Pumas are extremely athletic and are built for sprinting. They can run up to 50 mph over a short distance. The puma doesn’t have any natural predators in the wild. However, some pumas will have to compete for prey with large powerful predators including wolves and black and brown bears.

A Lion’s roar can be heard up to five miles away and can reach 114 decibels – that’s almost as loud as a chainsaw! They sleep around 20 hours a day and consume 7kgs of meat daily fortunately Andy Farrell’s ‘Pride’ are a bit more active and a bit less carnivorous.

However next Saturday night in Dublin the battle of the big cats takes place at the Aviva Stadium, the following day the British & Irish Lions touring party will jet off to Australia for their much anticipated 2025 tour.

An opportunity to see the Lions play on these shores is rare and one that many rugby fans will be overjoyed to have the opportunity to experience however with around fifteen of the squad unavailable due to the proximity of domestic finals it does somewhat devalue the fixture but maybe I’m just being churlish.

Argentina will also be missing a few stars due to the Top 14 knock out stages and due to recovery from the Gallagher Premiership final.

The lions spent most of last week on the Algarve at the Quinta Do Lago resort in Almancil bonding in glorious sunshine on Portugal’s southern coast. With three golf courses on site I’m happy to report that no one should be feeling under par on their flight to Dublin.

The Lions and the Pumas are not facing each other for the first time in these islands.

Clive Woodward’s British & Irish Lions wanted a warm-up match in 2005. They offered Argentina the opportunity of playing in Cardiff on May 23. Argentina accepted knowing that the date was far from ideal with many of their players involved in various cup finals around the globe.

Argentina were missing twenty-six front line players but managed to earn a creditable 25-25 draw and a moral victory against a lack lustre Lions team whose blushes were spared by 20 points from the boot of Jonny Wilkinson.

British & Irish Lions 25 (16) Tries: Smith Cons: Wilkinson Pens: Wilkinson 6

Argentina 25 (19) Tries: Piossek Cons: Todeschini Pens: Todeschini 6

Lions: G Murphy; D Hickie, O Smith, G D’Arcy, S Williams; J Wilkinson, G Cooper; G Rowntree, S Byrne, J Hayes; D O’Callaghan, D Grewcock; M Corry, L Moody, M Owen (capt).
Replacements: S Thompson, J White, B Kay, L Dallaglio, C Cusiter, R O’Gara, S Horgan.

Argentina: B Stortoni; J Nunez Piossek, L Arbizu, F Contepomi (capt), F Leonelli; F Todeschini, N Fernandez Miranda; F Mendez, M Ledesma, M Reggiardo, P Bouza, M Sambucetti, F Genoud, M Schusterman, J-M Leguizamon.
Replacements: E Guinazu, L de Chazal, M Carizza, S Sanz, F Bosch, L Borges, L Lopez Fleming

Referee: S Dickinson (Australia)

Friday night in Dublin will hopefully be an entertaining and perhaps more importantly an injury free affair as the Lions fly out to Australia the following day.