Newlands – Cape Town
Date:23 June 2009 – Kick Off 7.10pm local time (6.10pm BST)
UK Television: Sky Sports 2 & HD 2 (5.30pm)
Weather:Light Rain, Max 14 degrees
Referee:Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Craig Joubert
Television Match Official:Shaun Veldsman
Assessor:Tappe Henning
Timekeeper:Albert Mocke
Emerging Springboks
1. W Kruger
2. B Maku
3. W Du Preez
4. W Steenkamp
5. Steven Sykes
6. J Deysel
7. D Potgieter
8. D Vermuelen
9. J Vermaak
10. E Rose
11. B Basson
12. M Newman
13. D Van Rensburg
14. L Vulindlu
15. Z Kirchner
Replacements
16. T Liebenberg
17. P Cilliers
18. F Van Der Merwe
19. J Botes
20. H Adams
21. W de Waal
22. D Demas
British & Irish Lions
15. Keith Earls (Munster/Ireland)
14. Shane Williams (Ospreys/Wales)
13. Riki Flutey (London Wasps/England)
12. Gordon D’Arcy (Leinster/Ireland)
11. Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster/Ireland)
10. Ronan O’Gara (Munster/Ireland) captain
9. Harry Ellis (Leicester/England)
8. Andy Powell (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
7. Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
6. Joe Worsley (London Wasps/England)
5. Nathan Hines (Perpignan/Scotland)
4. Donnacha O’Callaghan (Munster/Ireland)
3. John Hayes (Munster/Ireland)
2. Ross Ford (Edinburgh/Scotland)
1. Tim Payne (Wasps/England)
Replacements:
16. Lee Mears (Bath/England)
17. Phil Vickery (Wasps/England)
18. Simon Shaw (Wasps/England)
19. David Wallace (Munster/Ireland)
20. Mike Blair (Edinburgh/Scotland)
21. James Hook (Ospreys/Wales)
22. Ugo Monye (Harlequins/England)
Match Preview
The British & Irish Lions are sporting a completely new front row for the match against the Emerging Springboks in Cape Town.
Irelands John Hayes and England Tim Payne have both been called up in the last few days and are being thrust straight into the action by starting the final midweek game of the tour.
With Phil Vickery being roasted in the opening test match on Saturday by “The Beast”, there is a great opportunity to impress the coaching team ahead of selection for the second test in Pretoria this Saturday and the two new boys will be looking to press their claims for a starting spot.
The team in general looks very similar to the side that faced the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth seven days ago with a few minor changes to accommodate injuries that occurred in that brutal final warm up game.
With the test side not performing to the best of their abilities, the midweek side will be looking to show what they can do against a decent Emerging Springboks side.
The Emerging Boks side contains no less than eight players who have already faced the Lions on this tour and include some exceptionally talented young pretenders to the national side.
The side includes the likes of Golden Lions full back converted to fly half Earl Rose and Bulls full back Zane Kirchner, both of whom have been pushing to get into the national side of late.
However, the likelihood is that the Lions should be too strong for this side with comparisons to the Southern Kings side being made by the Emerging Boks coach Dick Muir “Ideally we would like a hard, firm pitch and I think we will compare very favourably with the Southern Kings, although we don’t have as much experience.”
Lions-Tour.com Prediction
The Lions should be far too strong for this inexperienced side, however they have been training with the full Springbok side for the last few weeks and they will have been taught some valuable lessons by their senior counterparts. The Lions should still win this quite comfortably though.
Emerging Springboks 16 British & Irish Lions 42
Betting – Lions To Bounce Back Against The Mini Boks
After a thrilling climax to the first test our attention now turns to the final midweek fixture against the Emerging Springboks in Newlands today. A win and a high quality performance are required by the Lions to restore confidence before the second test on Saturday. The feeling in the camp is still good and the betting hasn’t totally swung in the favour of South Africa just yet. Paddy Power is the best place for you to bet on the Lions on their tour.
Coach Ian McGeechan’s team announcement was met with extreme interest as it gives a clear idea of possible changes to the Test side. Matthew Rees and Adam Jones have both been rested and are now expected to start against the Boks at the weekend. Ronan O’Gara has been handed the captain’s armband and must be cursing the weather gods, who have blessed this match with a 25 mile an hour gusting wind and persistent rain. On the wing Shane Williams and Luke Fitzgerald will be pressing hard for test inclusion given Ugo Monyes white line fever on Saturday. Williams has come out and said its last chance saloon for him tonight, which makes his 10/1 first tryscorer odds tempting enough for some.
The Emerging Springboks will provide a stiff test and boast a number of players who were unfortunate to miss out on the full South African squad. Watch out for full back Zane Kirchner and the abrasive trio of Jean Deysel, Dewald Potgieter and Duane Vermeulen in the backrow. Paddy Power Prediction: The Lions to bounce back in a close fought encounter.
Match Handicap Betting
10/11 +6 Emerging Springboks
20/1 Handicap Draw
10/11 -6 The Lions
First Tryscorer
10/1 S. Williams
11/1 L. Fitzgerald
11/1 U.Monye
12/1 L. Vulindlu
12/1 B. Basson
16/1 Z. Kircher
Lions Tour Series Betting
4/6 South Afirca 3-0
9/4 South Africa 2-1
50/1 Draw 1-1
5/1 Lions 2-1
