The disruptions to the best laid plans of the Lions management are threatening to completely derail the tourists in the most important week of their Australian sojourn.

No sooner had they decamped to their next temporary port of call in Coffs Harbour than one of its leading figures, Lawrence Dallaglio, was ruled out of the tour while a cloud was left hanging over Keith Wood's continuing participation.

David Wallace has been summoned to Australia, so extending Ireland's representation to eight, in place of Dallaglio whose troublesome right knee cartilage flared up yesterday.

It is a concern that the Lions management seemingly to do with his left knee. the problem cannot be revealed until today.

Like the imposing Dallaglio, Wood is an inspirational presence here, a proven totem of resistance from four years ago. He is - along with Martin Johnson and Jonny Wilkinson - arguably one of the tourists' three most important players. To lose Dallaglio and him in quick succession would be a potentially devastating double whammy.

However, whereas the Lions would probably not have gone into the first test with Dallaglio in his current tour form anyhow (he clearly hasn't been anything near his best) and have significant back-row resources, the cover for Wood is flimsy.

In another ominous development, allowing for Robin McBryde's thigh strain, England's Dorian West has been summoned to bring the tally of hookers currently to four, and five in total since the tour started. At the very least, Wood must now be a doubt for the first test on Saturday in Brisbane.

Neither of these high profile injuries were detected and hence were not revealed until about 11p.m. locally, as the team doctor, James Robson, had driven with Will Greenwood from Sydney to Coffs Harbour.

The rest of the squad had travelled by air to their new base for tomorrow's game against

New South Wales full back Duncan McRae has been hit with a seven-match ban for repeatedly punching Ronan O'Gara in the Lions' 41-24 win on Saturday night, which left O'Gara needing eight stitches to two lacerations below his left eye.

Donal Lenihan wasn't happy with the Waratahs' snide suggestions that O'Gara had been in some way culpable for provoking McRae's 11 punches.

"I would say I was disappointed with the way the Waratahs' management tried to justify his (McRae's) actions, which I would say was to defend the indefensible,"

Before polishing their haloes at a more restrained performance in the post-match press conference, the New South Wales captain Phil Waugh had said in an on-pitch interview after the immediate heat of battle: "We gave it to them. The Lions will be sore boys tomorrow. I hope the Wallabies now give them a thrashing."

In other spheres this might be called bringing the sport into disrepute and Lenihan could scarcely hide his anger over the comments. "I was very disappointed with the comments of Phil Waugh, the captain of New South Wales, about there being sore Lions bodies."

Dragging O'Gara into yesterday's 9.15a.m. hearing along with McRae seemed a little unjust. Wheeled out briefly at last night's press conference in Coffs Harbour, O'Gara was still smarting a ghastly red swelling which almost completely closed his left eye.O'Gara did reveal that the hearing panel "apportioned no blame to me or any of the Lions and myself and Donal were happy enough with that."

Asked about McRae's seven-match ban, O'Gara disdainfully commented: "I think that's his concern. I just want to get back on the training ground as soon as possible and get myself back into contention."

The Lions must hope that the sight of Wallaby gold alone will insrire them to improve their performance levels, which to some extent at least it is bound to do.

For the bottom line, as Henry admitted, was quite simple. "If we're going to beat the Australians we're going to have to play considerably better".