Sean Fitzpatrick: Woodward is ready and resourced to the hilt

It's not often you look at a touring side like the 2005 Lions and think that they have a huge advantage - and the area I am talking about is injuries.

I feel that injuries will play a key role in the series. Usually, they disadvantage a touring side and can upset the balance. But this time, the advantage is with the Lions.

Look at lock, for instance. They have five outstanding locks and, when I look at the All Blacks, I can see that Graham Henry must be envious of the Lions' resources. We have Chris Jack and Norm Maxwell and really only Ali Williams backing them up. If one of them is injured, where are we?

But you could easily choose another five top locks from the UK. I am worried about our lack of resources in the front five.

I also couldn't help but applaud the cleverness of Sir Clive Woodward in selecting his team and acknowledge the huge interest in the Lions tour of New Zealand in the UK.

The Sky coverage of the touring team ran for two-and-a-half hours of live television. And this in a football country. I can't remember any rugby announcement in New Zealand ever getting that kind of coverage. You usually get rugby announcements squeezed into halftime breaks of whatever soccer match is being broadcast. It was a sobering realisation of just how seriously the Lions tour is being taken and how Woodward is doing everything he can to make sure the Lions win.

I do not think he has really left anyone out who should be there. But, more than that, he will keep us guessing until the last moment about how the Lions will play.

Many people will look at the Lions party and the dominance of Englishmen and say they will play a tight game in New Zealand.

That may be right. But Woodward has selected so well - and in so many numbers - that he has the players to make it tight or play an open game if he chooses. He will now name a squad of 22 to play Argentina in their warm-up match before the NZ tour - but it would be foolish to read too much into the starting line-up for that match.

He is taking senior players like Lawrence Dallaglio, Neil Back and Will Greenwood because they've all been there before and won. It is great having the enthusiasm of youth but he needs the old heads when the pressure is on and to lead the midweek side. He's made it clear they do not want to drop one game on tour. So we may see both styles of play - depending on the match in question and the balance of the test series.

In the loose forwards, for example, you've got Dallaglio, Back, Martyn Williams, Martin Corry, Michael Owen, Richard Hill and Lewis Moody. They are loose forwards you could select for a tight or expansive game plan.

The other thing that really impressed me was the obvious chemistry between Woodward and his captain, Brian O'Driscoll. He is plainly the players' choice so to see the body language and the obvious respect for each other from Woodward and O'Driscoll is a very good sign for the much-discussed issue of unity in the Lions on tour. They're going to be a very, very competitive side.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY