Coach Ian McGeechan says his British and Irish Lions players have given him the sort of selection headaches he was hoping for ahead of the first Test against the Springboks on Saturday.
A fifth successive win at the weekend, albeit with a get-out-of-jail penalty three minutes from time by James Hook, maintained the tourists? 100 percent record.
But McGeechan knows that the step up in class in Durban on Saturday will be dramatic.
Beating understrength provincial opposition is one thing. Taking on the full might of the reigning world champions an altogether different prospect.
But McGeechan has been here before and scored a knock-out blow against the Boks. Now he has to pick the right team to repeat what he did in 1997.
There is no doubt the first two names on the team sheet will be those of captain Paul O?Connell and Irish Grand Slam skipper Brian O?Driscoll.
After those two will come a third Irishman, Tommy Bowe, who has lit up every game he has played on tour and was the catalyst for victory over Western Province.
Wales scrum-half Mike Phillips is certain to fill the No 9 jersey after his exploits against the Golden Lions and Sharks and England hooker Lee Mears is booked into the front row.
But then it becomes a little bit more difficult. Wales centre Jamie Roberts looks set to play alongside O?Driscoll at centre, although England?s Riki Flutey offers a different inside-centre option.
Bowe apart, the Lions wings have been somewhat disappointing. Everyone was expecting great things of reigning IRB Player of the Year Shane Williams, but the ball has hardly reached him.
Ugo Monye has run in three tries and looked solid in defence, while Luke Fitzgerald got a try against the Sharks.
Williams has the experience and potential to worry the Boks, as he did for Wales last year, and with his clubmate Lee Byrne likely to figure at fullback it would seem logical for McGeechan to go with the Ospreys back three - Byrne, Bowe, Williams - as a starting combination.
That logic will probably apply at half-back, where Stephen Jones knows Phillips inside out having played with him for Wales and the Scarlets.
The battle for places up front looks like being even more closely contested.
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske said the whole of South Africa feared the strength and power of England loose head Andrew Sheridan at scrum time, but expect the Lions to opt for the more all-round game of his Welsh rival Gethin Jenkins.
He offers the raw-boned physicality that McGeechan needs to tackle a Springbok pack bristling with battle hardened warriors.
He has an embarrassment of riches on the tight head side of the scrum, but England?s vastly experienced Phil Vickery has his nose slightly ahead of Scot Euan Murray and Welshman Adam Jones.
One of the biggest problems is who to pair with O?Connell in the second row. South African lock Bakkies Botha said he thought the Lions would go with the all-Irish duo of Donncha O?Callaghan and O?Connell, but they haven?t played together on tour.
The larger frames of Nathan Hines or Simon Shaw could come in to try to bully the Boks, or the more athletic Alun-Wyn Jones might be given a chance to shine.
Jones and O?Connell didn?t joined forces against the Sharks and didn?t look terribly comfortable, so expect Hines or Shaw to get the nod.
Ireland No 8 Jamie Heaslip has been one of the most improved and consistent players on tour and will beat Andy Powell to the locking position in the back row.
His Irish team-mate Stephen Ferris would have worn the No 6 shirt, but his injury will hand Tom Croft that role in a back row that will be completed by the inclusion of the linking Martyn Williams or more physical David Wallace.
Selection takes place Wednesday and it is likely to be a lengthy meeting for the Lions coaching team.
Copyright 2009 AFP Global Edition
