Rugby World Cup Blog

As the First Lions test gets closer and closer, Jamie Roberts has
revealed that the fight for a place in the team is intensifying every
single day. The Lions take on South Africa on 20th June and every
single man in the squad will be doing all they can to get themselves
in the starting fifteen.

Roberts is set to play in the latest tour match tomorrow when the
Lions take on the Sharks, so he will have a chance to impress coach
Ian McGeechan ahead of the matches that everyone has been waiting for.

Speaking about the competition for places, Roberts said that ‘everyone
is fighting for that Test spot’, otherwise they wouldn’t be on the
tour. He also revealed that the coaches will not be picking the team
to face South Africa ‘until Test week’, meaning that each and every
player has a ‘fighting chance’ of being selected.

The Welshman is set to partner Brian O’Driscoll in the centre tomorrow
after the same pair impressed during the Lions’ 74-10 victory in last
week’s tour match against the Golden Lions.

This is something that Roberts is very happy about, because O’Driscoll
is a ‘really tough character’ that is ‘great to play alongside’. He is
also looking forward to being outside Irishman Ronan O’Gara who has
been ‘extremely successful this season’. Overall, Roberts is confident
that playing with these two will bring the best out of him as an
individual.

As much as he is keen to cement his place for the first South Africa
test though, Roberts believes that the team’s success has to come
first. He says that ‘individual ambition is put aside’ on this tour
because it is ‘all about the team over here’.

If Roberts was completely honest with himself though, he would admit
that he is desperate to play a huge part against South Africa.
Obviously he wants the team to win, but if they do so with him pulling
the strings in the centre, that would be perfect for the 22-year-old.