Jake White: Choose the big beasts or South Africa will make Lions look like cubs

By JAKE WHITE, South Africa's World Cup-winning coach
Updated: 12:21 EST, 31 May 2009

I expect the Springboks to win this Test series 3-0 because, pound for pound, they are a better team than the Lions and are desperate, after 12 long years of waiting, to avenge their defeat by the tourists in 1997.

The one chance for the Lions is to prove themselves physically superior to South Africa.

In short, they've got to pick just about the biggest men available in every position. A powerful front row of Andrew Sheridan, Ross Ford and Euan Murray - not Gethin Jenkins and Matthew Rees - with Nathan Hines combining in the second row with captain Paul O'Connell would present a big, abrasive front five who could take on South Africa.

I'd stick with power in the back row, picking both No 8s, Jamie Heaslip and Andy Powell, because they can punch holes in any defence, and add Joe Worsley because he is an awesome defender.

It's unfortunate for the footballers such as Martyn Williams and Tom Croft - but they can provide an option, and an impact, from the bench. In the backs, Mike Phillips would win my vote at scrum-half because he is by far the biggest and most physical No 9.

Jamie Roberts should be in there rather than Riki Flutey because he would be a big unit in midfield alongside Brian O'Driscoll, and my back three would once again be a big, powerful combination.

I believe both full-backs, Lee Byrne and Rob Kearney, should be included to ensure the Lions are on safe ground when the ball is kicked behind them. I'd also hold Shane Williams back until the second Test on the Highveld in Pretoria.

To orchestrate all this should be Ronan O'Gara, who would be my choice over Stephen Jones at stand-off. The Welshman had his chance four years ago and I believe O'Gara would be better at pinning the Springboks back in their own 22.

We have found the tactically astute Irishman the most difficult No 10 to mark over the years. With this team, the Lions could challenge the solid Springbok defence, they have a chance of coming out on top up front and in the breakdown and, when the opportunity arises, they still have dangerous runners to unleash in O'Driscoll and Byrne.

Crucially, they also have a world-class kicker in O'Gara, with another - Jones - on the bench. Kicking is one aspect of the Springboks which concerns me because they do not possess a kicker in the class of either Lion and, as we discovered in 1997 when we did not field a kicker in the class of Neil Jenkins, that could cost us.

The Springbok team more or less picks itself, although I would make a couple of different selections from the line-up that I suspect will run out to face the Lions.

For a start, I would put the captain, John Smit, back as hooker where he played during the World Cup, instead of prop, where he will almost certainly be asked to play this time.

And I would ask CJ Van der Linde to return from Leinster, which would mean ending the rule that bars South Africans playing overseas from running out for the Springboks.

In the absence of the injured Butch James, my preferred choice, I'd pick Ruan Pienaar at stand-off, with Francois Steyn in at full-back, partly because of his longrange kicking, but also because the young man's brilliance could win a Test match with one inspired moment.

Talking of inspiration brings me on to Ian McGeechan, the Lions head coach. The man's a genius, as he showed in 1997 with some selections nobody else would have gone for but which worked brilliantly. I am sure it will be the same with his choices this time.

Even so, I still believe South Africa will win, because they can target all the inevitable combinations in the Lions team, including the line-out, the midfield and the half-backs, and in their second and back row units they have the best players in the world.

For the Lions to stand a chance, they must win the first Test in Durban, although I happen to believe that if that happened South Africa would be able to bounce back and win the next two Tests at altitude.

More likely it will be 3-0, but a gripping, intense and fascinating Test series nonetheless between two outstanding teams. I, for one, cannot wait for the drama to unfold.