Lions back row options limited as Charvis is banned for two weeks

Donal Lenihan confirmed yesterday that Colin Charvis had received "a one-week suspension which is in effect a two-match ban" after the independent match commissioner had cited the Welsh back-rower for leading with his knee into the back of Wallaby prop Nick Stiles at a ruck.

"I think the hearing was fair. I don't think there was any huge malice in the incident but Colin accepted that he used his knee," said Lenihan. Charvis will thus be ruled out of tomorrow's final midweek match against the ACT Brumbies and next Saturday's second test in Melbourne's Colonial Stadium though would be eligible for the third test in Syndey on Saturday week.

One of the ripple affects of Charvis' suspension is that the Lions management have delayed naming their side to play the ACT Brumbies for 24 hours, given back-row options are further limited by Neil Back's injury. One of the test back-row looks like having to "sub up" tomorrow, the hope being that Back will be okay by Saturday and likewise Will Greenwood and Matt Perry, though the latter's strained abductor muscle clearly jeopardises his chances of starting in the second test.

The Wallabies are seemingly even more wounded however, with their Kiwi-born hooker Jeremy Paul suffering ruptured cruciate, medial and anterior knee ligaments in a truly horrific injury. It is expected that the Wallaby hooker will be sidelined for at least 12 months and there must be a shadow over the career of this likeable and immensely talented rugby player.

Wallaby coach Rod Macqueen also estimated that Stephen Larkham's elbow injury will sideline him for two weeks, which would be an even more crippling blow to the world champions' hopes of mounting a comeback.

Though Larkham missed some tackles on Saturday evening, and the Australians' scored their two tries with Edlton Flatley filling the outhalf void, Larkham is viewed as indispensable.

Against that, the Lions will believe that Larkham isn't playing only when they see it.

Eales too is a slight doubt, having again failed to finish a game, this time with a bruised thigh. The Australian skipper vowed: "We have to have a real good look at ourselves right across the board for next weekend." His long-time rival and counterpart, Martin Johnson, was asked how this win ranked.

"If I'm to be honest, the task this team has had touring Australia, and all the things that have gone on, makes this one of the best test performances I've ever been involved in.

We know Australia will get better after another match or two, but for some of our guys they've been playing 11 months. It's July next week, and we've been playing since last August. It's been a hard tour, there's been a few grumbles from a few players but all that effort is worth it when you get results like that."

And you know that the last player in this party who would grumble, captain or not, is Johnson. After the formal press conference, as Johnson waited for Henry and Lenihan to complete some separate radio interviews in a corridor in the bowels of the Gabba, Johnson slumped into a little deck chair. He looked weary.

"Just mental mate, just mental."