NEWPORT Gwent Dragons' and Wales hero Michael Owen has been hailed as inspired choice to lead out the British and Irish Lions for the first time ever on home soil.

Owen will skipper the side on Monday night as they face Argentina at the Millennium Stadium. The 24-year-old was a shock choice to lead the team for the Lions' historic game in Cardiff next week.

But Llanelli Scarlets coach Gareth Jenkins, who is part of Sir Clive Woodward's 34-man coaching team to tour New Zealand over the next seven weeks, believes Owen is a tremendous appointment.

Jenkins said: "It is an inspired selection at the end of the day we are making history by playing in Wales which will be the first game ever played in Britain by a Lions side.

"Michael has been one of the players who has had great potential.

"We all recognised that from an early age he could be a great player and he's now gone from the transition from showing potential into becoming a fine player. And it doesn't get any bigger than this for him.

"He's evolved and developed into a world class player and I think he has stature and the qualities to command the dressing room and he has the aura of a Lions captain and it is well deserved.

He added: "It is all about getting an opportunity and I think every player on this tour is going to get an opportunity and you have to make the most of it.

"Michael has done that in the Welsh team and now he has to apply that attitude into trying to stamp his mark on this Lions side. The importance of this stage of the tour is that every player has a couple of opportunities and they've earned that and now people like Gareth Cooper as well have to grab it."

Jenkins has been very involved in the preparations for Monday's game as he is responsible for coaching the Lions during their mid-week matches on tour.

And after all the hype and talk over past few months, the Scarlets coach is looking forward to getting down to the important business of rugby. He said; "The thing now is to get down to rugby, the eyes of the rugby world are on us now.

"This is the beginning of the tour and the interest in the summer is overwhelming. The focus has been drawn quickly on the challenge ahead."

Shane Williams is another Welshman playing on Monday night and he has also heaped praise on his international colleague Michael Owen.

He said: "It is great for Michael Owen, he thoroughly deserves it.

"He's done a great job along with Gareth Thomas for Wales in the Six Nations and he's certainly shown that he is capable of leading a team and become a great captain.

"And what better way to captain a Lions side then at the Millennium Stadium on home soil. It will be a big day for Michael and I'm really pleased for him."

l Sir Clive Woodward's pleas for leniency fell on deaf ears after Neil Back was suspended for four weeks for the punch which left his former England team-mate Joe Worsley needing 13 stitches in a mouth injury.

Back will miss the opening three matches of the Lions tour to New Zealand after already being omitted from Monday's clash with Argentina.