Peter Bills: Test team needs game time, but there's no time

There have been precious few positives to come out of this Lions tour to date, so let's celebrate those that did against Wellington.

Five players probably cemented their position in the test side, to add to those already virtually certain to face the All Blacks. That means at least Sir Clive Woodward can see some light at the end of the tunnel.

The five who stood up to be counted against Wellington were loosehead Gethin Jenkins, flanker Neil Back, No 8 Martin Corry, second five-eighths Gavin Henson and wing Gareth Thomas.

Maybe fellow wing Jason Robinson and lock Danny Grewcock, too.

That means the test side is now almost completed, barring exceptional performances from challengers in the Otago match tomorrow.

But Woodward has a big problem over strategy. The Lions would have wanted their side for the first test to play together at least once before meeting the All Blacks. But how can he play them this Saturday against Otago?

The trouble is, that would mean some of them having played three times in a week, which is clearly too much.

Next Tuesday against Southland is too close to the test, so it looks like the first time the Lions test team will play together will be in the opening international at Christchurch.

This highly unsatisfactory state of affairs is due to Woodward's ludicrous decision to take 45 players on tour. It has meant, first, there has been too much chopping and changing for the Lions' own good and second, that some players simply not good enough have been taken on tour and cluttered up the selection process.

The test team badly needs to play together once before a test to iron out difficulties.

But unless players like Brian O'Driscoll play their third game in seven days, that cannot now happen.

The less pleasing message that emerged from the Lions' scrappy, error-ridden 23-6 win over Wellington was that they are still looking a side well short of the class required to beat the All Blacks.

Too many elementary mistakes were made, and given their overwhelming territorial advantage, scoring just one try in the first 77 minutes was an appalling indictment of their failings in the creative department.

Back's presence did make a difference, especially in terms of his link work and ability to slow up the opposition's loose ball, and there was more focus and intensity in rucks and mauls. But given that the score was only 16-6 with three minutes remaining, you had the unmistakable feeling that had Wellington been able to choose their top players, they would have further dented Lions' morale by winning.

How New Zealand's selectors can have missed such an opportunity, beggars belief.

Exactly the same thing happened with South Africa in 1997, when they withdrew all their Springboks from the provincial matches and allowed the Lions to build up a head of steam.

That cost the Boks the test series and, although I don't believe for a minute it will be the same outcome this time, New Zealand rugby squandered a great opportunity with this match.

Ironically, one of the replacements in the Lions party, Irishman Simon Easterby, did as well as anyone on his Lions debut.

But despite his work and the efforts of others, this still looked a Lions side well below the standard required to beat the All Blacks.

Peter Bills' test team

Josh Lewsey
Jason Robinson
Brian O'Driscoll
Gavin Henson
Gareth Thomas
Jonny Wilkinson
Dwayne Peel
Martin Corry
Neil Back
Richard Hill
Paul O'Connell
Danny Grewcock
Julian White
Steve Thompson
Gethin Jenkins