After being added to the Lions squad as a replacement for the injured Tomas O’Leary, Scotland captain Mike Blair has vowed to make a good impression to force his way further into Ian McGeechan’s thinking.
Blair managed to pip Danny Care and Chris Cusiter – who were both recently watched by a member of the Lions coaching team – to the vacant scrum-half position in the squad.
Speaking about being called up, Blair said that it shows ‘how quickly everything can change in rugby’. Not so long ago, he was dealing with the disappointment of not being selected on the original tour and now he has to prepare for the games against South Africa.
Blair went on to say that he is determined to make the most of his new opportunity by making an ‘impact’ from the moment he joins the rest of the squad. He believes it is crucial that he ‘seizes the chance’ he has been given.
Lions coach McGeechan describes Blair as an ‘excellent addition’ to the Lions party because he is ‘well respected by his peers’ as he is a national captain.
One man’s joy is another man’s disappointment though and you have to feel sorry for O’Leary. The Irishman broke his ankle playing for Munster against Scarlets last month and has since had to pull out of the Lions tour.
McGeechan has sympathy for O’Leary and admitted that sport can be ‘very cruel’ at times. One moment O’Leary was celebrating a try for his team, the next he was being carried off injured. It seems a safe rugby bet that he will be hugely disappointed.
As his replacement though, Blair will be determined to do him justice. O’Leary’s injury shows that nothing should be taken for granted in this game and Blair needs to recognise this by making the most of every second he has in South Africa.
In other Lions news, it has emerged that coach McGeechan is set to lose his job as director of Rugby at Wasps after four years in the role. As part of a new regime at the club, it seems that McGeechan will pay the price for his commitments to the Lions.
The preparations for this tour are certainly not dull!
By Thomas Rooney
Blair wants to make his mark
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