Blues Make Lions Team

Martyn Williams
By Andrew Collins
May 30 2005

The 3 Blues selected for the Lions have all been selected to play the 1st game of the tour against Bay of Plenty. Martyn Williams, Tom Shanklin and gethin Jenkins have all been selected by Sir Clive Woodward for saturdays match.

The three Blues are joined by Scarletts scrum half Dwain Peel and Ospreys centre Gavin Henson in maing the Lions 1/3rd Welsh.

Martyn Williams starts at his favourite position of Flanker wearing 7, Gethin at Loose head prop wearing 1 and Shanklin starts at 11, a place where his best chance at a test start may lie. Peel plays at 9 and Gavin lines up next to Brain O'Driscol at 12.

British & Irish Lions:
Josh Lewsey; Mark Cueto, Brian O'Driscoll (capt), Gavin Henson, Tom Shanklin; Ronan O'Gara, Dwayne Peel; Gethin Jenkins, Gordon Bulloch, Matt Stevens, Paul O'Connell, Ben Kay, Richard Hill, Martyn Williams, Lawrence Dallaglio.

Replacements:
Steve Thompson, Andrew Sheridan, Malcolm O'Kelly, Martin Corry, Matt Dawson, Charlie Hodgson, Gordon D'Arcy.

As expected, the majority of the side is English, but Martyn Willaims is relishing the idea of playing in the back-row with Dallagio and Hill,

"I've got some pretty big shoes to fill in terms of that England trio of Back, Dallaglio and Hill. It is a world-class unit that have been there and done it, so it is a great privilege for me to play with Lawrence and Richard."

Martyn knows he has a lot of work to do to see off sompetition for the spot from Neil Back along with Martyn Corry too. But the match will give him an early chance to show what he can do,

"It is great to be selected for the first game and I can't wait to get out there after all the build-up,"

The chance for the three Blues to make a name for themselves early on shouldn't be underestimated, and Willaims is aware of the challenge facing them,

"The Bay of Plenty will be determined to give us a stiff test."

So it's good news for the Blues boys and Wales, lets hope the Welsh show Clive the way we play and that all 10 of our boys should start every test.