Hickie seeks right balance

Denis Hickie knows he has got to strike the right balance against Taranaki tomorrow if he wants to impress his Test match credentials upon Lions head coach Clive Woodward.

Hickie features alongside Geordan Murphy and Shane Horgan in an all-Ireland back three and is acutely aware that his responsibility is to keep things sensible and perform for the team rather than recklessly trying to catch the eye.

“You go in to perform as well as you can,” Hickie said. “I’ve been around for a few years and I guess I know from experience that if you try to prove yourself too too much you can almost try too hard.

“You are better off just doing what you are good at, do your job and be judged on that. That’s not to say you take anything lightly.

“You approach these games and you know you have to perform, but there is a relaxing quality in that you think ’here is my job, I know what to do and I’ll be judged on that’.”

Midweek coach Ian McGeechan has been at pains to stress that the first challenge his players must overcome is the extreme motivation the provincial sides have to beat the Lions.

It was evident on Saturday, when the Bay of Plenty put on a brave fight and managed to haul the Lions back in from 17-0 up.

“I don’t think anyone has a probe to motivate themselves to play for the Lions,” said Hickie.

“It’s a one-off game for them to play the Lions, but you have to treat it like a one-off game yourself.

“You don’t know when your next chance might be. Motivation is not a problem for anyone in this team.

“It is the highlight of my career and I do get a sense of achievement and that is the way it should be.”

Veteran centre Will Greenwood starts in midfield alongside Ollie Smith, making his first appearance on his third Lions tour.

The other two were badly hit by injury. Greenwood nearly died in 1997 after suffering a blow to the head and four years ago his tour to Australia was wrecked by an ankle injury just days before the first Test.

He could have flown out to New Zealand justifiably harbouring a deep feeling of injustice after missing out on winning Test caps on successive Lions tours.

But nothing of the sort. Greenwood, who is vice-captain for tomorrow’s clash with Taranaki, has come on his third Lions trip without any personal agenda.

He just wants to play a part, any part, in a Test series win over New Zealand.

“I have been dealt some very good cards in rugby and I wouldn’t look back on anything with any regret,” he said.

“If I am part of a squad that wins a series in New Zealand and all I am is a bag carrier, I’ll take that, I’ll bite your hand off.

“It’s about this squad winning in 2005, not about ticking personal boxes.”

Greenwood was watching from the stands in Rotorua last weekend and he is expecting an even greater challenge from Taranaki tomorrow.

“It will be a huge honour to be pulling on the Lions jersey for a third tour and I am looking forward to a huge physical fixture,” said Greenwood.

“As a rugby fan we have always enjoyed watching the National Provincial Championship. They have the ability to produce fantastic rugby players in this part of world.

“The Bay of Plenty was a bruising, no-questions-asked encounter. They rose to the occasion and we have no doubt the Taranaki boys will rise to the occasion.”

Martin Corry, the favourite to replace Dallaglio as the squad’s inspirational leader in the Test series, captains the side tomorrow.

Greenwood is vice-captain while his England colleagues Charlie Hodgson, the fly-half, and hooker Andy Titterrell win their first starts.