This being the shortest tour with the biggest squad, the pressure on individuals that comes with limited opportunities was always going to be acute, especially bearing in mind the desire to procure Test spots. Austin Healey, cheeky chappy that he is, summed up this best when asked at a press conference yesterday if he felt like this was a last chance to play his way into the Test team.
"It's my first chance," he quipped, and accurately at that. Healey, after two appearances as a replacement, will start a match for the first time in game four against Australia A in Gosford tomorrow (7.30 local time, 10.30 Irish), and ditto Lawrence Dallaglio, Mike Catt and Jason Leonard (who has also been a replacement twice).
The bar having been raised again on Saturday, it's a big challenge for all of them, including Malcolm O'Kelly who, along with second-row partner Scott Murray, could yet merely be vying for a place on the bench behind Danny Grewcock.
Catt and Robin McBryde will have to confirm their fitness with run-outs today, while Rob Howley's ribs are merely bruised and he should be fit for Saturday's game against New South Wales Waratahs.
Lions: M Perry (England); B Cohen (England), W Greenwood (England), M Catt (England), J Robinson (England); N Jenkins (Wales), A Healey (England); J Leonard (England), R McBryde (Wales), D Young (capt), S Murray (Scotland), M O'Kelly (Ireland), L Dallaglio (England), S Quinnell (Wales), M Williams (Wales). Replacements - D Morris (Wales), G Bulloch (Scotland), J Davidson (Ireland), C Charvis (Wales), M Dawson (England), R O'Gara (Ireland), M Taylor (Wales).
Australia A: R Graham (Queensland); M Bartholomewsz (ACT), G Bond (ACT), N Grey (NSW), S Staniforth (NSW); M Edmonds (NSW), C Whitaker (NSW); C Blades (NSW), B Cannon (NSW), R Moore (NSW), T Bowman (NSW), J Harrison (ACT), D Lyons (NSW), J Williams (ACT), P Waugh (NSW, capt).
