A sell-out speaks volumes for the pulling power of the Lions' brand name but somehow, this one doesn't quite sit right. A Lions Test on a Monday night in Cardiff against a Puma side chronically short of their frontline players looks distinctly like overkill as well as being contrived gluttony.

The tour starts now, according to Clive Woodward. Hmmm. For the management and playing squad themselves maybe, but for many others it won't truly kick off until Bay of Plenty host them next Saturday week.

For sure there are issues at stake, but even in that context, you sense players have more to lose than to gain.

With two rounds of the French championship remaining, it was always likely Argentina would be denied the vast bulk of their frontline players, most of whom ply their trade in France. That the French have obtained a seventh place in next season's Heineken European Cup has merely heightened the importance of their domestic finale, and up to 25 of the Puma players are unavailable, for one reason or another.

Argentina undoubtedly knew what they were getting into when agreeing to this fixture but their coach, Marcelo Loffreda, has said that were they not contracted to play this game they would have considered pulling out of it.

As ever, there'll be no prouder rugby nation, an example of which is that the abrasive old warhorse Mauricio Reggiardo has come out of retirement to pack down with Mario Ledesma and Federico Mendez - in what will probably be his final curtain call - in a frontrow that will do well to last an hour, never mind 80 or 90 minutes.

About the best thing you can say about this, eh, Test match, is that it gives Jonny Wilkinson another badly needed outing.

Wilkinson has been stalking the international game for the 18 months since he drop-kicked England to global supremacy, and after three abortive comebacks, Woodward has definitely treated him as a special case. And utterly understandably so.

An additional slot was set aside after the original squad selection for Wilkinson to prove his fitness and you almost sense this encounter was set up specifically with him in mind, as well as making a few extra bob of course toward the estimated £8-million Lions operation.

Wilkinson, at his best, undoubtedly gives the Lions another dimension to their game and perhaps even something intangible just by his mere presence.

However, with this season effectively a write-off, even Wilkinson needs as much game time as possible and with only six tour matches per se before the first Test you wonder how much game time will be afforded the other outhalves, specifically Ronan O'Gara.

Those on the bench tonight arguably drew the shortest straw of all. What can O'Gara or Shane Horgan possibly gain if they come on in the final 20 or 30 (at best) with the game already long since won? Nor can it greatly help Denis Hickie's chances to play to his optimum when picked on the right wing as opposed to his more suitable left flank.

Practically all of the big guns have been kept back - Martin Corry and Lawrence Dallaglio are injury-enforced late call-ups. And disconcertingly from an Irish viewpoint, this selection has a distinctly midweek feel to it, what with Ian McGeechan, Gareth Jenkins and Mike Ford taking the reins.

As with Wilkinson, Gordon D'Arcy will be closely scrutinised and needs as much game time in the Lions jersey as possible to make up ground for an often hamstrung season.

Ultimately you sense this fixture will do little to serve the famous Lions brand, and even less for Test match rugby.