Front row to target 'Beast' in second Lions Test

An all-Welsh front-row has been mobilised for the British and Irish Lions to counter the scrummaging strength of Springbok loosehead prop Tendai Mtawarira in the second Test here on Saturday.

Adam Jones and Scarlets hooker Matthew Rees have been drafted in for the English duo of Phil Vickery and Lee Mears, whose disastrous showing at scrum-time in the proved a key part of the 26-21 first Test loss.

Vickery in particular was destroyed by his Zimababwe-born rival, conceding five penalties, three of which were successfully kicked by the Springboks.

The Cornishman's replacement, Jones, knows full well what he will be against at the Loftus Versfeld, having come on for Vickery after 45 minutes in the first showdown.

"Everyone can see he is a big strong bloke. He hasn't been playing there that long so I will have to pull any tricks out of the bag to stop him pushing me backwards," said the Ospreys player.

"I need to back my technique, back my ability. I have got over any demons in the scrum I had in the past and I have played against him before.

"I know the guy will be a lot stronger than me - it will be very much a Paul Wallace versus Du Randt situation," he said in reference to the 1997 series the Lions won 2-1.

Jones admitted to having had a word with Vickery, whose tour didn't completely derail having come on as a replacement during Tuesday's 13-all draw with the Emerging Springboks, about Mtawarira.

"He told me to go out there and be sure you stuff him," he said.

"To come on last week was pretty special. I am very excited to be starting on Saturday. It is dreams-come-true stuff."

The front-row changes were part of five head coach Ian McGeechan made to the starting XV, dropping Alun Wyn Jones to the bench and calling up the bulky Simon Shaw in a bid to boost the scrum.

It will also be the first all-Welsh front-row for the Lions since 1955, when the trio of Billy Williams, Bryn Meredith and Courtenay Meredith battled against the Boks in the four-Test series, which was eventually drawn 2-2.

"It is a huge honour to play for the Lions and we are aware of the incredible history of the jersey. We've been told about the all-Welsh front row of 1955 and it would be nice to match or better their achievements," said Rees.