Lions and Southland XVs

Lions XV: Matt Stevens, Andy Titterill, John Hayes, Simon Shaw, Donnacha O'Callaghan, Lewis Moody, Martyn Williams, Michael Owen, Gareth Cooper, Ronan O'Gara, Denis Hickie, Gavin Henson, Ollie Smith, Mark Cueto, Geordan Murphy

SUBS: Gordon Bulloch, Andy Sheridan, Simon Easterby, Chris Cusiter, Charlie Hodgson, Tom Shanklin, Gordon D'Arcy

Southland: Clarke Dermody, Jason Rutledge, Aaron Dempsey, Hoani McDonald, Daniel Quate, Hua Tamariki, Hale T-Pole, Paul Miller, Jimmy Cowan, Richard Apanui, Watsoni Lotawa, Faolua Muliana, Bryan Milne, Mana Harrison, James Wilson

SUBS: Jayden Murch, David Hall, Rees Logan, Jeff Wright, Adam Clarke, Matt Petre, Pehi Te Whare

well prob the most significant Lions XV announced yet.. the 22 players featuring here will not feature in the 1st test.. meaning Gavin Henson, Tom Shanklin, Chris Cusiter, Martyn Williams,
and Andy Sheridan among others will not play a part with the Lions in Christchurch..

which means there is a high likelihood that Ryan Jones has prob played himself into the test 22 or at least on the subs bench.. but it also means that SCW has banked on most of the England players who won him the World Cup, i.e. Dawson, Wilkinson, Back, Robbo, Rowntree, etc. whilst combining the in-form Celts, i.e. Peel, O'Connell, Jenkins, etc.

whatever most ppl will say, SCW will def cop a lot of flake from the Celtic media, esp by picking Greenwood (??!!) over Henson.. slightly positive news for the All Blacks but we prob now know what gameplan they're thinking of.. the same England one.. and i just love to see SCW's face when that backfires.. of course i'm of thousands who are prob shocked that SCW has not considered Henson for the tests considering his tackling prowess and breaks.. his form's been not bad at all.. the Lions need his defence esp if he thinks of playing Jonny..

another shock is prob Andy Sheridan's omission.. i thought this guy was superb at scrum time against the Maori.. can't see why Rowntree gets the nod over him.. yes Rowntree was alright in the scrum against Otago.. but really just.. Hayman and Oliver would have shown him up.. other unlucky ones apart from the obvious? Murphy prob was unlucky to lose out to Gareth Thomas and Josh Lewsey.. Easterby did p well but just that Ryan Jones did even better in his first game.. Tom Shanklin as well, prob coz Gareth Thomas beat him to blindside wing and fullback..

to the Southland game, and on paper, with the likes of Miller, Rutledge, Dermody, T-Pole, etc. their pack may have slight advantage over the Lions with weight, esp with the likes of Hayes and Titterill on the other side of the scrum.. but i think it would be as big a shock as Bangladesh beating Australia - which has happened, so u never know - if the Lions fail to beat a Southland side bereft at the back..