THE SCOTSMAN REPORTS

No Scots in the Lions Test squad is an embarrassment, says Beattie

Published Date: 19 June 2009
By STUART BATHGATE
THE British and Irish Lions squad of 22 for tomorrow's first Test against South Africa contains not a single Scot – a situation which former Lion John Beattie has described as an embarrassment.
Nathan Hines and Euan Murray were the only Scots in the original selection of the Lions tour party, and were subsequently joined by Mike Blair and Ross Ford. The omens were bad when all four were selected for Tuesday's match against the Southern Kings, a game in which Murray was injured after just eight minutes.

Murray was later ruled out of consideration for the first Test, and it was announced yesterday that his tour is at an end. Ireland prop John Hayes has been called up to replace him.

Of the three remaining Scots, Hines appeared to have the best chance of at least being included among the replacements for the Tests. Instead, the 22 announced yesterday for the match in Durban contained nine Welshmen, eight from Ireland and five from England. Hines misses out to captain Paul O'Connell and Alun-Wyn Jones in the second row, Blair loses out to Mike Phillips at scrum-half with Harry Ellis on the bench, and Lee Mears starts at hooker with back-up provided in the shape of Matthew Rees on the bench, keeping out Ford.

"I'm embarrassed by it," Beattie told BBC Radio Scotland. "I think it's embarrassing that we have no Scots involved. The last time this happened was in 2005, when there were no Scots in the team or on the bench and they went on to have a disastrous tour of New Zealand.

"I think we weren't strong in arguing for enough Scottish players to go before kick-off. The second thing is the players that could have got in the team haven't played that well.

"Ross Ford has not played well – every time he throws in, the commentators are going on about squint throws. Nathan Hines was the closest, and Euan Murray possibly could have got there but was injured.

"I don't think it's a great day for Scottish rugby, but on the other hand I hope they win."

Beattie, who toured South Africa with the Lions in 1980 and was also on the 1983 tour to New Zealand, suggested that the Scottish rugby community had to ask itself why the present generation of Scots players falls short of the standards reached by their counterparts in the other three home nations.

"We are not producing people as good as Jamie Heaslip from Ireland, David Wallace from Ireland, and Lee Byrne from Wales," Beattie added.

"If you go through this Lions team one by one, if you are honest we don't have players who rival Brian O'Driscoll, Jamie Roberts. So we are not producing these blokes – and I think there will be questions asked after this tour as to why not."

Not one player who started Tuesday's match against Southern Kings has been included in the 22 for tomorrow's match, suggesting that talk of players being able to force their way into contention for the Test was well wide of the mark.

David Wallace edged Martyn Williams for a back row spot. Wallace helped Ireland win the Six Nations title and has played consistently on tour, while Wales flanker Williams has only recently returned from a shoulder injury.

Andrew Sheridan, whose performances have been praised on tour, won't be involved. He has lost out to Gethin Jenkins who starts as loosehead prop, and Adam Jones is on the bench.

Shane Williams, who won the IRB player of the year award for 2008, was also left out of the 22 after a run of poor form.

Tom Croft completed his rapid rise from Lions outcast to Test starter when he was picked at blindside flanker. The Leicester flanker missed out on selection for the initial squad to Munster flanker Alan Quinlan, but received a call-up after Quinlan was ruled out of the tour through suspension.

While the Lions named their team yesterday, the South Africa XV that was revealed on Tuesday caused some controversy because there was no recognised goal kicker included.

However, kicking coach Percy Montgomery has confirmed that fly-half Ruan Pienaar will take the short-range kicks, with full-back Frans Steyn booting anything further out.

• Bookmakers Ladbrokes have shortened the tourists into 2/1, from 9/4, to win the first Test. Ian McGeechan's men were 11/4 at the beginning of the month. The Lions are 5/2 to claim the series, while South Africa are 4/11 for the match and 2/7 to go on to take the series.

BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS TEAM

(to play South Africa in the first Test in Durban tomorrow)

15 L Byrne (Wales)
14 T Bowe (Ireland)
13 B O'Driscoll (Ireland)
12 J Roberts (Wales)
11 U Monye (England)
10 S Jones (Wales)
9 M Phillips (Wales)
1 G Jenkins (Wales)
2 L Mears (England)
3 P Vickery (England)
4 Alun-Wyn Jones (Wales)
5 P O'Connell (Ireland, capt)
6 T Croft (England)
8 J Heaslip (Ireland)
7 D Wallace (Ireland)

Replacements:

16 M Rees (Wales)
17 A Jones (Wales)
18 D O'Callaghan (Ireland)
19 M Williams (Wales)
20 H Ellis (England)
21 R O'Gara (Ireland)
22 R Kearney (Ireland)

This article was originally posted on 19-Jun-2009, 07:32 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 19-Jun-2009, 07:33.