Shaw eyes Test place

Simon Shaw will make his final bid for a place in the British and Irish Lion’s first Test tomorrow, but he admits it will take “a huge performance”.

England Lock Shaw has been mainly on the selection periphery so far in South Africa.

But with Lions head coach Ian McGeechan insisting his Test line-up will not be finalised until Wednesday, Shaw and company know they can still stake a claim against the Southern Kings.

Shaw, who won a World Cup winner’s medal in 2003 and played in the final four years later, first toured with the Lions 12 years ago.

He also flew out to New Zealand in 2005 as replacement for injured Ireland lock Malcolm O’Kelly and a so far elusive Test spot remains high on his career agenda.

“It would be huge to be a Test Lion,” said the 35-year-old Wasps forward, who has clocked up a half-century of England Test appearances.

“I ticked off the box of getting to a World Cup final, and that was a huge thing for me.

“It was disappointment of the past banished,” added Shaw, who collected a 2003 winners’ medal despite playing no competitive part in the tournament.

“Tuesday is an opportunity for all of us to make an impression and hopefully influence selection.

“Again while we have all got ambitions on a personal level, we’ve got to try and maintain the winning streak and also play for the team.”

With Lions captain Paul O’Connell having nailed down one Test second-row spot against South Africa in Durban next Saturday, Shaw is contesting the other position with Alun-Wyn Jones, Nathan Hines and Donncha O’Callaghan.

Shaw accepts he is probably playing for a bench place, but added: “Knowing the coaches, especially Warren (Gatland) I think a huge performance tomorrow could just as easily put you in the starting line-up.

“Pretty much everything that comes out of the coaches’ mouths is very frank.

“That is to the point of if you have played badly, they will tell you as much, and if you have played well, they will tell you as much.”

Shaw’s roles on tour so far have largely been confined to second-half appearances off the bench.

But he can take inspiration from the events on the 1997 Lions Tour when Irish lock Jeremy Davidson started a Tuesday game and then made the Test line-up four days later.

And Shaw can see favourable comparisons between the Lions’ current South African adventure and what happened 12 years ago, a trip that ended with a 2-1 Test series triumph.

“I think from the outset, when we met up at Pennyhill Park, to everything that has happened so far on this tour, there have been a lot of parallels with 1997,” he said.

“The togetherness, the performances, being able to grind out wins, and also putting together some pretty good-looking rugby at other times.”