The British and Irish Lions camp defends call to prepare for decider in Noosa British and Irish Lions players Sean Maitland (L) and Leigh Halfpenny exit the surf in the resort town of Noosa on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. THE British and Irish Lions camp snubbed Sydney as a suffocating "concrete jungle" because their Holiday Camp Noosa approach was the only way to recharge damaged minds for Saturday's shot at history. Lions tour manager Andy Irvine said yesterday swatted away criticism of the tour squad's disappearing act because he knew it was the "ideal call" for players to regroup mentally for "one of the biggest games for the Lions in 30 or 40 years." The lads needed to recharge and it's been absolutely fabulous. We'd make the same call to come back to Noosa if we were touring next year," Irvine said. Irvine politely dismissed the opinion of former Lions boss Sir Clive Woodward, who said the Noosa detour and an unnecessary extra flight in such a climactic Test week was a "big mistake." Sydney is a big city. To be stuck in Sydney for six days in a concrete jungle even though it is an iconic city with a Harbour Bridge, Opera House and so forth was not as conducive to refreshing as up here," Irvine said. To be fair, I've been on five Lions tours and after the second Test boys are physically and mentally exhausted. It's no different than going on safari in South Africa or the Bay of Islands in New Zealand for a few days to recover. We'll be up for it from training Wednesday. Steamrolling centre Jamie Roberts is fit enough for jet skiing and surfing on the evidence of recent days in the waters off Noosa but whether his hamstring is ready for a full-on Test decider in Sydney may not be clarified until a training run today. Irvine admitted the Lions Test side might be announced with bracketed players because halfback Mike Phillips (knee) and prop Alex Corbisiero (knee) are also "progressing well" but have to prove themselves 100 per cent fit today. Irvine did not hide how much the Lions would miss injured flanker Sam Warburton. I thought he was the outstanding player on the park for the first half last weekend in Melbourne. There will be a feeling of winning this Test for him in what is one of the biggest games for the Lions in 30 or 40 years," Irvine said. Irvine said the stamping case against James Horwill would still divide rugby judges 50-50 despite the Wallabies skipper winning his all-clear to play. Irvine, who played 60 Tests for the Lions and Scotland, said his own personal view was that Horwill's boot coming in contact with the face of Lions lock Alun Wyn Jones in the first Test had to be investigated initially. Horwill was cleared a second time yesterday by appeals officer Graeme Mew. We were as surprised as anybody when the IRB said they were going to investigate it.