THE ILL feeling between the Lions and Springbok camps showed no signs of abating yesterday. Indeed the bad blood generated by Schalk Burger’s gouging of Luke Fitzgerald and the controversial comments of the Boks’ head coach Pieter de Villiers, were if anything compounded.

In addition to sharply conflicting claims as to whether the respective head coaches did or didn’t meet afterwards, there was a counter claim by South African replacement centre Jacque Fourie that he was gouged by an unnamed Lions’ player.

Aside from the perceived lack of appreciation for their series triumph, the Springboks have been smarting at what they perceive to be the failure of the Lions to congratulate them properly.

At Monday’s press conference Pieter de Villiers maintained he hadn’t met Lions head coach Ian McGeechan in the aftermath of last Saturday’s second Test, but this was strongly rejected by the Lions.

Their head of media, Greg Thomas, said the two coaches shook hands and talked twice before and after their post-match television interviews; one of which was witnessed by him and another by the Lions’ media manager, Louisa Cheetham.

This in turn followed claims by one South African journalist that following his press conference yesterday, the Lions’ scrum coach Graham Rowntree had vowed that they would not congratulate the Springboks until Burger apologised for gouging Fitzgerald. It’s all becoming very tetchy.

Earlier, Rowntree had said De Villiers’ failure to condemn Burger’s first-minute offence, for which he received an eight-week ban, was “completely out of order”, adding: “It was a crass comment, pathetic really,” in reference to de Villiers’ comments that gouging was “part of the game”.

“I am glad he has had to withdraw it (his comments) and I understand he is being investigated a bit further. There is no place in the game for gouging. I think it is ridiculous what he (de Villiers) said.”

In the midst of all this, Fourie, last Saturday’s try-scoring replacement, has alleged: “In one of the close defensive situations with their replacement flyhalf Ronan O’Gara, I was on the receiving end of eye-gouging on their part.”

The 44-times capped Fourie made his claim in South African newspaper, The Citizen. Although he didn't specify he was accusing O'Gara of gouging, his claim is sure to increase the growing tension between both sides.

Despite the whiff of cordite in the air, Rowntree was adamant that the Lions’ emotions would not boil over in the third Test in Johannesburg this Saturday. “We have got a squad of professionals here and it is going to be hard enough playing the game anyway without thinking about emotions from the week before,” Rowntree added.

Delaying the team announcement until Wednesday evening, and publicly on Thursdays, has also served to keep interest within the squad alive a little longer, never more so than this week.

Aside from this being the only week without a midweek game, and the last Test being a dead rubber, there are question marks over the fitness of several players.

Apart from Brian O’Driscoll, Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones definitely being ruled out, doubts remain over Tommy Bowe, Jamie Roberts and O’Gara, although the medical staff said that O’Gara had already been passed fit to play, while Bowe trained yesterday and Rowntree made optimistic noises about the Welsh centre.

“Jamie Roberts is making good progress, he trained this morning but didn’t take any contact,” said Rowntree.

“I expect him to be fit but we will know more about him tomorrow.”

Andrew Sheridan and Phil Vickery look set to be called up to the frontrow, with Riki Flutey favoured to partner Roberts, although Gordon D’Arcy could be promoted as well. There would be an argument for making an investment in future tours by playing Keith Earls whose versatility could see him promoted to the bench when the team is announced at lunchtime today.

De Villiers will reveal his hand this morning, with talk among South African journalists that he could significantly alter his backline with one eye on the upcoming Tri-Nations.

Vickery didn’t train yesterday because of a throat infection and a cold, and while Rowntree said this would not jeopardise his chances of being available for selection, you’d have to wonder how psychologically and technically he would be prepared for the task of facing Tendai “The Beast” Mtawarira, the Springbok prop who gave him such an uncomfortable time in the first Test defeat in Durban.

“It would be a huge psychological challenge for Vicks if he starts the game on Saturday but one that he is capable of overcoming. He is one of the strongest characters I have come across in the game,” Rowntree added.

There may not be many more changes than the three enforced ones, although the Lions are likely to amend their bench which, last Saturday, contained too many specialists and not enough versatility.