Lions leader Martin Johnson is raring to get his teeth into the Wallabies and he sees Saturday's tour match against the Queensland Reds as the perfect appetiser to the real thing.

The British and Irish Lions face nine Wallabies when they tackle the Reds but three key men are missing from the Super 12 side - skipper John Eales, fullback Chris Latham and winger Ben Tune.

"We get our first real challenge on Saturday and I can't say I've not been waiting for it," said Johnson who with England teammate Jonny Wilkinson gets his first run-out. "We need some real opposition."

The Lions have scored 31 tries for a 199-16 points tally in two easy wins so far. But coach Graham Henry decided against risking England flanker Lawrence Dallaglio's suspect knee.

Flyhalf Wilkinson, who has been nursing a groin strain, denied Saturday's near-Test side would be based entirely around the forwards. "That would make us one dimensional and we don't want to be like that.

"Australia have the ability to use their wide, fast backs or their strong, midfield backs or to play a game with their powerful forwards. That's what allows them to win games and also allows them to change tactics mid-game and that's something I think is important these days."

That sort of flexibility requires an intimate understanding of teammates' capabilities and Wilkinson admitted the Lions had been working hard in this department. "I found with England it took years of playing with these guys to get where we are now," he added.

Wilkinson teams up with Wales scrumhalf Rob Howley, while there are five Englishmen in the pack. The Lions squad has 12 changes to the starting team after Tuesday night's comprehensive 83-6 win over the Queensland President's XV
here.

Wales winger Dafydd James, Irish centre Rob Henderson and Scottish prop Tom Smith retained their starting places. The Lions were forced to make one change after Wales No 8 Scott Quinnell was ruled out with fluid on the knee.

England's Martin Corry, who flew in to replace the injured Simon Taylor of Scotland, has been promoted to the starting team with Scotland's Scott Murray on the bench.

Rugby league convert Jason Robinson, who grabbed five tries on his debut on Tuesday, is on the bench and the winger will probably come on in the second half.

Eales rests the Achilles tendon he strained in last Saturday's 41-29 win over the New Zealand Maoris to ensure he was fit for the first Lions Test in Brisbane on June 30. Latham and Tune had already cried off with shoulder injuries.

Eales' place in the Queensland team was taken by fellow Wallaby Mark Connors with centre Daniel Herbert taking over the captaincy.

But the Reds still line up nine Wallabies, including six Test forwards. The Wallabies are backs Herbert, Elton Flatley and Sam Cordingley and forwards Toutai Kefu, Matt Cockbain, Connors, Glenn Panoho, Michael Foley and Nick Stiles.

Teams for Ballymore:

Queensland: Michael Tabrett, Junior Pelesafa, Daniel Herbert capt), Steve Kefu, David McCallum, Elton Flatley, Sam Cordingley, Toutai Kefu, David Croft, Matt Cockbain, Mark Connors, Nathan Sharpe, Glenn Panoho, Michael Foley, Nick Stiles. Substitutes: Ben Wakely, Andrew Scotney, Jason Ramsamy, John Roe, Mike Mitchell, Simon Kerr, Sean Hardman.

British and Irish Lions: Iain Balshaw (Eng), Daffyd James (Wal), Brian O'Driscoll (Ire), Rob Henderson (Irl), Dan Luger (Eng), Jonny Wilkinson (Eng), Rob Howley (Wal), Martin Corry (Eng), Neil Back (Eng), Richard Hill (Eng), Danny Grewcock (Eng), Martin Johnson (Eng, capt), Phil Vickery (Eng), Keith Wood (Ire), Tom Smith (Sco). Substitutes: Jason Leonard (Eng), Gordon Bulloch (Sco), Scott Murray (Sco), Colin Charvis (Wal), Matt Dawson (Eng), Austin Healey (Eng), Jason Robinson (Eng).

Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Aus).

Kick-off: 11:30 (SA time).