back three mix by lining out for the first time on tour next weekend.

The back row remains the biggest area of competition. Many saw the all-Welsh combination of Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton and Toby Faletau who started against the Reds last weekend as Gatland’s favoured unit. That may well have been the case before they left home but such has been the impact of Jamie Heaslip and Sean O’Brien in their opening salvos that they have to come into contention even if Heaslip may have conceded a little ground to Faletau with a quiet outing yesterday.

Justin Tipuric showed up well once again as a link player and Warburton will need a convincing performance against the Waratahs if, for no other reason, to boost his own confidence.

The biggest plus yesterday after the triple whammy last weekend was the fact that the Lions appeared to have picked up no additional injuries.

With the Waratahs and the Brumbies next up, the tour now reaches its crucial phase as the marginal slots on the test side are decided.