ALTHOUGH Eric Miller, recovering from a cheek injury, will be a spectator this afternoon while his three fellow Irish internationals play for the Lions against Mpumalanga (SE Transvaal) in Witbank, the Lions management are confident Miller will be available against Northern Transvaal on Saturday.

It is no surprise that Miller, once he has recovered from fracturing a small bone in his cheek, will be a front rank contender for a place against Northern Transvaal. But if the current intentions of the Lions management are brought to fruition, then Miller will be chosen not at number eight, but on the open side flank.

"We are giving very serious consideration to playing Eric at number seven against Northern Transvaal," said Lions manager Fran Cotton. "He has all the attributes to make a very significant contribution in that position. He is quick enough, is a very good ball handler, and also widens our options in the line out."

Miller, in fact, made his senior international debut on the open side flank. His subsequent appearances for Ireland were in the number eight berth.

As of now, Scott Quinnell is the front runner for the number eight Test berth. Thus the thinking in relation to Miller on the open side flank berth could prove significant. Miller certainly has the ability and the attributes to put pressure on the recognised open side flankers in the squad, Neil Back and Richard Hill.

It was a day off yesterday for the team chosen for the match this afternoon, a match the Lions recognise as likely to offer a severe test. Assistant coach Jim Telfer, who put the forwards, including the Irish trio Keith Wood, Paul Wallace and Jeremy Davidson through such a torrid session on Monday, is under no illusions about the task the Lions could face.

Pronouncing Mpumalanga in his broad, Scottish borders accent Telfer said: "They have a bigger pack than any of the other three opponents the Lions have faced so far on this tour. Of course the scrummaging will be important and that is why we devoted so much time to it on Monday. It is essential that we are not shoved back on our own scrums.

"This Lions pack is playing together for the first time, but emery player in it is an international and there is a lot of ability and athleticism in the eight. They must now respond against what will undoubtedly be tough opposition, who will be all out to beat the Lions."

This will be the first match for the Lions, too, on the high veldt, so altitude will be a factor. "There 15 a much greater awareness now about altitude, its effects and how best to deal with it," said Telfer, a point made, too, by the man who will captain the Lions today, Tim Rodber.

"I have no doubt that the Lions will go through some agony for the first 20 minutes or so, but they must do that and get on with it," added Telfer. And that seems as good an assessment in the context of the altitude factor as one will get.

Mpumalanga are ranked just below the top four Super 12 South African representatives, with possibly Western Province also marginally above them. They have scored some good wins this season in what is termed the Night Series, the competition between the provincial sides not involved in the Super 12.

Nor has it been lost on the Lions that last year they overwhelmed Wales 47-6. They have gained some useful recruits from Northern Transvaal, including out-half Rynhard van As, a man who set Donnybrook alight last year when he played for Northern Transvaal. He is a prolific kicker both tactically and with the placed ball.

He will be immediately opposed by another in that category in Neil Jenkins. Kicking in all its aspects is something to which the Lions have been devoting a lot of attention, under the supervision of kicking coach Dave Aldred. He said yesterday: "It is important to retain technique, especially at altitude where the ball travels further. The temptation is to force it, and that leads to a loss of technique. But I have been very pleased with the overall standard of kicking, and the dropping out in particular."

Known as "The coalminers" and the "Neath of South Africa", Mpumalanga's reputation for the physical approach is well founded. They have some hard men in their pack, none more so than second row Elandre van den Bergh. He has won one cap for South Africa and is the man who left his trade mark on the face of England full back Jonathan Callard in 1994 in what became a "celebrated" incident. The word is that Mpumalanga have been in camp for over a week preparing for the match.

The Lions forwards must stand up to all demands imposed upon them and not yield to intimidation. They must equally guard against giving the home side anything like an early lead of consequence. The Lions front row of Tom Smith, Wood and Wallace will be given an examination, and it is a big match for Wood in the context of the first test.

Davidson and Doddie Weir, with Rodber at number eight, should be able to give the Lions good line out possession, but Wood's throwing in must be well placed. That is not a strong point in Wood's game, but he is working on it.

For Lions full back Nick Beal it is also a match of immense importance. He has been troubled by tendonitis, but said: "The problem has cleared up, and I was not, as suggested, really troubled by shin splints. I feel fully fit. I know the importance of the match both in a personal and team context and feel ready for it." Although chosen on the tour as a wing, he made his one England appearance against Argentina last season at full back, and said: "In fact I prefer to play at full back."

Scrum half Matt Dawson makes his initial appearance of the tour and his partnership with Jenkins will be watched with interest. They have plenty of scoring potential outside them with Ieuan Evans and Tony Underwood on the wings and Alan Bateman and Will Greenwood in the centre.

The match today at a venue about 90 kilometres from Pretoria is the first of three on the high veldt for the Lions over the span of a week. They meet Northern Transvaal on Saturday and The Gauteng Lions (Transvaal) this day week. Cotton has referred to this segment of the tour as the "Bermuda Triangle". The Lions should still be standing unbeaten this evening after whatever turbulence they may have to encounter.