Early kickoff for the excuses ahead of Lions-Reds match

By CHRIS HEWETT

Ray Gravell, that wonderful old warhorse of a Lions centre, used to offer an important piece of advice to his red-shirted brethren.

"Always get your tackles in early," the Llanelli man would say, "even if they're late."

Rugby has changed a fair bit since Gravell toured South Africa 21 years ago. As Queensland, the engine of the Wallaby game for the best part of two decades, demonstrated in the lead-up to tonight's match, it is now a question of getting your excuses in early.

Perhaps it was the disappointing withdrawal of the great John Eales from the match at Ballymore that persuaded the hosts to plough a defensive furrow ahead of the so-called "fourth test."

Eales, struggling with an Achilles injury, had initially planned to play 40 minutes, but the Wallaby medical staff thought better of it.

"I've been advised against turning out," Australia's captain said. "It's frustrating for sure, but this old war wound is still causing me some pain."

No sooner had Eales joined two fellow Wallaby first-choices, fullback Chris Latham and right-wing Ben Tune, on the non-starters list than the Queensland hierarchy began a concerted effort to drive down local expectations.

"We've had very little preparation time for this match," coach Mark McBain said.

He was echoed by Eales' replacement as Queensland captain, the dynamic centre Daniel Herbert.

"I disagree with those who see this as some kind of fourth test," he said. "We've barely had a run together since the end of the Super 12 tournament in May, and the Lions are fielding something close to their first-choice side."

Graham Henry and the rest of the Lions hierarchy will not buy the Queensland line for a second. While Eales would leave a crater-sized hole in any side, the Reds can call on another Wallaby forward in Mark Connors and will arm themselves with a mass of international experience.

Four forwards - Michael Foley, Glenn Panoho, Matt Cockbain and Toutai Kefu - have served considerable amounts of time at test level, as have halfback Sam Cordingley and first five-eighths Elton Flatley.

A younger Kefu, centre Steve, was one of the big successes of Queensland's run into the Super 12 semifinals, while the loosehead prop, Nick Stiles, is favoured to face the Lions when the really serious stuff begins here on June 30.

"Some of our younger guys are about to be involved in the biggest provincial game of their careers," Eales said. "England are now right up there with the best in the world, and I rate this Lions squad higher than England. These games don't come along too often."

The Lions' casualties have been unusually heavy and final decisions are imminent on the two incapacitated hookers, Phil Greening, of Wasps, and Robbie McBryde, of Llanelli.

Welsh No 8 Scott Quinnell was last night ruled out because of fluid on the knee. Lions manager Donal Lenihan said Quinnell had been withdrawn as a precaution , but was expected to be fit to play against Australia A on Tuesday.

England's Martin Corry, who was called into the squad when Scotland's Simon Taylor injured himself in the opening match against Western Australia, was promoted to the starting team to replace Quinnell, with Scottish lock Scott Murray named on the bench.

Lions: Iain Balshaw, Dafydd James, Brian O'Driscoll, Rob Henderson, Dan Luger, Jonny Wilkinson, Rob Howley, Martin Corry, Neil Back, Richard Hill, Danny Grewcock, Martin Johnson (capt), Phil Vickery, Keith Wood, Tom Smith. Reserves: Jason Leonard, Gordon Bulloch, Scott Murray, Colin Charvis, Matt Dawson, Austin Healey, Jason Robinson.

Queensland: Michael Tabrett, Junior Pelesasa, Daniel Herbert (capt), Steve Kefu, David McCallum, Elton Flatley, Sam Cordingley, Toutai Kefu, David Croft, Matt Cockbain, Mark Connors, Nathan Sharpe, Glenn Panoho, Michael Foley, Nick Stiles. Reserves: Ben Wakely, Andrew Scotney, Jason Ramsamy, John Roe, Mike Mitchell, Simon Kerr, Sean Hardman.

- INDEPENDENT