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Front row fight Lions' Wood expects battle with Wallabies pack
BRISBANE (Reuters) -- British and Irish Lions hooker Keith Wood has dismissed suggestions the Australian front row is the Wallabies' weakest link. The Wallaby front row struggled to contain the New Zealand Maori pack in last weekend's warm-up match in Sydney and is a source of concern to the Australian management. Australia has two quality hookers in Jeremy Paul and Michael Foley but there are worries about the props. World Cup winner Richard Harry retired last season, Bill Young and Fletcher Dyson are injured and Patricio Noriega is still struggling to get fit. Glenn Panoho is Australia's most experienced prop with 18 test caps and is assured of a test place. But of the two other candidates, Rod Moore has one cap and Nick Stiles is uncapped. With the combined might of England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland to choose from, the Lions will undoubtedly produce an awesome pack. But Wood said it would be dangerous for the tourists to assume they would dominate the younger, inexperienced Australian scrum. "The way the game has progressed the young players seem to know all the tricks and be incredibly strong and powerful," Wood said. "They do a really good job and, in the professional context, no team should be overawed by the opposition. "Previously, you didn't mature in the front row until you were 28 or 29 but guys are doing it now at 23 and 24." Wood, who is certain to win the Lions' test hooking role, said the Lions faced their own problems bringing their pack together. "The Lions scrum is almost in its infancy at the moment but we're working very hard," he said. "Everything is geared to be ready for the first test. I think we can have a very good scrum and that's obviously something you can build around." Robinson predicts more converts British and Irish Lions wing Jason Robinson expects more top rugby league players to make a successful switch of codes to rugby union after his incredible five-try debut for the Lions. The former Wigan and Britain star crossed for a record five tries in his first appearance in the Lions shirt against the Queensland President's XV on Tuesday, and predicted other rugby league converts would be a success. Former league international Andrew Walker has been selected in the Australian squad for the Lions series while two of Australia's World Cup-winning league players, Wendell Sailor and Mat Rogers, recently announced they would switch codes. "I don't know an awful lot about rugby union but I know the ability those two players have and there is no doubt in my mind that they will make an impact," Robinson said. "They're the best that rugby league has to offer, that's for sure, but I think it will take them a little while to adjust because rugby union is certainly more complex than league." Robinson said he was still struggling to adapt to union but was enjoying the challenge. "There are a lot of things to take on board and it's a matter of getting out of certain habits you're used to," he said. "At the moment I'm like a sponge because there is so much I'm taking in, but being with the best that Britain and Ireland have to offer is invaluable to me." League players were banned from playing rugby union until the game turned professional in 1995 but what started as a trickle of players changing codes has steadily increased to a flood. Most international teams have at least one ex-league player in their ranks and England, Australia and South Africa have employed former league players as tackling coaches.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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