Existentialism isn’t often the topic du jour after a topflight rugby “battle”, but this one definitely had an air of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” about it.
As it was played, there were many on social media going to great lengths to point out the immense importance of bringing the Richie Grays and the Dan Coles to Newcastle (see what I did there?), citing several reasons…
- Rugby Union is struggling in the region and needs a boost, and since the Lions are guests they need to respect the wishes of their host.
- It’s a good workout for the squad.
- It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for club players to take the field alongside the likes of BOD.
- It’s part of a Lions Tour tradition.
Since it is so easy to counter those arguments…
- Why don’t touring sides who come to Ireland turn out in non-rugby hotbeds like Kilkenny?
- An open training session is also a good workout and doesn’t risk injury anywhere near as much as a full-contact match.
- There’s a reason these players don’t take the field with the likes of BOD – they’re not good enough. If you must play a match to leave a legacy in the region, why not make it a contest and play a team like a Pacific Island XV?
- Don’t start me on the wisdom of doing things a certain way simply because it has always been thus!
…I have to assume any objectors were effectively being told to shut up accept the square peg being shoved through a round hole.
But hey – I’m a Leinster & Ireland rugby fan, and this was a match my guys featured heavily in, so although I had a few doubts, it wasn’t as though I planned to boycott it or anything. Besides…if I think too much about the relevance of this one game, it sets me on a road that leads me to question the 2013 tour itself and now it’s in full swing, THAT would definitely be pointless, at least at this stage.
So if we accept that this battle had to happen, did we learn anything from it? We most certainly did, though I’m not so sure the Lions management would be thrilled about it.
For his second outing in a row Sean O’Brien did more than just “make a statement” of his suitability for test recognition…he roared it directly into Warren Gatland’s ear and definitely put the Lions supremo’s Spring assertion that the squad captain wasn’t guaranteed a test start under scrutiny.
Sure, the opposition wasn’t ideal compared to that which Warburton faced on Saturday, but you can only play what’s in front of you and I can’t find a valid reason to select him ahead of any of the three back-rowers who started in Newcastle.
Justin Tipuric is another one who had a fine outing and will continue to give Gatland selection headaches when this tour is over and the full Welsh squad re-assembles in November. A master of body position and a McCaw-like commander of the breakdown area – surely an elite outfit like the Lions can’t be expected to hang around and wait for Warburton to reach full fitness when the Ospreys man as available?
Then there’s Heaslip. Perhaps he didn’t provide the yardage like in Perth but he did display once more his neat footwork holding the ball at the back of the scrum on more than one occasion, a skill that doesn’t need the quality of opponent taken into account for judgement and one that Faletau has had issues with.
So my question is this…if this match was indeed so important, will the coaching staff judge the good performances accordingly? They’re not the noises I’m hearing from the press conferences. It’s as though the fact the team took the foot off the pedal in the second half is being used as an excuse to tar the entire 23 with the same brush and the only “real” evaluation will begin next Saturday in Sydney.
Now I’m not suggesting that things were perfect by a long stretch. The 38-0 halftime lead could easily been more than doubled by an array of talent such as this. Dr Jamie Roberts in particular didn’t seem up for the contest, although I’d be inclined to liken him to a brain surgeon being asked to perform a routine appendectomy – he’ll be up to the task when the Wallabies come a-knockin.
Despite his shortcomings, the 11-14 combination were virtually unstoppable in the first half and it was as fine a display of decoy running, quick passing, line running and out and out pace as you’re likely to see. And they were ably supported by the Scottish internationals Hogg at 10 and Maitland at 15, though not enough to push into the test XV.
Halfpenny may have missed one conversion but was still able to get his mojo back and ended the game with yet another sweet strike from out wide and thus should top the placekicking pecking order IMO.
As for the Lions tailing off in the second term, I have to ask – can you REALLY blame them? Do we need to scrutinize every action of the final quarter when the result was done and dusted and they had to be more concerned about getting injured and missing the games that really do matter?
Not that Brian O’Driscoll fell into this category…I cringed when I saw him slide into a challenge in an attempt to hack the ball forward – fair play for his efforts to keep the scoreboard moving but from that moment his cautious steps around the pitch were a major concern.
But whatever about the justification of this match, it was pointless in one way, for although they came close on occasion and I’m sure Steve “Pretty Boy” Walsh would have given them a break if he could, the “country boys” were unable to trouble the scorers and the touring squad now moves on down the New South Wales coast to meet Michael Cheika’s Waratahs.
As for the legacy left by this encounter, all we can do is wait. That, and expect tour organisers to be a little more creative when it comes to naming rugby teams. JLP
My test matchday 23 as it stands (players with a chance of pushing for a spot in brackets)
Halfpenny, Cuthbert (Zebo), O’Driscoll, Roberts, North, Sexton, Phillips. Vunipola, Hibbard, Adam Jones, O’Connell, AW Jones, Warburton (c)*, O’Brien, Heaslip. BENCH : T Youngs, Corbisero (Grant), Cole, Parling, Tipuric, Murray (B Youngs), Farrell, Hogg.
* – needs to play out of his skin on Saturday to stay there
