Paul O’Connell alongside Richie Gray for me – Simon Shaw

The lack of a traditional heavyweight lock could see Richie Gray earn a spot in the Lions Test team, according to three-time tourist Simon Shaw.
The 39-year-old believes Paul O’Connell is nailed on for Warren Gatland‘s Test side, but his more athletic build works best with a bigger lock alongside him in the mould of a Nathan Hines or Jim Hamilton – both overlooked by Gatland.
Four years ago it was Shaw and O’Connell who combined in the second Test against the Springboks to great effect, but with Gray, along with Welsh duo Alun-Wyn Jones and Ian Evans not quite in the same mould, Shaw admits the race for a Test spot remains open.
In fact it is only England‘s Geoff Parling who Shaw believes could struggle to get selected, the Leicester man too similar to O’Connell as a middle jumper in the lineout.
Shaw told The Rugby Paper: “Paul O’Connell is a certain starter, so it’s about who plays alongside him.
“Gray has played twice and done reasonably well.  Alun-Wyn Jones has been injured for a long time this season. Parling obviously played very well for England, but Parling and O’Connell both play in the middle of the lineout, neither one of them is a front jumper so that makes it difficult.
“What O’Connell brings is just endless energy. He’s not the biggest second row in the world, he’s not the most skilful, he’s not the fastest – but he just never stops working and that in itself is an inspiration.
“I was captained by him on the last Lions tour and having someone that sets the example and leads is what you  really want. He’s been a class player for Ireland and the Lions in the past, he’s very inspiring.
“As I say he’s not a heavyweight second row so I personally would match him with that kind of a player.
“So the old traditional two in the lineout, bulky guy and one who plays the role of the lineout specialist and gets round the park.
“Richie Gray is probably about the closest you’d come to that thing, he’s quite a loose player as well. It’s not necessarily about whether the two fulfil a different role.
“O’Connell’s played alongside Donncha O’Callaghan for a number of years. They’re  reasonably similar players   and they’ve done very well as a partnership.
“It’s horses for courses. Some coaches, some countries, like it that way, they like almost two extra back rows. Some countries have more of an emphasis on the set-piece. Not necessarily the lineout but in terms of the tight players and the scrum area as well.
“Just having that extra size, extra bulk in there helps an awful lot. I know for instance in France you seldom get a second row who’s under 120kg. I’m probably one of the lightest ones in France.”
Shaw will be heading out to Australia this summer as a spectator before taking part in a charity bike race in July.
And after leaving Toulon at the end of the season, having played a big role before drifting out of the picture at the business end of the season, Shaw revealed that he is still contemplating whether he will give it one more year of playing.
He added: “It was frustrating end to the season for me because I gave the club a lot in a period where I probably would have ordinarily expected to have taken a rest.
“I broke my toe (at the turn of the year) which usually takes four to six weeks, four is the absolute minimum, six weeks is the essential time for an injury like that, and I came back after two and a half weeks barely able to walk let alone run.  I had to do that because we were very low on numbers at the time and unfortunately that scuppered me for the final run.
“I played my role, I did what I could at the time and I think I’ve got much more of an appreciation for the squad involvement in a campaign like that.
“I believe the French Top 14 is not necessarily the hardest game, but the hardest league from start to finish because it’s an endurance exercise. You’re playing against seriously big guys week-in week-out, it goes on for a lifetime.
“So I did what I could do and I’m very satisfied with that. I played in every one of the pool games in the Heineken Cup and virtually all the games leading to the latter stages.
“I’m going to spend the next couple of weeks, probably while I’m out in Australia having a real good think about whether I have the motivation or the desire to carry on. So it’s a difficult one.
“If I hadn’t had  my toe injury,  I would probably want to carry on. But you start sort of enjoying the physio bench, enjoying watching training instead of being beaten about.
“I had five or six offers the majority of which I probably won’t take up because I don’t really fancy moving down (a division) so we’ll have to wait and see.”
PAUL EDDISON