Other than Wilkinson and Johnson, he is the guy they can least afford to lose. Although loose-head prop will be a close-run thing, the "embarrassment of riches" problem has simply disappeared.Tactically, the biggest worry must be the amount of turnover ball the Lions are conceding. Against the Waratahs they dominated possession but failed to commit enough players to the breakdown. As a result they gave away over 20 turnovers, a number of penalties and, even more importantly, could not generate sufficient quick ball to take wide. The balance between "ruckers and runners" is vital, and one or two of the forwards need to play a touch tighter. This is one of the reasons why it is difficult to accommodate Dallaglio and Quinnell in the same side when you already have Wood and Vickery playing largely off the sides.But, as well as committing more players, the Lions have to be more precise in the tackle area.

The referees so far have provided the scrum- halves far less protection around the ruck than is usually the case in the northern hemisphere. The tourists have only one more week to adapt to these new interpretations. Overall, against a young NSW side, it was not a totally impressive performance, though there were encouraging signs. The discipline shown under fire was admirable, but now it is a question of focus and preparation. Participating in a winning Lions Test series is the pinnacle that all British and Irish players aspire to.

By this time next week we will have a good idea if this group have what it takes to join the pantheon.. If verbal contracts are not worth the paper they are written on, as dear old Sam Goldwyn once suggested, the Lions may find themselves in a heap of trouble over the next three weeks. If verbal contracts are not worth the paper they are written on, as dear old Sam Goldwyn once suggested, the Lions may find themselves in a heap of trouble over the next three weeks. Graham Henry made one or two comments in the wake of Tuesday night's demoralising misfire against a team of second-string Wallabies in Gosford that jarred on the ear and threatened to alienate almost 50 per cent of the largest party in the 113-year history of British Isles touring.

Unless the coach now makes the right noises and convinces the so-called "dirt-trackers" that they still have a reason to exist, the squad will inevitably divide along "us and them" lines. A fractured squad generally equals an unsuccessful one, as the Lions visits to New Zealand in 1977, 1983 and 1993 demonstrated. The trip eight years ago is the most useful comparison, for three of the current party – Martin Johnson, Jason Leonard and the new arrival, Scott Gibbs – were involved then. The split that developed between the ?te team and the rest not only contributed to a 2-1 defeat in the Tests but, just as damagingly, reduced the midweek XV to laughing-stock status. Their job was to stand up and be counted against the likes of Hawkes Bay and Waikato. Instead, they forgot about being counted and settled for 80 minutes of stand-up.When Henry said in Gosford that his only realistic option was to concentrate purely on the Test team, he dipped his headmasterly toe in dangerous waters.

Twenty-four hours earlier, Leonard had painted a positive picture of tour harmony that would subsequently take on an ironic tint."Everyone is involved, everyone feels they have something to contribute towards the common goal," said the venerable Harlequins prop. "To my mind, that is the single most crucial aspect of a Lions tour. Once a group of players feel they are being pushed to one side or ignored, problems are not far around the corner. Those of us who toured New Zealand in 1993 learnt that lesson and acted upon it in South Africa in '97. I'm happy to say we are continuing down the same road on this occasion." One defeat later, the inclusive approach was history.In fairness to Henry, whose waspish approach to man-management contrasts sharply with that of his celebrated predecessor, Ian McGeechan, this campaign poses unique problems. The limited supply of quality non-Test opposition in Australia ensured a short tour by Lions standards – the shortest ever, in fact – and once the selectors had decided to take 37 players on the 10-match trip, starting places were always going to be rarer than radium. Additionally, the television-driven evening kick-offs effectively guaranteed that the midweek games would be played on a Tuesday, rather than the traditional Wednesday.