Shaw thanks redemption

About now Simon Shaw was supposed to be sunning his massive frame on a Spanish beach after a long and arduous season. Instead he took to a chilly Carisbrook last night to take on Otago, and there was no place he would rather have been.

It might seem unusual to think, then, that after being left out of the original touring party the 33-year-old England lock could be in line to win a test spot to pack down in the second row against the All Blacks.

Shaw was considered by many to be desperately unlucky not to make the original squad but he played the diplomatic card on the eve of the Otago game, saying he didn't deserve to be among the 45 players that departed Heathrow three weeks ago before replacing the injured Malcolm O'Kelly.

"I was disappointed to miss out to a certain extent but I didn't really feature much in the Six Nations so in terms of that shop window I didn't make too much of an impact," he said. "There are a lot of good locks in the UK so I knew where I was in the pecking order. Even the guys who played in the Grand Slam-winning Welsh side missed out so I have no grumbles really."

There would be few locks who would have grumbles if Shaw was selected ahead of them after a good display against the Maori. Prior to the tour, the second row was considered to be one of the Lions' strengths, with the likes of Paul O'Connell, Danny Grewcock and Ben Kay.

But, while they have been workmanlike, they haven't exactly stamped their authority on matches in the way they were expected to. Ireland's O'Connell should secure one locking berth but it is now something of a toss-up as to whom Sir Clive Woodward hands the other starting jumper.

Woodward is well aware what Shaw can add to a team, considering he made his England debut in 1996 and was part of the 2003 World Cup-winning squad. But Shaw has played only 25 tests in that time, with Martin Johnson, Grewcock and Kay usually ahead of him in the pecking order.

New Zealand fans might best remember him for being sent off during the second test of last year's England tour to New Zealand, when he was adjudged to have deliberately kneed Keith Robinson in the back.

"I don't see that I have to make any apologies for what happened on that night because I don't think I did anything wrong," he explained. "On the night the crowd reacted in the way you expect a home crowd to react and I got sent off. But if I sat in front of the New Zealand public and showed them the video I think they would agree with me. I don't think it was a particularly good decision by the ref. I'm not a dirty player and never have been."

He might not be a dirty player but he is certainly a huge player. Standing 2.06m and weighing 121kg, he is quite easily the biggest Lion and uses his size well - not only in the lineouts but also by adding grunt to the forward exchanges. Despite this, he's also athletic and a good runner with the ball in hand.

If the Lions are to have any chance of beating the All Blacks, they will be hoping they can establish dominance in the forwards, so Shaw's size could be a key weapon against the likes of Chris Jack, who is the largest All Black at 2.02m and 112kg.

While he might miss out on a place in the team for Saturday's first test, Shaw has been around long enough to know it doesn't mean he won't play a part in the series.

"It's a three-test tour and I don't think the team that necessarily starts the first test will be the team that plays the last test match, so there are still opportunities after this," he said almost hinting at something we don't know.

Whether he figures in the tests will become apparent over the next couple of weeks. But it must beat lying on a Spanish beach. Surely.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY