Hard on the heels of the Lions completing the fourth win of their tour comes the possibility that South Africa may not be able to field Schalk Burger in the first international in Durban a week tomorrow.
The Stormers flanker, on the verge of making his 50th appearance for the Springboks, is struggling with a torn calf muscle suffered five weeks ago and was unable to train yesterday.
Since breaking into the national squad in 2003, Burger has been an influential presence and although South Africa have experienced cover, they know that he, Pierre Spies and Juan Smith make a superb complementary back row. They have yet to send for a replacement - Heinrich Brussow, the Cheetahs flanker who caused the Lions grief last weekend, springs to mind - because the squad includes Danie Rossouw and Ryan Kankowski, but they must make a decision on Burger’s fitness soon.
This is only one of the decisions that Peter de Villiers, the coach, must make. François Steyn, who has just agreed a three-year contract to play for Racing M?tro 92 in Paris next season, turned out at full back in training but he is one of several candidates for that role. South Africa remain in camp for the next week but short of match exercise, while the Lions continue to test their combinations against Western Province here tomorrow and the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday.
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Western Province, shorn of their four Springboks - Burger, Jean de Villiers, Ricky Januarie and Andries Bekker - will be led by Luke Watson, the international flanker who has been linked with a move to Bath. Having lost the services of Michael Lipman, the England flanker, in controversial circumstances, Bath have been talking to Watson, whose own international past has not run smoothly, for political reasons, but were he to agree a contract he would be a valuable addition to the Guinness Premiership.
For the moment his task is to blunt a Lions squad whose esprit de corps has been compared to that of New Zealand. “There has been a fierce competitive spirit which has been impressive,” said Warren Gatland, the New Zealander who now coaches Wales and is the Lions forwards coach. “The privilege of being on this tour has reminded me of being part of an All Blacks camp, where you have the best players and a lot of history.
“There’s an aura to a Lions tour, a lot of similarities to the times and tours I made with the All Blacks. I think that what we’re doing here will help improve the game in the northern hemisphere.”
Typically of his nationality, Gatland was happy to advise Mike Phillips, one of the players of the tour so far, how he can be better.Phillips, the Wales scrum half, is a certainty to start against South Africa and his solo try put the Lions on their way to a 39-3 rout of the Sharks in Durban on Wednesday night. “Mike was on the ground too much,” Gatland said. “He gives you physicality, he’s a threat and that makes space - so does Jamie Roberts at inside centre - but 9s have to be on their feet. If they’re on the ground, they’re out of the game.”
Shane Williams, the IRB’s player of 2008 but still searching for form this year, was happier with his contribution. He is the only player to have appeared in all four games but against the Sharks he did not try to force the issue. “It was about getting a bit of confidence back,” the little wing said. “You can’t go into your shell, dwell on past mistakes, sometimes things don’t go your way and I knew people would be ready to pounce on me, but I’ll be a better player if I can cope with that.”