DOES Tuesday’s defeat against the Brumbles mean a lot in terms of what might happen in the British & Irish Lions Test series against Australia?

In my opinion, absolutely not, other than to give a bit of a reality check to the squad.

Unfortunately, when you are touring you are only as good as your last game, so inevitably what happened in Canberra will come under scrutiny.

But in terms of the First Test in Brisbane tomorrow, I believe the Lions will do it – I really do.

It will take a full 23-man effort from the matchday squad and the guys coming off the bench will be crucial, but I do believe they can get the better of Australia.

I do wonder whether there has been a bit of kidology going on with the whole injury situation.

To my mind, I always felt George North would be fit and, in some ways, the injury to centre Jamie Roberts could prove a blessing.

With Roberts in the team, coach Warren Gatland would have shown his hand.

Australia have very smart rugby players and you can be sure they would have worked out how to stop Roberts.

With Jonathan Davies alongside Brian O’Driscoll in the centres now, there is a bit more to it.

In the forwards, I had felt Scotland’s Richie Gray had done enough to earn a place, but Alun Wyn Jones’ performance against the Waratahs last weekend was absolutely magnificent and he and Paul O’Connell are a formidable second row.

I felt Tom Croft would play at flanker but the slightly unlucky one is Toby Faletau.

Ireland’s Jamie Heaslip plays quite similarly to Croft so, personally I would have gone with Faletau at number eight.

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