Given where he was seven weeks ago, it is remarkable that Rob Kearney goes into today's clash with Western Province with a genuine shot at securing the full-back slot on the Lions Test side when they open the series against South Africa next week.

Where was Kearney seven weeks ago? Bed-bound and debilitated by a severe case of the mumps which saw him drop from his optimum weight of 14-and-a-half stone to just over 13.

He had played full-back for Ireland throughout their successful Grand Slam run and had just played his part in Leinster's defining Heineken Cup quarter-final win away to Harlequins when the disease struck.

It meant he missed the euphoria of the semi-final victory over Munster and although he was available again when the final came around a month later, he was unable to dislodge Isa Nacewa from full-back and had to make do with a brief cameo off the bench as Leinster claimed their first European triumph.

“Mumps is highly contagious; you can get it off water bottles, anything. Back home, you're susceptible between the ages of 21 and 25 which is where I fit in. I know UCD was rampant with it, a few trips up there was probably where I caught it,” recalled Kearney.

“I was on a different planet — in bed for 13 days straight, in hospital for a week,” recalled Kearney in Cape Town yesterday.

“I lost over a stone. My first day back in training, I did four minutes in the gym before I was in the toilet getting sick. It could have been worse. It could have happened the week leading into the final and I wouldn't be here now.

“It was pretty hard but while I was unfortunate to miss the big Munster game in Croke Park and only make the bench for the final, I'm here now and I was privileged to be part of the final, even if it was only for seven minutes. At the time it was hugely frustrating, but in years to come it (playing in the final) is something I'll be able to look back on.

“I'm back to my full weight now. I must have eaten every supplement in the country. My optimum weight would be 92 kilos and when I had the mumps I fell back to 85.”

The talk of Kearney being the Lions Test full-back began after two outstanding displays on the summer tour to New Zealand and Australia which had even the notoriously hard-to-please local journalists gushing.

Despite the frustration of seeing him pushed to the left wing with Leinster on his return — to accommodate the likes of Nacewa and Girvan Dempsey — he eventually got a few runs in his best position and when the Six Nations started, Ireland coach Declan Kidney had no doubt about who he wanted at 15.

Although the second leg of his tournament was not as convincing as his opening efforts, there was no questioning Kearney's quality. He remains arguably the best high fielder in the game with a left boot perfectly suited to booming returns and, though it was under-employed by Leinster and Ireland, Kearney has the pace and elusive running skills to trouble any defence.

His first, and only, outing on the tour before today was an impressive showing in the rout of the Golden Lions and now he is getting ready to convince Ian McGeechan that he is the better option at 15 than Lee Byrne against the Boks. Of course, there is always the possibility of a left-wing slot but Kearney thinks that's is unlikely at this stage.

“When I came out, I thought that could have been an option but there's been no talk of it yet and I think if that was going to be an option, it would have happened by now,”said Kearney.

Although Byrne has looked to be the selectors’ first choice from a way out, particularly after his impressive game-saving showing in the tricky opener against the Royal XV, he has shown one or two signs of frailty in the last two games, notably the spill that nearly allowed the Cheetahs to sneak victory last Saturday.

The likelihood is that the first Test will contain a lot more kicking than we have witnessed to date and a similar bout of butterfingers in the intensity of King's Park next weekend could be the difference.

Thus, a tour-de-force from Kearney today, comprising high ball security, significant territory-gaining kicks, meaningful incursions in attack and, crucially, the right option-taking in defence would make a convincing argument for a late surge up on the rails. The Louthman knows exactly what is at stake.

“There's a shot there, a final trial is exactly what it is. There's obviously an element of the collective but individually we would be lying if we didn't admit that there's a massive incentive there. There's Test places up for grabs, a lot riding on it.

“There's always the danger that you go out and try and be superman and I've made that mistake in the past. So what I want to do is do the basics, have a consistent game with a bit of counter-attacking and hope that there'll be a moment, because in big games sometimes all it can take is a big moment to set your stall out for a big performance.

“Lee is a fantastic player. To be competing with somebody as good as that, I'd like to think, would bring the best out of me. It’s all going to come down to Lee's game on Wednesday and my game against Western Province. That's the bottom line.

“I've only played one game on tour. I haven't had as much game-time as I would have liked which makes this game all or nothing.”

It is not just Kearney who is on trial today; Ugo Monye needs a powerful outing, particularly in defence, to keep Luke Fitzgerald out of the left-wing slot while Nathan Hines (who will jump at four) and Donncha O'Callaghan are pushing for inclusion alongside Paul O'Connell in the second row. Phil Vickery leads the side and he will want to nail down the tight-head slot, with Euan Murray likely to get a meaningful run off the bench, while, if Andrew Sheridan has a monster day at the scrum, he could yet oust Gethin Jenkins at loose-head.

After an injury-disrupted tour, Martyn Williams will be bulling to make his case ahead of David Wallace at openside (Luke Watson is a worthy test at the breakdown) while Tommy Bowe needs only a solid showing to cement his place at 14. Keith Earls gets another run at 13 and a big game may lead to a surprise selection on the Test bench given his ability to cover wing, centre and full-back.

So, lots to play for then, against decent opposition, with the Lions looking to build a collective performance around individual incentive.

Verdict: Lions

WESTERN PROVINCE: J Pietersen; T Chavhanga, M Newman, P Grant, G Bobo; W De Waal, D Duvenage; W Blaauw, T Liebenberg, B Harris; M Muller, A Van Zyl; P Louw, D Vermuelen, L Watson (capt). Reps: H Shimange, JD Moller, D Steenkamp, Z Jordaan, C Hoffmann, JJ Engelbrecht, G Aplon.

LIONS: R Kearney; T Bowe, K Earls, R Flutey, U Monye; S Jones, H Ellis; A Sheridan, M Rees, P Vickery (capt); N Hines, D O'Callaghan; J Worsley, M Williams, A Powell. Reps: R Ford, E Murray, S Shaw, T Croft, M Blair, J Hook, G D'Arcy.

Referee: M Lawrence (SA).

Western Province v Lions Live, Sky Sports 2, 2.00pm

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WHO ARE THEY?

One of the few teams in this neck of the woods not to be named after an animal or fish and although their Super 14 representatives call themselves Stormers, in domestic competition, they are plain old Western Province who have played the Lions under that tag since 1891. Well, technically, they are known as Vodacom Western Province but you take the sponsor’s addition for granted at this stage.

HOW HAVE THEY DONE AGAINST THE

LIONS?

Pretty well. In 15 games, Western Province have won three and drawn two others, but you have to go back to 1938 for their last victory.

WHO ARE THEIR DANGERMEN?

Anyone following this tour will have found it hard to escape the name of Luke Watson over the last few days but aside from being a figure who divides rugby followers across the land, Watson is an excellent back-rower, on the verge of a move to Europe, who would challenge for a place in most international sides. In the backline, Peter Grant is an extremely skillful midfielder in the Conrad Smith mode while ex-Springbok Tonderai Chavhanga can shift it a bit having run 10.27 for the 100m.

WHAT DO THEY SAY?

“Attacking the breakdowns is definitely something that we at Western Province like to do, that’s where we will attack the Lions.” — Western Province coach Allister Coetzee.

WHAT DO THE BOOKIES SAY?

Western Province 7/1 v Lions 1/8. Draw 33/1.