Upton gives the selectors Plenty to think about

Bernie Upton now knows what it's like to play in a test match.

Although he was only playing for his province last night, he came up against two of the best locks in the business in Paul O'Connell and Ben Kay.

In fact, as far as assignments go, it doesn't get much tougher, considering the pair are as hard as coal-miners from Durham and as wily as spin doctor Alastair Campbell and it would be no surprise to see the two lining up when the national anthems start at Jade Stadium on June 25.

O'Connell in particular is, barring injuries and a drastic loss of form, a test certainty and had been seriously considered to captain the touring party instead of Irish team-mate Brian O'Driscoll.

The Irish lock, like the Lions side as a whole, came out of the blocks well and was assertive in the lineouts and also prominent in the loose, often receiving the ball in open play before battering it up to give his side momentum.

Upton, though, didn't gain his reputation as one of the most promising young locks in the country by taking a backward step and started to exert his presence on the game. At one stage he even squared up to Kay for a spot of how's your father.

He's is a doughty, rugged and intense competitor and exemplified a committed Bay of Plenty outfit that took it to their more fancied opponents.

He certainly didn't look overawed by the occasion and was arguably the best of the Bay's lineout options. His clean take 6m from the line ultimately led to Colin Bourke's 15th-minute try and he also snaffled one against the head in the second half.

The All Black selectors were taking more than a passing interest in how the Bay lineouts operated and would've liked what they saw. Don't be surprised to see Upton's name on the team sheet to play for the Junior All Blacks later this month.

It might have been quite a different story if the 23-year-old had remained in Wellington, where he was well down the locking ranks behind the likes of, then, Ross Filipo, Kevin O'Neill, Luke Andrews and Ross Kennedy.

When he realised he did want to make a serious go of rugby, he packed up and headed to the Bay in 2003 to play regular first team rugby and, all things going well, make a name for himself.

He's certainly achieved that and it's perhaps ironic that he's now ahead of his former cohorts in the All Black pecking order. With a dearth of quality locks in this country, he now looms as a player with a real chance of staking a claim for higher honours sooner rather than later.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY