Overlooked duo given opportunity to shine

Mark Cueto dives to score a try in the Lions game against Manawatu. Picture / Reuters

By now, nothing which happens in his rugby life should surprise Lions winger Mark Cueto.

When England's first training squad for the 2004-05 campaign was named in late September, the Sale flyer was not in it. Sixty others were.

So when he missed the initial 45-strong Lions squad he should not have been exactly gobsmacked, even if he was widely regarded as the biggest selection boo-boo when the party was named.

And when he'd started just one game in the first five on the tour, after getting a callup to replace the injured Iain Balshaw just before departure, again c'est la vie.

But here he is, running out tonight for the final test, and with the belated chance to state an eloquent case that the Lions might have benefited from utilising the most prolific tryscorer in the European game more often.

Now take Geordan Murphy, the Irishman who gets his chance at fullback in a rejigged back three. Murphy arrived with a fine reputation as one of the better attacking backs around.

He performed impressively against Taranaki but has since been largely average.

Still, he also gets his opportunity tonight.

Cueto first.

He was the leading British premiership tryscorer in his debut season with Sale, with 13 tries. He averages about a try a game and since making his test debut last November against Canada, has scored eight tries in eight tests.

Cueto has real speed, the ability to flick an imaginary switch and surge away from pursuers, as he showed against both Manawatu, and Auckland on Tuesday night.

He's got three tries in his three starts in New Zealand, but it was the Auckland match which nudged him into the test team. He set up the Lions' only try with a sizzling burst and his general play was impressive.

"I'd put the test completely out of my mind," he said.

"I never really expected to be involved in the test. I said to myself, 'It's the last game of the season, give it a good crack'."

But if Cueto is dirty at his lack of opportunities before the first test he's not complaining.

"You've just got to keep going. At the end of the day you can moan and groan about selection, but the quality of players here speaks for itself.

"No one can expect to be on the team sheet. You've got to work for that. It's just a case of waiting for selection and taking your chance."

He has, and now "this is fantastic, the pinnacle of my career".

Cueto, who has the unenviable task of marking another freescoring speedster, Sitiveni Sivivatu, will approach the test in the same way he would a club match and "try to do the things I know I'm capable of".

Murphy reckons he's played about 3000 minutes this season for Leicester, Ireland and the Lions, so a further 80 is neither here nor there.

A broken leg just before the 2003 World Cup ruined that season, but he's been injury-free for some time and he's relishing it.

"Rugby is a contact sport so players are always going to be getting injured, and without a shadow of a doubt at some point I'll be injured again.

"But now I'm getting to play games, get a bit of a roll on and most importantly you can build up a bit of form."

He might be the only Lion who is disappointed Daniel Carter, Richie McCaw and Leon MacDonald aren't in black tonight, but he doubts it.

"Any of the guys in the team want to play against the best individuals," he said.

"We've seen how much strength in depth there is in New Zealand and there's no doubt the guys who will come in have a point to prove."

Murphy, highly regarded for his enterprising running from the back, spent six months as a student at Auckland Grammar and aims to visit the school before flying home.

The pair hope the Lions backs get some chances tonight to show their true qualities.

The backs have been disappointing too often on this tour, with confused line running, dropped passes and missed tackles conspiring to produce a disorganised look.

"All credit to the All Blacks," Cueto said. "They've been outstanding, and from our point of view we can learn a lot.

"But we've got ability, we've got talent and gamebreakers. I hope this weekend we can turn things round a bit, get some ball and show what we can do."

Mark Cueto

* Born: December 26, 1979, Workington
* Height: 1.83m
* Weight: 94kg
* Position: Wing
* Test debut: v Canada, November 2004
* Tests: 8
* Club: Sale

Geordan Murphy

* Born: Dublin, April 19, 1978
* Height: 1.85m
* Weight: 84kg
* Position: Fullback
* Test debut: v United States, June 2000
* Tests: 31
* Club: Leicester