Neil Back returns at openside

Back is back, as expected. Otherwise the Lions remain unchanged for the second Test against the Wallabies in Melbourne's Colonial Stadium tomorrow.

To their slight chagrin The Lions' management were obliged to announce their team over 48 hours in advance of the kick-off, in accordance with International Board (IRB) regulations.

This they duly did, with a few minutes to spare, and by the simple expedient of a press release as opposed to a press conference. So no formal explanations were provided for the change in the backrow which sees a fit again Neil Back recalled as a genuine openside to counter George Smith, with the ever dependable Richard Hill reverting to blind side and Martin Corry dropping to the bench.

Corry effectively takes the place of the suspended Colin Charvis on the bench while also providing second row cover, as none of the other three specialist locks even made the expanded squad of 27.

In other one change among the replacements, Scottish hooker Gordon Bulloch receives a bit of a kick in the teeth by being omitted altogether to be replaced by Dorian West, giving England 14 of the 22.

However, although David Wallace was used more in yesterday's training run on a public pitch than was Martyn Williams, the latter may have been nursing a shoulder strain and holds on to his place on the bench. There remain doubts about Matt Perry, according to the squad's fitness advisor, Steve Black, but medical opinion is that he will be fit to play.

Earlier in the day, at an IRB international Rugby Board press conference, the Australian Rugby Union chief executive, John O'Neill, confirmed that he had reached agreement with Syd Millar, chairman of the Lions tour committee, to have the retractable roof closed at the Colonial Stadium for the second Test (kick-off 7.0 p. m. local time, 10.0 a. m. Irish). Technically, according to the I R B chairman, Vernon Pugh, such a decision needs the agreement of both Test teams.

Ostensibly the purpose of the press conference was to announce an inaugural IRB annual awards ceremony, to take place in the Mayfair Theatre in London on Sunday, November 11th. The IRB will also take over the lapsed Rothmans annual yearbook, and will hold a conference n Dublin in November to investigate for such issues as player welfare, rugby at the Olympics and funding of the game. They will also take over the SANZAR under-21 tournament to make it a under-21 World Cup, and intend staging such an event in Europe next year.

The organisers of the 2003 World Cup, co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, intend to announcing dates and fixtures for the tournament in August. While O'Neill confirmed that SANZAR and the ERC are in negotiations to kick-start a one-match play-off between the winners of the Super 12 and the European Heineken Cup, with the inaugural contest between ACT and Leicester most likely to be held in Europe early next year.

The IRB also announced it has plans to start an annual Northern Hemisphere v Southern Hemisphere match some time next year. This, for all the world, looks like another needless addition to an already over-crowded calendar at a time when the IRB should arguably be giving the lead in reducing the load on modern players.

Lions: M Perry (Bath and England); D James (Bridgend and Wales), B O'Driscoll (Leinster and Ireland), R Henderson (Munster and Ireland), J Robinson (Sale and England); J Wilkinson (Newcastle and England), R Howley (Cardiff and Wales); T Smith (Northampton and Scotland), K Wood (Harlequins and Ireland), P Vickery (Gloucester and England), M Johnson (Leicester and England, captain), D Grewcock (Bath and England), R Hill (Saracens and England), N Back (Leicester and England), S Quinnell (Llanelli and Wales). Replacements: J Leonard (Harlequins and England), D West (Leicester and England), M Corry (Leicester and England), M Williams (Cardiff and Wales), M Dawson (Northampton and England), A Healey (Leicester and England), I Balshaw (Bath and England).