Western Province v British & Irish Lions

Newlands – Cape Town

Date:13 June 2009 – Kick Off 3pm local time (2pm BST)

UK Television: Sky Sports 2 & HD 2 (1.30pm)

Weather: Heavy Rain Showers, Max 15 degrees

Referee: Mark Lawrence

Assistant Referees: Wayne Barnes, Cobus Wessels

Television Match Official:Shaun Veldsman

Assessor:Denis Immelman

Timekeeper: Paul Ackermann

Match Preview

Following another good performance against the Sharks on Wednesday, the Lions will be full of confidence going into the penultimate game ahead of the first test in Durban next weekend.

Stand in captain Phil Vickery will be hoping to secure another victory for what is looking increasingly like the mid week line up his side is made up of.

Out go the test certainties such as Byrne, O’Driscoll, Roberts and tour skipper O’Connell and in come Ireland full back Rob Kearney, youngster Keith Earls, Riki Flutey for his first start of the tour and Scotland lock Nathan Hines.

Western Province line up in a familiar fashion although also shorn of their star Springboks Schalk Burger and Jean De Villiers, however they can still boast the likes of former Springbok Luke Watson to lead their side out against the Lions.

Western Province are a decent side that under their Super 14 guise the Stomers, finished a respectable 10th place.

What will become a factor in this match that hasn’t really come into play yet in this tour is the predicted weather. The conditions are predicted to be wet so this will have a big effect on the teams handling, and with the Lions having handling issues for the opening part of the tour this is likely to be seriously tested by Western Province.

Expect Kearney to be peppered with high balls to test his resolve and handling, and Stephen Jones’ distribution will need to be spot on to lessen the risk of any handling errors outside him.

Still even with the weather making life difficult, the Lions should still be too string for Western Province and captain Vickery will be looking to ensure his side do not slow momentum up leading into the vital test match preparation.

Lions-Tour.com Prediction

Putting the Sharks to the sword was a great and unexpectedly good result for the Lions, but having a weaker team on the field against a similarly good Western Province side will see a much more competitive game. The Lions should pull through by a couple of scores.

Western Province 18 British & Irish Lions 28

Betting – Is 15 points too much for The Lions?

After Wednesdays convincing win against the Sharks the Lions focus now shifts towards tomorrow’s game against Western Province. There are still a number of test places up for grabs, particularly up front. Expect big performances from Donncha O’Callaghan and Nathan Hines. Both will be looking to get an edge on Alun-Wyn Jones, the current favorite to partner Paul O’Connell in the engine room. In the words of Jones “four of us are fighting for one jersey.” With Stephen Ferris untimely injury the backrow combination for the tests is now wide open. Jamie Heaslip and David Wallace are front runners but what about Tom Croft, Joe Worsley, Andy Powell and recent arrival Ryan Jones?

The home side is similar to the Stormers team that played much of the Super 14 albeit without their Springbok contingent. Controversial back rower Luke Watson will be looking to wreak havoc and Martyn Williams will need to be at his best to neutralize Watson and the hard running Duane Vermeulen. Paddy Power Prediction: Another Lions win although the fifteen point handicap may be beyond their reach.

Western Province v Lions Money Back Special

Sat 13th June, 2pm

Live on Sky Sports 2

If Riki Flutey or Keith Earls score the last try of the match Paddy Power will refund all losing try scorer and winning margin bets on the match.

Handicap Betting

10/11 +15 Western Province

20/1 Handicap Draw

10/11 -15 The Lions

First Tryscrorer

7/1 Monye

7/1 Bowe

8/1 Earls

10/1 Flutey

10/1 Kearney

12/1 Hook

12/1 Darcy

16/1 Ellis

16/1 S. Jones