Awesome foursome give Lions much-needed boost

Jason Robinson in training at Christ's College, Christchurch, today. Picture / Fotopress

The Lions motto "The power of Four" takes on new meaning in tomorrow's pivotal tour rugby match against Wellington.

Injecting four of the most impressive performers in British rugby over the last decade -- wingers Jason Robinson and Gareth Thomas, first five-eighth Jonny Wilkinson and flanker Neil Back -- gives the tourists a more potent look than the side who fell short against the New Zealand Maori on Saturday.

Coach Sir Clive Woodward's comments after the Hamilton match that players could be introduced to strengthen his test side almost certainly were referring to this quartet who, for various reasons, will all play their first matches on tour at Westpac Stadium.

"I am absolutely convinced more than ever we've got a team who can do something special in the first test," was a comment that raised eyebrows after the Lions' decisive loss.

However, the introduction of World Cup hero Wilkinson would strengthen almost any team in the world. The experienced Thomas and elusive Robinson should add extra sting out wide, while veteran openside Back is regarded by Woodward as the answer to their problems at the breakdown.

Rather than the other players being in awe of the foursome, who bring a combined 240 tests to the team, captain Brian O'Driscoll said it felt more like a handful of excited newcomers had been added.

"Their enthusiasm is infectious at training," he said.

"Those guys haven't played a game on tour and they'll be out to prove a point and try to make the test squad."

Wilkinson, who was impressive in his return to international rugby for the Lions against Argentina in Cardiff last month, had prepared carefully for his next match, always knowing this would be his one chance to shine before the test series.

"This, for me, is going to be everything I've got," he said.

"The Argentina game for me had a lot of importance. I was able to find out about myself, how I was feeling, how I was playing.

"(But) The personal desire is irrelevant when you compare it to the needs of the team to go out and get a good result."

Wilkinson believed the Lions had learned immensely from the Maori loss. They knew adjustments were needed but Wilkinson was confident the tourists had the ability to turn their fortunes around.

"So many things will come out of that Maori game ... what we could have done differently, what we need to work on. There was that initial disappointment, and the guys will hold that disappointment because they care about what they're doing. But at the same time we can learn a lot and move forward."

Wilkinson can bank on a test berth if he shows anything like the accuracy that became a hallmark with the 2003 world champions, while Robinson and Thomas could both earn wing spots if they slot in smoothly alongside likely test fullback Josh Lewsey.

Back, the oldest player in Lions history at 36, will go a long way towards test selection if he can put the Lions on the front foot at the tackle, an area of the game where they fell down against the Maori.

Woodward has been reluctant to reveal how his selection process will pan out ahead of the first test. He has suggested a strong team will be named to play Otago on Saturday, although that would mean several unwanted players have been sidelined for a long period.

"It's been very, very competitive and it still is," Woodward said.

"We always targeted this game as picking a pretty strong team. We're very close, this is a big match but so is Saturday in terms of getting test selection right."

Woodward made his players to face Wellington endure a "video nasty" of the Maori match yesterday.

He will hope it has the desired result as a quality defeat of Wellington is likely to see most of the team retained for the first test in Christchurch on June 25, while defeat would see Woodward's early pronouncement that momentum is a crucial element of the tour come back to haunt him.

- NZPA