British Lions / Tony Calvin / 16 June 2009 / Leave a comment

Anyone turning out for the British Lions today knows they will probably be missing the First Test on Saturday but that's not to say those who play won't be giving their all against a side that has plenty of experience, but probably not enough class to really test the visitors.

The tourists field their weakest side against scratch outfit Southern Kings on Tuesday night, as the Lions management wrap their likely Test side in cotton wool for the weekend.

For those on the bench, there is still a hope of a Test spot on Saturday - most notably back-rowers Tom Croft and David Wallace - but those in the starting XV against the Kings must be resigned to watching the Springboks from the sidelines at the weekend.

So there should be little surprise that the side sent on to the field on Tuesday is less than impressive in some areas, and could even be a touch subdued.

The front row is certainly not one unit that can be considered weak though. The Lions have won every scrimmaging battle on tour so far, and every single member of Tuesday's front row had been tipped as a Test starter as some point, most notably prop Euan Murray, who perhaps deserved more of a chance to stake a claim for a Test berth on this tour.

But the back five of Lions on Tuesday looks one-paced and very pedestrian, and when you see Nathan Hines at six and Joe Worsley at seven then you know the Lions three-quarter line are going to be struggling for quick ball.

The back-line has far more pace and panache to it, but they wouldn't strike fear into any decent Super-14 strength home side.

Luckily, for the Lions, the Southern Kings are not a decent Super-14 strength home side, and resemble something of a Dad's Army in some quarters.

They have some decent ex-Springboks in their line-up, but the likes of De Wet Barry and Jaco van der Westhuyzen are long past their prime and one would have to say that any XV the Lions put out would be expecting to be the home side handsomely, hence Betfair's handicap line of 21.5 points.

But perhaps it will not be the coast that it appears at first hand.

Further research into some of the Southern Kings squad for the match reveals that Mzwandile Stick, Rayno Benjamin and Mpho Mbiyozo were all instrumental to South Africa winning its first IRB World Sevens Series Championship this year, so perhaps they possess some pace to go along with the grizzled veterans.

In truth, it is obviously a very tough match to call. But I'd be inclined to take the Lions on the handicap line, to limited stakes