view from the other side of the World - Spenny

So that's job done in Perth.  Well done lads, go and have a beer.  Enjoy it.

But when you're a collection of some of the best players in the Northern Hemisphere, you really should be tupping a scraped-together side of inexperienced club players.  Saturday's game against the Reds, however, will be a different prospect altogether.

Even if they don't risk all of their first team, the Reds squad has huge depth, and what they've shown throughout this Super Rugby competition is that they can win games purely by tackling their opponents into submission.  Team selection permitting, the Lions can expect some very big hits from the pack in the shape of Saia Faingaa, Beau Robinson, Jake Schatz, Eddie Quirk and big Radike Samo.  Saia's been my player of the season so far and has more than earned his spot in the Wallabies squad.  Beau reminds me of Neil Back, while Eddie Quirk is evocative of the heady days of Mick "The Munch" Skinner.  The back line's no slouch either, with monsters like Anthony Faingaa and Ben Tapu'ai who've been smashing people all season.

Don't get me wrong, I think the Lions should win it - especially if the Reds rest some of their big names - but I also predict that this will be their first real test.  Albeit with a lower case 't'.