SOUTH AFRICA v LIONS
Venue: ABSA Park, Durban
Date: 20 June
Kick-off: 1400 BST (1500 local time)
Coverage: Full commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and online Rugby Union on the BBC
 Mike Phillips has won 38 international caps for Wales |
Mike Phillips has been warned he will face the world's best scrum-half when the number nine lines up for the first Test against South Africa. The Welshman was named as the Lions scrum-half by head coach Ian McGeechan and will go head-to-head with Spingboks star Fourie du Preez. Phillips has never played against South Africa but that will change in Durban. Lions skills coach Rob Howley said: "Mike will be against the number one scrum-half in world rugby." Phillips is one of six Welshmen in the Lions team to face the world champions at Durban's ABSA Park - otherwise known as King's Park Stadium - on Saturday. The Ospreys number nine partners fly-half Stephen Jones in an all-Welsh half-back pairing. Phillips and Jones will start alongside fellow countrymen full-back Lee Byrne, centre Jamie Roberts, prop Gethin Jenkins, second row Alun Wyn Jones. Meanwhile, Welsh trio flanker Martyn Williams, hooker Matthew Rees and prop Adam Jones will be on the Lions replacements bench in Durban. Phillips has started twice on the Lions tour to South Africa so far - including a try-scoring scoring performance against the Sharks - and beat off completion from England's Harry Ellis and Scotland's Mike Blair to start. Former Welsh captain Howley, a key member of head coach Ian McGeechan's backroom team, was a great scrum-half during his playing days starring on two Lions tours and won 59 Wales caps.  | Physically Mike is very strong, he has a great pass which causes problems along the opposition defensive line and he is a running threat. He is certainly a handful behind any dominant pack Lions assistant coach Rob Howley |
And he warned the 26-year-old Welshman of the quality of Du Preez. "He's a very quick thinker," pointed-out Howley. "His ability to see the game two or three seconds before anyone else is one of the key ingredients of being a world-class player. "And he is quick, he can pass, he can kick and he is a potent threat to any defensive line." Howley, though, has warned South Africa of 2008 Grand Slam winner Phillips' aggressive style and his cutting edge threat. "It took him a long time to gain selection for Wales," said Howley, Wales coach Warren Gatland's right-hand-man. "That is because he was behind a very good player in Dwayne Peel. "But when Warren Gatland came in, Mike was given his opportunity and he took it with both hands. "Physically Mike is very strong, he has a great pass which causes problems along the opposition defensive line and he is a running threat. "There are areas of his game that Mike still needs to work on and he is improving as he is dedicated in training and works on his defensive game as well. | Rugby Union blog |
"But his strength is that he is certainly a handful behind any dominant pack. "For me it is going to interesting as Mike has never played against South Africa. "He was injured when Wales toured here last summer and he was still injured when Wales played South Africa in the autumn series." Phillips' Ospreys and Wales half-back partner James Hook is injured for the Lions' first Test with the Springboks after receiving a knock in Tuesday's 20-8 warm-up victory with the Southern Kings.
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