THE British and Irish Lions’ injury jinx will follow them into their South Africa tour opener against a Royal XV today.

Wales number eight Andy Powell is battling to overcome a hand problem, which is understood to have been caused by an insect bite.

And Ireland flanker Stephen Ferris, who is due to be among the replacements this weekend, has a calf muscle injury.

A final decision on the fitness of both players will be made today.

But the latest problems come after a disruptive tour build-up that saw Tomas O’Leary, Tom Shanklin and Jerry Flannery all fall by the wayside through serious injuries.

On top of that, Munster flanker Alan Quinlan was sidelined by a 12-week suspension, while Wales wing Leigh Halfpenny will join the tour late after remaining in Cardiff for intensive treatment on a thigh injury.

‘‘We’ve got a couple of niggles,’’ said Lions assistant coach Graham Rowntree, at the tourists’ remote hillside retreat ten miles outside Rustenburg.

‘‘Andy Powell picked up a hand injury this week and didn’t train fully this morning.

We will assess that tomorrow morning.

‘‘Stephen Ferris has a calf injury, which we will assess tomorrow as well.

‘‘We’ve got a great medical team and we are certainly not ruling people out the day before a game.

‘‘We have various contingency plans. With all the backrow options we have, we can make decisions on the day of the game.’’ If Powell is ruled out, Lions head coach Ian McGeechan could switch Joe Worsley from blindside flanker to number eight.

Ireland’s Jamie Heaslip would be another option today, although McGeechan is keen not to involve any of the seven Leinster, Leicester or Northampton players who contested European finals last weekend.

McGeechan’s men are expected to record an emphatic success against a representative team making its first competitive appearance.

Players from Vodacom Cup sides the Griquas and Leopards make up a team whose work will be cut out to avoid anything less than a 50-point defeat.

And the match promises to be little more than an appetiser to today’s main rugby event in South Africa, the Super 14 final between Pretoria- based Blue Bulls and Waikato Chiefs at Loftus Versfeld.

Rowntree, though, is fully aware the Lions cannot afford to take their opponents lightly.

He said: ‘‘There is a trap waiting for us if we think they are the weakest team we will face on this tour.

‘‘If I was playing for them (Royal XV), it would probably be the biggest game of my life, a huge opportunity to turn over a Lions team that is playing together for the first time.

‘‘They will be licking their lips waiting for us.

‘‘I expect an onslaught from them. It doesn’t matter if it is a team thrown together – they will fancy their chances.

‘‘If I was one of those players, it would be such a massive game for me. Those early collisions will be a good test.’’

Teams

Royal XV: R Jeacocks (Leopards); E Seconds (Griquas), D van Rensburg (Leopards), H Coetzee (Griquas), B Basson (Griquas); N Olivier (Griquas), S Pretorius (Griquas); A Buckle (Griquas), R Barnes (Griquas), B Roux (Griquas), R Mathee (Leopards), J Lombard (Griquas), W Koch (Leopards, capt), D Raubenheimer (Griquas), J Mokuena (Griquas).

British and Irish Lions: L Byrne (Ospreys and Wales); T Bowe (Ospreys and Ireland), K Earls (Munster and Ireland), J Roberts (Cardiff Blues and Wales), S Williams (Ospreys and Wales); R O’Gara (Munster and Ireland), M Blair (Edinburgh and Scotland); A Sheridan (Sale Sharks and England), M Rees (Scarlets and Wales), A Jones (Ospreys and Wales), S Shaw (Wasps and England), P O’Connell (Munster and Ireland, capt), J Worsley (Wasps and England), M Williams (Cardiff Blues and Wales), A Powell (Cardiff Blues and Wales).

Replacements: L Mears (Bath and England), P Vickery (Wasps and England), A-W Jones (Ospreys and Wales), S Ferris (Ulster and Ireland), M Phillips (Ospreys and Wales), S Jones (Scarlets and Wales), R Flutey (Wasps and England).

Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa).