Lions triumph–the benefits

How will the Lions’ victory payoff for British & Irish rugby down the line?

Will the Lions’ win in Australia inspire the younger generation?

It’s been a fantastic year for British & Irish sport, with dozens of medals being won in the Olympics, a British win at Wimbledon and a dazzling display down under by the Lions, while over in Ireland, Leinster had yet another successful season on the trophy front.

So…how will this inspire the younger generation?

With so many heroic headlines from such sports personalities in 2013, youngsters can’t help to be impressed and motivated by their success.

The Lions’ achieved their first series win in over a decade, bringing together rugby fans across Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland together to celebrate – with Lions’ rugby team wear everywhere. What’s more, the huge publicity has roped in people who normally aren’t interested in the sport – bringing extra supporters and helping to boost the numbers of grass level participants.

What are the other benefits of the win down under?

Awareness of any sport is likely to increase participation at the grassroots level, but a successful team tends to encourage longer engagement with the activity.

A rare win, such as the test series down under, will see people become much more involved – especially the young hopefuls who wish to one day represent their country on an international sporting level.

Many of the players in the winning side like Leigh Halfpenny, are still young which will make them more relatable and inspiring to the younger generation. It is easy to see the amount of dedication the younger players have put into earning their place on the squad, which shows the grassroots level players what they need to do in order to be successful.

How will the professionals respond?

As with any international competition, every player involved will have gained a vast amount of experience during the tournament. The British and Irish Lions always knew that they would be in the public eye, being role models for the next generation of rugby players.

They had to be on their best behaviour on and off the pitch and give their all at every game. While some of the players have been in this position previously, many younger players had to learn how to deal with the pressure very quickly. At a level like this, it’s make or break. These new skills will help to improve many other aspects of their game, allowing them to make better decisions and improving their teamwork.

How important was the rugby team wear?

Nowadays, nothing but the best quality equipment should be used for international matches. The rugby wear brings the players and the supporters together, uniting them all through a common element – the British and Irish Lions rugby shirts. Proudly worn by thousands in Australia and even more in Great Britain, a simple shirt can help bring people together, inspiring entire nations.

Rugby Clearance provide high level rugby teamwear and equipment at the biggest discount prices. With over 40 years of experience selling kit, equipment, and off field wear, Rugby Clearance have everything you need to make you look the part and bring you to the top of your game.

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3rd Test film breakdown–Part 2

The final part of a detailed look at How The (3rd) Test Was Won by Conor Philpott… (click here for part one)

The second test saw the Lions kick a lot as did the final test where it differed was how they kicked. In the opening two games we saw box kicks used quite a bit as well as garryowens  rarely did the Lions kick for territory. Jonathan Davies was used as a kicking option in this game and his left boot was very accurate and it took a great deal of pressure of Johnny Sexton. As I highlighted in the first test Sexton also liked to chip it over the flat Australian defence. This tactic would be pivotal to Sexton’s try. In his own 22 Sexton chips over the defence and the ball bounces around the ten metre line of the Lions after some indecision from I believe Joe Tomane North pounces on the ball and offloads to Davies in the tackle who manages to get rid of the ball before being driven out into touch where by an Australian brings the ball over the sideline. The Lions go from being deep in their own 22 to being on the edge of the Australian one with a superbly executed play and credit goes to Sexton, North and Davies for their work.

From the lineout the Lions go through several phases doing good work around the middle of the park and the right hand side of the field wearing down the Australian defence. Now we begin to see Gatland’s philosophy emerge and know why it can be effective. Decent carrying from both backs and forwards has left the Australians exposed on the right side of their defence (left attacking side for the Lions), Murray gives quick ball to Sexton and the threat is immediately apparent. Roberts is a decoy (black line) so  as attacking options the Lions have Bowe (green), Davies (blue), North (red circle) and Halfpenny (out of shot) while the Australians have Lealiifano, Joe Tomane and Will Genia who is acting as a sweeper (not in shot)

Halfpenny (blue) joins the line after Bowe offloads to Davies who is on his way to escaping the clutches of Lealiifano and North (red) is still outside if needs be. I’ve circled Johnny Sexton whose support play here should be noted he does a great job of keeping up with the play and giving the option inside as the play begins to develop.

Halfpenny takes the ball from Davies shows superb acceleration and sells a nice dummy to Genia. George Smith does well to grab hold of him but he manages to offload to Sexton who races in under the post. The score shows Gatland’s style at its most effective level combined with some lovely hands and some individual brilliance from Halfpenny and nice support from Sexton.

It reminds me of a similar opportunity for Australia in the second test. Notably, they had several crucial knockons, turnovers or penalties go against them. The Australians were guilty of forcing things instead of gradually wearing down the Lions defence they often gave the pass that wasn’t on that eventually would lead to lost ground or a turnover. There were several examples of Australia’s poor play with possession of the ball and how they managed to ruin a lot of their chances but I think the next image showcases this better than most. The Aussies have finally managed to strign some good play together, and on the 8th phase they are beginning to find some holes in the Lions defence. O’Connor lays off to Beale and the Wallabies have a 2 man overlap. It looks like real trouble for the Lions and a score is highly probable, however Beale lays his eye off the ball and spills it forward.

Now onto more sublime Halfpenny play. Genia clears his lines but fails to find touch the kick is too long for anyone to chase and Halfpenny is given a good 20m of space to run into and he chooses to do so. He shows great acceleration and footwork  to fend off both Genia and Joe Tomane and executes the 2 on 1 with George North to perfection and North scores his second try of the test series he won’t get many easier than that in his career!

In the second test Halfpenny had a chance to counter but chose not to take it, while I imagine he wouldn’t have scored it what annoyed me here was that his first instinct was to kick and that he didn’t even look up at the space in front of him or the options he had. Halfpenny has a comfortable 10m in which to run into a fractured Oz defensive line is full of holes and opportunities like it was for North’s try he also has Bowe to use if he wants the pass is risky but makeable and Bowe would certainly make ground but he doesn’t even think of these options simply kicking it away.

Finally we have Jamie Roberts’ try. The Lions have earned a line out just outside the Australian 22 and secure it with Murray taking the ball on. in the still below he has options in both North and Roberts. Hooper and James O’Connor are focusing solely on North while Lealiifano is opposite Roberts but seems to have his eyes on the ball and the possibility of North getting it.

Milliseconds later (yes literally) Lealiifano takes half a step to the left. Murray is now about to pass to Roberts. That one small step takes Lealiifano out of it and he doesn’t have enough time to adequately adjust and get to Roberts who shows great speed and burst to scamper away for the easy score.

That’s it you’ll be glad to know. The Lions won the test series well in the end, the bold choices paid off in most aspects with Faletau’s carrying aiding greatly as did the work of Hibbard and O’Brien in the pack. Davies’ kicking game helped although I think BOD may have been as effective had he played. The gameplan had its issues but was largely successful. Had the Lions not been so dominant in the scrum I wonder would they have won but that’s neither here nor there. Congrats to Warren and company on a successful tour.

Conor Philpott (@cphilpott95) is a proud Corkonian, and a massive sports fan with rugby being his sport of choice. Be it Munster, his club Highfield, the Lions or Ireland, Conor will probably be watching rugby in some shape or form

3rd Test film breakdown–Part 1

A detailed look at How The (3rd) Test Was Won by Conor Philpott…

While many people on this side of the Atlantic lost a lot of interest in the Lions after Brian O’Driscoll was dropped (personally, I wasn't too surprised, for how Gatland wanted to play, BOD wasn’t the guy despite doing a damned good effort at doing so and doing some stellar work in defence), the final test finished with an emphatic win with great thanks to the forwards and the front row in particular (that old adage that “forwards win games, backs decide by how much” certainly rang true with the pack being the key factor to the win). A knock on by Will Genia straight from the kickoff allowed the Lions an opportunity to set an early marker.

Australia gave up a free kick for early engagement and the Lions set away immediately with Phillips’ quick tap. Sean O’Brien didn't have too many opportunities to carry the ball in the game but his contribution to the opening score was key. Backed up by Faletau and Corbisiero he marches about 5m about 3m to the Australian line. 2 phases later the Lions would score through Corbisiero. Up to this point the Lions have shown an ability to score tries in the first few phases. This was their third try in the series with the scores coming off first third and fifth phase. Corbisiero’s score and Johnny Sexton’s later on exemplify the style Gatland wishes to play.Hard yards gained in the tight through backs and forwards leaving gaps in the defence, the threat of Phillips around the fringes was also key to the first try.

I’m going to take a quick look at the difference between Mako Vunipola and Alex Corbisiero at scrum time. Vunipiola struggled greatly against Ben Alexander for most of the second test it was only when Steve Kepu came on and the introduction of Dan Cole and Richard Hibbard did Vunipola gain parity or better him. He bored in (a loosehead  prop angles himself inward putting more pressure on both the opposing tighthead and the hooker. It is illegal and can also be quite dangerous.) quite a bit and in my opinion could have been penalised more by Craig Joubert.

The first image is of Vunipola and the second is of Corbisiero. You see the arched back with Vunipola’s head and eyes facing down. A coach once told me that you should always be looking up in a scrum, like you are peering over a pair of sunglasses otherwise you will end up going straight to ground. I don’t think he was wrong. Corbisiero is quite straight and actually able to get underneath Alexander in an effort to try and get him to pop up. The Lions lost some work in the loose with Corbisiero there but the prowess of their scrum more than made up for it.

Credit goes to Gatland for some of his bold selection calls which in some aspects were paying dividends. Toby Faletau was targeted by the Australians at kickoff time and I’m not sure why they persisted with the tactic for so long. He continuously made yards and broke Australian tackles. In this shot he and Welsh teammates Alun Wyn Jones, Richard Hibbard and Dan Lydiate get a nice maul going that runs for about 10 metres.

The backrow had a very nice balance to it. Lydiate was his usual self in the tackling department with 9 total and none missed he combined well with O’Brien in making turnovers and halting Australian attacks. The next shot shows O’Brien win a penalty after a crunching tackle from Lydiate. O’Brien’s role was different than that at Leinster and Ireland but he racked up the tackles and as discussed above made key yards when asked. Faletau did the bulk of the carrying very effectively it has to be said.

It would be fair to say that the Lions did struggle in attack at times. I’m going to highlight one period of the match when the Lions have a commanding lead. You should notice two things about the first still one is that Faletau and O’Brien are working together which is great but also the HSBC sign which is about four or five metres inside the Australian 10m line. That was the first phase of this attack and the Lions start behind it. The final phase shows Johnny Sexton attempt a drop goal which narrowly misses (he is of course standing a bit behind the gainline in order to avoid being blocked but the Lions failed to make serious inroads). While credit goes to superb Australian defence particularly with a man in the sinbin, the Lions went 27 phases and made only about 10m (they were on the edge of the 22 at one point but they failed to breach it) their gameplan had its struggles certainly that I think was saved by the dominant scrum which gave them 12 points (the first try also came partially on the back of a scrum with a Lions free kick putting them on the front foot)

 

Australia’s try came on the cusp of halftime and it wasn’t a great try to give away in truth. The first still shows quite a big gap between Roberts and Sexton, perhaps showing that they lacked a bit of communication and understanding having not played together in a test environment. James O’Connor has a man inside him should he need him for the pop. Sexton seems concerned about this not willing to commit himself to O’Connor for the easy pop inside. Jamie Roberts is quite fast but could he haul down O’Connor an international class winger? Sean O’Brien is drifting across and trying to close a gap that exists between him and Sexton, O’Connor spots this gap and decides to back himself. Sexton still seems uncertain and not fully committed as O’Connor steps inside, his tackle attempt is quite poor for a guy who is a great defender usually but a lot of credit must go to O’Connor who shows marvellous footwork to evade Sexton and the incoming O’Brien. He initially looks to go for the gap between the centre and outhalf but his superb step immediately changes things and leaves Sexton vulnerable as he isn’t perfectly set to tackle and catches Sexton off guard and in poor position. While Sexton’s tackle is poor and below his high standards O’Connor’s work here is outstanding.

PART TWO WILL PUBLISH THURSDAY

Conor Philpott (@cphilpott95) is a proud Corkonian, and a massive sports fan with rugby being his sport of choice. Be it Munster, his club Highfield, the Lions or Ireland, Conor will probably be watching rugby in some shape or form

Gatland’s player management

BOD could do no more in tests 1 & 2 but it clearly wasn’t enough for Warren, writes James Griffin.

The coach of a professional rugby team who aspires to team and personal success can learn quite a bit from best practice in business management. People management and enabling people to give of their best are essential if a business is to succeed; that equates to good player management and enabling players to perform to optimum levels in a sports environment. In short, good people management and a good strategy are required for success in sport as much as in business.

It may sound easy or intuitive but player management is challenging and even more so in a Lions tour context where former adversaries are expected to put sometimes entrenched national and / or club rivalries to one side and gel as a team pursuing a common goal. If the coach gets it right, the chances of success are greatly improved; if the coach gets it wrong, failure is almost guaranteed.

For the sports coach, getting the right people with the right skills and experience in the right place at the right time and all implementing an appropriate game strategy are key parts of running a successful team.

So where does our Mr. Gatland stand? Has he chosen the right people with the right skills and experience in the right positions at the right time doing the right things in the right way.

Lets consider the position of outside centre. The player selected for the third test does have the appropriate skills to correctly perform the duties of the position but is he the right player or best player available in that position? I don't think so. Does he have the right experience? Yes, but again I think there is a better and more experienced player available for selection in that position. Is it the right time to make such a change? Given that this next game is a series decider, absolutely no in my view. Is the player selected capable of doing the right things in the right way? Yes he is, but to date on tour he has not done so consistently. Some of that inconsistency is attributable to him being selected out of position by the coach. Has the more experienced player done the right things in the right way? Notwithstanding poor quality ball from a pack struggling to secure its own line out and scrum ball and an inside centre not accustomed to that position, the player performance statistics from both tests to date clearly show that the more experienced player has consistently done the right things in the right way.

In short, my view is that Brian O'Driscoll has done all that was required of him in defence in the first two tests and indeed more but had little opportunity to attack in those games and has taken the rap for a flawed team selection and game strategy - a systems failure attributable to the coach who is ultimately responsible. As for the change at no. 8, I find that equally baffling.

Leaving all the management speak aside, I suspect that Roberts and Davies were Gatland's preferred centre partnership all along and that if Roberts had been fit for the last two tests, he would have been selected by Gatland. On that basis, Gatland can rationalise his decision - going with his first preference and Brian O'Driscoll has had two more Lions tests than he ever intended to give him.

Will the Lions win? I hope so. But the manner in which this has been handled leaves a sour taste - Brian O'Driscoll is at least worth a bench place especially when looking at the player performance statistics from last week and that extra magic that only he seems to be able to conjure up. I would have picked him to start.

For me the Lions concept and Lions jersey has been devalued on this tour.

James Griffin is originally from Tipperary, lives in Dublin where he is married to a Dubliner and Leinster supporter. He supports Ireland, then Munster and after that, other Irish teams when his own is not involved.

Lions : just another excuse to claw each others eyes out

Please welcome new HoR contributor Iain O’Connor who offers his two cents on the BOD debate…

This isn’t how I wanted it to be. I had a rant all written and put together on how tribalism can drive teams to succeed and in the case of the Lions can drive individuals to excel for the sake of the team. But let’s face it, that’s pretty pointless given the events of the last 48 hours.

I have to admit I love the Lions. The idea of four nations binding together as a group and going to take on a top team, being able to throw off petty differences for one bash at glory. The idea that players who normally make you spit bile and tremble with fear are now suddenly there to be cheered on is a unique experience and one I personally have always taken to.

Memories of Guscott’s drop goal in 97, BOD burning Burke in Australia last time out, Brian Moore’s fists in 89 and Gareth Erdwards’ sideburns are ones we can all share as a collective. This is what I always considered to be the magic of the Lions. That was up until Wednesday morning.

As of now I stand disillusioned with the Lions. Let down by the whole thing. A little bit empty about the concept. But not for the reasons you think.

I have come to the realisation that my vision of the Lions is one that is not shared widely and ever since BOD-gate I have been slightly repulsed by the reaction of “fans”, journalists, former players and the internet. I think we can safely say that the decision to drop Brian O’Driscoll was not one that was taken lightly by anybody involved. I would imagine that telling BOD that he was out was one of the most difficult conversations Warren Gatland has ever had to have but as Gatland has repeated since, it was a rugby decision and one he feels had to be made to win on Saturday.

Whether you agree that the team is better or worse off without BOD is a conversation for elsewhere. Whether or not I personally agree with it is beside the point. The point I want to get across is that it was made with one goal in mind. One aim. Winning.

The fact that in the last 24/48 hours people have called into question whether or not Gatland wants to win this series is both ridiculous and petty. The internet has been abuzz with audacious claims of conspiracy and I have even seen it touted that he wants to sure up his position with the Welsh by giving them as many places as possible. I am willing to put half of this down to being reactionary nonsense and the other half, well you know what they say about the internet and logical argument, they go together like the Wesboro Baptists and decency.

The justice for BOD pages on Facebook and the so 2009 “Hitler reacts” videos are not enough to upset me. I know what the internet is and how it is like the Luas Red Line; full of people with weird opinions who you don’t want to make eye contact with. The naked men from Portumna did upset me but in a very different way. No, the thing that has me most annoyed over the whole debacle is the reactions of people I actually respect. Having listened to the Second Captains podcast and heard Ken and Murph proclaim their support for the Australians I almost went back to Off The Ball/GAA Chat or whatever it is called now. But here we had two great broadcasters/podcasters who’s opinions I have the upmost respect for proclaiming their support, or probably more accurately their rejection, of a team over one selection decision.

I am not from Galway but can someone let me know do the French flags come out of there are no Connacht players in the Irish team? When Ireland played the New Zealand with a predominantly Leinster team did the other 3 provinces turn black? No? Didn’t think so.

Former pros have been needlessly adding to the agro with Keith Wood questioning whether or not Gatland gets the Lions ethos, Willie John has even popped up to suggest that the squad selection has been done by the Aussie press. Both may, in a lot of people’s eyes, have points but this is possibly the worst time to make them. Mr. McBride said that Deans is laughing all the way and I would say he is now that he is watching us eat each other for breakfast.

You have to at some point remember that on Saturday there is a test to play and 22 Lions have to be prepared to go out for one of the biggest games of their career. The press talk is probably not helpful but the talk from former Lions and legends is destructive.

What surprises me most is that I am not surprised that this has happened. It has been somewhat inevitable. Since the squad was announced there has been an underlying air or negativity towards the tour and towards its management. For every injury there has been someone in green who has been heralded as the must-go replacement. For every dip in form there is an Irishman who would do a better job and as day follows night a team selection is always followed up with a Welsh bias mantra. None of which came with a genuine want to win tests, all of which came with a want to get as many players capped as possible. I am not suggesting that we are the only people at this, all four nations are doing the same proving that tribalism is far easier than tour unity.

As for the Welsh bias, I don’t think anybody in their right mind could argue that Wales are not the best team on the northern half of this planet. England are a steadily growing team who will come good in a year or two, the Scots are average and we are going into a time of great change after a season best compared to standing in dog poo; a nasty experience that we need to move on from quickly. It makes sense that the Welsh were always going to make up the bulk of the squad. They just won a championship without a manager for Christ sake. Take the aftermath of the first test as an example, nobody was shouting about bias when Mike Philips was dumped for having a bad game in a win, if anything I think he was dropped quicker to over compensate. Alex Cuthbert has been dropped without so much as a whimper having scored a try in a test. Hibbard and Youngs have been inseparable on form yet the Englisman got the nod for the first two tests and so on.

So this is why I am disillusioned with the Lions. What could have been a great chance to show unity and win a series has descended into everybody grabbing what they can and shouting I told you so. It could have been a great example of European rugby but instead we have a sniping from the long grass and people proclaiming their allegiance to Australia for one game. Maybe it is a historical thing? Maybe it is in our genes that we just can’t get along without reverting to taking what we can and damning our partners. Maybe the EU is doomed to the same fate eventually too. I fully expect there to e people who won’t cheer on the Lions this Saturday out of spite but I for one will be with extra gusto. As for four years’ time though? Well I just won’t get my hopes up.

I had a conversation this morning with my father in which he proclaimed “I couldn’t give a sh*t if the Lions is 15 Welsh lads, if they win I am celebrating” and I have to say I absolutely agree.

Iain O’Connor (@iain_not_ian) is a Leinster fan who should have retired from playing bad standard rugby years ago. Part time stand up comedian and full time radio person he is the presenter and creator of Heave, a schools rugby show on Dublin South FM. He also likes rugby league and names Alisona Taumalolo as his hero.

#ShouldHaveBeenCaptain

Gatland’s decision doesn’t just go against the Irish, but also the Lions concept in general, says Kristian Ross…

Early Wednesday morning came, I was on the way to work, I refreshed my Twitter feed from the night before and what do I see ? Warren Gatland has dropped Brian O’Driscoll from the final test against Australia for this coming Saturday.

I couldn't quite believe it. The fact that Gatland who has already made a copious amount of controversial squad decisions and call ups this tour has had the nerve to drop the biggest player of my generation. A man who has scored the most tries in the Six Nations, a man who has had European success on four different occasions, and who was described yesterday by Irish rugby legend Willie John McBride ‘’ the best player that Ireland have ever produced’’.

When you think of the number 13 in rugby, immediately BOD springs to mind. A player with superb tactical knowledge, who knows the ins and outs of the game, and a unit that is always associated with the word ‘’gamechanger’’. Gatland not only has caused uproar by leaving out O’Driscoll, but has also said it was ‘’the right call’’.

Brian yesterday was quoted as being ‘’disappointed’’ however he of course said he will be fully behind the Lions come Saturday morning. Needless to say some fans especially within Ireland have finally snapped and have lost interest and I have to say, I cannot blame them. Gatland has been what I can only describe as a shambles, and even Australia head coach Robbie Deans is shocked at the omission. Surely Australian fans must just be laughing all the way.

None other than NZ rugby hero Dan Carter tweeted also voicing his concerns at Gatland’s maddening decision using the hashtag ‘’Should Have Been Captain’’. Keith Wood also expressed his opinion too, and clearly he didn't share the same views as WG. Brian hasn't had the stand out tour that everyone thought he would have, but he hasn't been incredibly poor, so therefore the reason to drop him still remains a mystery.

With the loss of Paul O’Connell in the squad, and the injury that ruled out Sam Warburton, O’Driscoll was odds on favourite of becoming the captain at the weekend. Not just because he displays exemplary talent, but because he displays leadership to the highest magnitude. A grace decision has been made by a coach that I personally believe hasn't a clue about the Lions concept and has ended the British and Irish Lions career of one player on a rather sour note. In all you can say the word legend is overused, but at the end of the day Brian O’Driscoll is one.

I'm Kristian. 18. And my mind is filled with rugby shaped thoughts. Supporting Ulster Rugby, Newcastle Falcons and of course the mighty Ireland. Tommy Bowe is the MAN !!!! SUFTUM.

Lions tour dying a death

reproduced from Fergal Cantwell’s blog with permission from author

Is it time to liven up the Lions tour?

Change is always frowned upon, when it comes to tradition but maybe we have arrived at a situation where change is needed. The Lions tour still generates huge interest but it’s not the animal that it used to be. Wouldn’t it be interesting to play this game in a Ryder Cup format? The best of the Northern Hemisphere versus the best of the Southern. A bi-annual series with home advantage switching between north and south.

How European rugby followers would love to see this. The Lions tour goes to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Wouldn’t it be fantastic for fans that will never be able to travel to support the Lions, to know that every second year, they would be playing either in their country or very close to home. What a boost to rugby in the country that is honoured with hosting the test series.

Two panels picked from the best of the north versus the best of the south, a mouth watering prospect. The likes of Parisse from Italy and any other European that isn’t British or Irish would be biting at the bit to get involved in something like this. What a sight to see a team made up of South Africans, Aussies, All Blacks, Fijians and the other Islanders and of course Argentinians.

Of course this will never happen, tradition is tradition and in rugby, tradition weighs a bit more than in other sports. It is however an interesting debate, the pros far out weigh the cons and the prospect of two such sides meeting is far more than just appealing. The Ryder Cup has that bite in it that is hard to explain. A rugby version of this could be an event to be envied by all other sports. The European Lions, it maybe a dream, but what a dream it would be.

Fergal Cantwell is from Kilkenny, he mostly writes on sports and humour and sometimes tries to mix both. He likes to stir up talking points to get the views of others into the mix. He doesn't write matter of factly and is open to correction, his blog is opinion based and as such, welcomes the opinions of others. You can follow him on twitter @fergalcantwell and his blog page is fjcantwell.wordpress.com

Keego on…Brian & Brains

Gatty’s bed is made, now he must Lion it* – but technique will always beat force, says Keego…

I was going to give you the summer off from my insane rugby ramblings.

I thought you may need some time to recharge the nonsense batteries, but then it happened. Yesterday morning mad Gatty did it. He finally crossed that barrier that we all thought he would never cross. He went and picked THAT team for the deciding test against Australia.

I am going to try and keep the green jersey off and be objective about this.

I thought I would break it down into a few different parts, just to keep the ramble to a minimum.

Firstly, the leaving out of the match day squad of Brian O’Driscoll. Even with the green jersey safely tucked away into the wardrobe; this is a call that beggars belief. If a team is picked on form and the stats are being looked at then Drico is in the team. He missed zero (ZERO) tackles in the last test. The only glimpses of inventiveness during the tests so far have come from him. The logical thing to do would be to make him captain from 13. But as we all know, using logic and Gatland in the one sentence doesn’t fit well. Picking Davies instead of O’Driscoll after missing 3 important tackles, 1 of which cost the Lions the match is crazy. Davies is dwarfed in terms of skill and tackling by O’Driscoll. If you ask Jamie Roberts who he would rather play with, we all know that answer. At least O’Driscoll got shown the respect of being talked to about the decision before the announcement. Something that Kidney never gave him.

Secondly, the leaving out of Jamie Heaslip from the match day squad. If you take it as read that Gatland wants to try and pulverize the wallabies with a monster team selection, leaving Heaslip in his suit is another mad call from a mad man. Look at the stats, look at the form being shown at the business end of the season, look at the lack of leaders on the pitch and you really can’t leave him out of the squad. He has been a tackling and carrying demon on the tour and has been in a better vein of form than he was in 2009. He has led his national team as well as his province but is still left out. Wynne Jones is picked as captain, even though he has minimal experience (one) of captaining his national side.

Thirdly, and lastly, the obvious game plan that Gatland and his team look to be going with on Saturday. Warren G (not the rapper, although he might pick a more sensible team) has picked the biggest team he can. The only stat he has looked at is the kg’s. It appears that he wants to try and batter the wallabies. After all this time plotting and planning, this is the best plan he can come up with. It is obvious he is rattled because he and his Welsh management team have picked 10 Welsh in the starting 15. This is not about national allegiances; this is about a coach who is under pressure. When we, as civilians, have our backs against the wall, or we feel out of our depth, we always revert to type. This is why 10 Welsh are in the starting 15. These are the players he feels he can trust. Even though Mike Phillips has been very much out of form and Roberts is coming off an injury, he is still picking them. Murray looked to be the best 9 of the tour so far last week, the only plus for him is that he is on the bench. Davies looked to be out of his depth last week, but he is picked ahead of the only proven leader left in the squad.

At the end of the day, in any kind of conflict, technique will always beat force. The Wallabies are not a great team; they are being made look like one by a rudderless Lions team and a coach who is frightened on the biggest stage he has ever been on. Barring some individual genius, such as the genius shown by George north in test 1, the Lions will struggle hugely to dent the wallabies, let alone win. The Wallabies already addressed the North issue in test 2.

Warren Gatland is killing the franchise that is the Lions. He decided to bring his Welsh coaching staff instead of sprinkling in some other top coaches such as Joe Schmidt. The Lions board are getting exactly what they deserve.

As usual, if you would like to debate / abuse / discuss the above with me then feel free to tweet me @nkeegan. And for more of the same head on over to www.thedailyclothesline.com

Until next time….

Keego (@nkeegan): Blogger, former professional wrestler, sometime attempted rugby player (@TheThirsty3rds), professional procrastinator and attempted musician with a fondness for long walks on the bar, tea and the couch. Opinionated Leinster fan and constant gardener.

* = the editor takes full responsibility for that shocking pun.

Heroics from Wallabies tame Lions?

Was Saturdays performance from the Lions lacking in able minds rather than able bodies? asks new HoR2 contributor The 2nd Row Half…

The golden generation, a team full of excellence, came very close, but in the end just didn't make it (yet) and Australia levelled it up, to head into a winner takes all mouth watering clash this weekend.

We have to give the Wallabies a lot of credit especially considering the amount of injuries they were forced to contend with, both before and during the 1st test.

However, How much of the result can we attribute to one team being smarter than the other?

When Munster won Heineken cups in their heyday, many a commentator often referred to them, as the "most streetwise team". This without doubt was the case, and it was intelligence and craft which aided them In their pursuit of glory.

Without being critical of individual performances there are a few glaring mistakes made on Saturday, which a team like a Munster Heineken Cup team simply wouldn't have made.

We start at the very first lineout,

1 minute gone. Lions LO, call Heaslip at the front, pass back to Hooker who is tackled into touch. A great move when called at the right time, the right time however is not in the first minute when the opposition are fresh, both physically and mentally.

17 mins in and after a 5 man lineout which Sexton is forced to tidy, the lions persist with "round the corner" runners into a forward crowded midfield, for 4 phases without getting near the gain line, eventually it's knocked on and an AUS scrum. Game plans are there for a reason but players needed to look up and realise what's on. The ball back to the touch line was on, restart from a ruck, they were already behind the gain line and couldn't have had a much worse outcome.

3 mins later a neat lineout at the front and Davies hits in midfield, this time the Lions do get over the gain line but a box kick back to the wing, gives away possession and any chance to build momentum.

58 mins and after Connor Murray hacks through a clearance kick, an AUS lineout on their 10 metre line should mean a bit of a break from the constant pressure, but a needless penalty for obstruction at the lineout and it's Australia back on the attack.

All of the above may seem like very little mistakes but they add up. They have an impact on momentum and ultimately on the result. Great teams who win cups and championships generally make less mistakes like these than their opponents.

Will this Saturday come down to a case of not only who scrums, tackles and kicks better? but who in the heat of battle has the intelligence and know-how to be a Lions series winner.

I for one, can't wait to find out.

[added Wed morn]  Still coming to terms with the team announcement and the shock of BOD being left out. Although he wasn't at his very best in the last test I find it hard to see how he was worse than his centre partner. Gatland has obviously went for the power game.

The scrum is well strengthened with the return of Corbisero and O'Brien won't be found wanting when it comes to work rate and carrying.

Phillips will be hoping that the forwards are dominant so that he can put up a better showing than the 1st test.

I'm just very hopeful that it doesn't come down to solely a Brains vs Brawn contest because as my piece yesterday showed, the lions aren't winning that battle at the minute.

The 2nd row Half : Rugby Player, Coach and Nerd. From the club house to the National stadium, My take on all things Rugby

Interested in writing for HoR2 yourself? Click here to find out how.

Finding the right balance

Munster, Ireland & Lions fan @trevormurphy73 shares some thoughts on the Lions…

(note : written before team announcement)

It has been an interesting week for the IRB, the citing system and the Lions in general.

Firstly we had a shambolic decision from the judiciary when James Horwill was acquitted. The reason for the citing was a stamp on the head of Alun Wyn Jones an opposing lock forward who was prone and unable to move at the bottom of a ruck. Firstly it was a cowardly act by Horwill. Secondly the QC who presided over the first hearing is obviously a moron or a defence attorney at heart! You might think that’s a bit strong, but look at his decision... There is no logic in it!

1. He said there could be no certainty of an intentional act of stamping: There is a little wriggle room on this one as to be honest I don’t think Nigel Hampton QC is psychic, however I presume there has to be a modicum of intelligence and common sense to be able to do his job? Look at the manner that James Horwill brought his foot down and it is damned obvious he meant to do harm. He may not have intended to stamp on AWJ’s skull but it’s his responsibility to make sure he doesn’t stamp on anyone. He was balanced and decided to bring his right foot closer to his left and stamp down with every intent to do harm. I don’t have to be psychic to know what was going on. Wake up Nigel Hampton QC.

2. He found that Horwill was trying to regain his balance after being driven off balance at a maul: The video footage clearly shows he was not off balance as a ruck formed. He was at the side of the ruck where he took his cowardly opportunity to stamp on AWJ. I have an experiment for you all now. Stand with your feet inside the width of your shoulders. Ask someone to gently push you by your shoulder. Once you begin to lose balance what do you do with your legs? Spread them to make your balance more secure or quickly bring your feet closer? Simple little test of logic that shows what utter bullshit the eminent QC came up with in his “verdict”

If that act had been perpetrated by a northern hemisphere player in the NH he would have been banned quickly and for a long time. No question about that. In the Southern Hemisphere it seem that offences against the British & Irish Lions are a pre-requisite and above the law. There have been far too many of this cowardly kind of act going unpunished or at best weakly punished. The Herald Sun decided to prompt people to tweet the hastag #justiceforhorwill on twitter as if he was the victim... This just proves my theory above.

The whole event also brought the lunatic fringe out of the woodwork comparing the incident to the Paul O’Connell Dave Kearney incident. The difference between the two was POC was aiming for the ball. Yes, I felt he should have been cited but I also think he would have been cleared at a hearing. Not certain but given he was striking out at the ball and clipped DK with his shin/calf the balance of probability would be a not guilty verdict. There was no ball for JH to aim for! JH made contact using his studs!

Many fans and people within the rugby world felt this was a slippery slope for the IRB. Many times I saw tweets along the lines of “keep trying the case until you get the verdict you want”. Seriously...? This is not the first time the IRB have gotten involved after a citing result. It doesn’t happen often but it has happened. The previous case involved Adam Thompson where the IRB appealed the length of the ban received. Thompson had been banned for a week and the IRB stepped in. If you look at the video impartially you can see it was a bad incident. When I first saw it I was shocked at how serious it was. Turns out I was right. There will be many who argue the decisions involved but the facts are clear. Look at it again and see the offending player go from a stable position to one inherently unstable except for the skull he was using to stay balanced.

On the playing side of this series I fear we are in some deep trouble. The Lions have been very strong in defence but you cannot expect to win a series being defensive for 80 minutes. We are lacking line breakers in midfield. Australia were entirely too comfortable defending against this Lions side in the second test. We did look dangerous when our wide players ran the ball from deep. We have some serious gas out wide and deep but we are kicking the ball away far too often. I hope the players can break the game plan in the last test and show their abilities. You do not beat a SH team too often relying on set plays all the time. Look at NZ when they play, their wide players see mismatches quickly and capitalise. Their players aren’t twice as fast as North, Bowe and ½p they just use the space more efficiently.

The key to getting the a win against Australia will be players taking the ball up hard and breaking the gain line and the support shutting down the Australian back row from creating turnovers. Given this and quick distribution we can build momentum until we get some mismatches. It’s a simple game really. Get your opponents moving backwards, get the big lads defending in wide channels, apply pressure and force mistakes. The inclusion of Sean O’Brien in the back row could make a significant difference. He is a natural ball carrier and takes a lot of stopping. However, If he is stopped the Lions have to quickly redirect their attack to find the spaces left by two or three man tackles against O’Brien or the centres. Fingers are well and truly crossed for this game folks! All I can say now is

LLLLLLLLLLLLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIOOONNNNNNSSSS

LLLLLLLLLLLLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIOOONNNNNNSSSS

LLLLLLLLLLLLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIOOONNNNNNSSSS

I’m Trevor, 39. A passionate Munster and Irish Rugby Fan. I have strong opinions on this beautiful game of ours. Stand up and fight!

The Pagano Preview #15

This normally features on the main HoR page but we keep a copy over here for archive purposes.

Next Monday is a day I call “Rugby New Year’s Day”. 

July 1st is generally the date new Northern Hemisphere contracts come into effect – for example, Matt O’Connor should be officially taking the reins at Leinster then, though no doubt he has already begun behind the scenes.

Of course with this being a Lions year however, the previous season is still going on with the test series still in the balance.  So what say we have a look at how I see things panning out.

***

Friday, June 28

Super Rugby

Chiefs v Hurricanes, 8:35am

Saturday, June 29

Lions Tour

Australia v Lions, 11:05am

Forming conspiracy theories is always a dangerous practice, because you leave yourself open to people questioning your sanity!

But as I look ahead to this Melbourne encounter I can’t help but focus on the constant reminders I see everywhere about just how important this tour is to rugby union in Australia. 

The game is fighting a losing battle with the league code and Aussie Rules for the public’s attention…the mindset appears to be similar to that in the USA where people aren’t that pushed to see their nation compete against the rest of the world and are instead more than content to witness city v city contests within their own borders.

So with this in mind, a series defeat against the travelling Lions would do the 15-man version absolutely no favours.

Now before you call the men in the white coats…no, I’m not suggesting for a minute that the Lions are going to “throw” the series for the sake of selling a few more Super Rugby season tickets!

Still though…when it comes to this second test, I don’t think it would be the worst thing in the world from the ARU’s standpoint for them to at least have an even series going into the third one so they could make full use of the media hype before what would be the Sydney decider kicks off.

All I’m saying is that it will be very interesting to see how this game is handled by the two sides and officials.  Brian O’Driscoll said in a midweek interview that it was crucial to the Lions that they wrap up the series in two, here’s hoping that is the case.

Not that the Wallabies don’t have the ability to win this match fair and square of course!  Even with the absentees from the Brisbane test.

One player who has been passed fit is Christian Leali’ifano.  On purely medical grounds, I have my suspicions as to his readiness for this match…a blow to the head that has you stretchered off in the first minute doesn’t sound like something you can fully recover from in a week.  But assuming he’s fine, he will be crucial to Robbie Deans’ plans and I’d say one of the reasons James O’Connor remains at 10 is that they haven’t had the chance to run the game plan they prepared yet.

Of course there were some enforced changes but they were in the back three and despite his slipups we still got a sense of what Kurtley Beale can bring to the table and the Lions will know that poor kicking from the hand will cost them dearly.

The tourists had to make some alterations themselves but the most interesting difference was at scrum-half where it seems Mike Phillips has been tossed overboard despite being an integral part of Warren’s original plans.  This move really surprised me; not that he deserved to retain his place after Brisbane, I just thought the coach would keep faith with him.  I guess I have to remind myself that it’s not Declan Kidney!

Ben Youngs is of course a different type of 9 but his attitude has impressed me on this tour and I think he can link up will with Sexton to get the Lions’ gainline breakers where they need to be.  Plus, much like his opposite number, he has a good eye for a quick tap and go.

Elsewhere in the backline Tommy Bowe’s recovery sees him placed straight back into a starting role…with his try last week Alex Cuthbert may feel aggrieved but it’s the right call in my opinion.  The Welsh winger can provide some bash off the bench in the closing stages against a weary home defence while Bowe is better defensively.

Now, to the forwards, and the biggest talking point has to be Horwill.  I am still inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt re: his intentions, but still the IRB have made a mockery of the whole affair by wading in and “appealing” the citing commissioner’s decision.  What if the appeal is upheld and he is found guilty?  That would call his presence in this second test into question and would be worse if he played a key role in a triumph for the home side.

Anyway despite the controversy Wallaby pack lineup remains the same, while there have been a few pieces moved around the board on the Lions side.  The loss of Paul O’Connell will be most felt, especially as I reckon his quick thinking & experience on our own line helped win us the first test.

His absence sees Geoff Parling join the starting XV…he will add pressure to the Wallaby lineout but it also means we will need a full 80 minutes from Alun-Wyn Jones.  Tom Croft is officially second row cover but I’m sure Gatland would rather have him as a back-row option.

And speaking of back-row options…Sean O’Brien makes the bench!  Of course I feel he should start but I reckon Lydiate/Warburton/Heaslip is as close as Gatland can get to his “ideal” 678 combo without courting accusations of Welsh bias.  Still, he will certainly be chomping at the bit to get on and overall the Lions bench has much more of a “game changer” look to it than last week.

Basically this contest boils down to the ability of the Lions to respond when they are taken out of their comfort zone.  A lot of prep work has been done by the coaches and they seem well drilled in set plays…but the Aussies are most likely to strike when things are more broken and it is here where we will be tested most.

So I suppose what I’m saying is that we need to keep those broken play opportunities to a minimum, and one of the best ways we can do that is to avoid getting on the wrong side of the ref as we did with Chris Pollock.  I’m not as inclined to blame him as many are…he reffed the first test as he saw things and we could have been better prepared.  If Joubert isn’t going to allow us contest for the ball, then we need to be able to adjust our approach accordingly, and fast.

Which brings me to my prediction.  The bookies are shading it for the tourists much like last week, but this time I’m not inclined to agree.  Whether it’s to keep the series alive for the public’s perception or whether it’s because the Lions were lucky last week and will be caught out this time around I’m not sure….let’s say I’m 70% in favour of the latter.  Australia by 4

Women’s Rugby World Cup 7s

As far as I can make out, only Ireland’s third pool match is on the “main pitch” and thus will be covered by the IRB’s live streaming…the only problem there is that most people will be watching the closing stages of the 2nd Lions test at that point!

But don’t forget the girls and I’m sure there will be regular updates via twitter (@IRBwomens) for their opening fixtures earlier that morning. 

Whatever they achieve in Moscow, their mere presence at the event is crucial for Irish rugby as we prepare for Rio in 2016 and as Cian Aherne says in his post on The Touchline blog, hopefully there is still time for a men’s team to be formed by then as well.

South Africa v Ireland, 7:06am

Australia v Ireland, 9:40am

Ireland v China, 12:58pm

Super Rugby

Highlanders v Crusaders, 8:35am

Sharks v Blues, 1:50pm

Bulls v Southern Kings, 4:05pm

Stormers v Cheetahs, 6:15pm

***

Be sure and enjoy your rugby this weekend wherever you are. JLP

Lions Selector Panel – Epilogue Pt2

Our Welsh panellist Hywel Davies looks back over the HoR Selector project…

Well, it's been a ball. All last season I was part of the Lions Selector panel on HOR2. Four of us representing the home nations gave our predictions for the first test line up.

This was the first composite team:

Pre season
15 LEIGH HALFPENNY (WALES)
14 ALEX CUTHBERT (WALES)
13 BRIAN O’DRISCOLL (IRELAND)
12 JAMIE ROBERTS (WALES)
11 GEORGE NORTH (WALES)
10 JONATHAN SEXTON (IRELAND)
9 MIKE PHILLIPS (WALES)
1 CIAN HEALY (IRELAND)
2 RICHARD HIBBARD (WALES)
3 ADAM JONES (WALES)
4 ALUN-WYN JONES (WALES)
5 JIM HAMILTON (SCOTLAND)
6 SAM WARBURTON (WALES)
7 JUSTIN TIPURIC (WALES)
8 SEAN O’BRIEN (IRELAND)

It's interesting to note that it's only an injury to Roberts which has robbed us of total accuracy in the backs. The forwards however are a dogs dinner. 3 out of 8, and one of them out of position! The only place injuries save our blushes are at loose head.

More interesting though is what this tells us about Home Nations rugby. Big backs are in vogue, and it is mightily impressive as such that O'(AP)Driscoll has made it to the test side. (Don't all cue up to berate me for that, I will be delighted if the old man shows the Aussies a thing or two)

Having the luxury of watching the season unfold the composite team changed to being...erm...equally inaccurate:

Post season
15 LEIGH HALFPENNY (WALES)
14 ALEX CUTHBERT (WALES)
13 MANU TUILAGI (ENGLAND)
12 BRIAN O'DRISCOLL (IRELAND)
11 GEORGE NORTH (WALES)
10 JONATHAN SEXTON (IRELAND)
9 MIKE PHILLIPS (WALES)
1 CIAN HEALY (IRELAND)
2 RICHARD HIBBARD (WALES)
3 ADAM JONES (WALES)
4 ALUN-WYN JONES (WALES)
5 JIM HAMILTON (SCOTLAND)
6 SAM WARBURTON (WALES)
7 JUSTIN TIPURIC (WALES)
8 JOHNNIE BEATTIE (SCOTLAND)

However I defy anybody outside fanatical Leicester or Leinster fans to have had Croft, Youngs or Heaslip as nailed on starters. O Connell of course was just playing with us, as a cat would, with a mutilated mouse.

Whereas Gatland's backs have his name written all over them, the type of forward selected is more of a surprise. Youngs may just be there for his throwing in, but Croft and Heaslip are not what we've come to think of as Gatland's type of men. They are bold calls, a nod to the Aussies, the pitch, and even Lions of the past. Who'd have thought it?

One thing was always certain though; It will be a blast.

1st Test team:
15 Halfpenny
14 Cuthbert
13 O'Driscoll
12 Davies
11 North
10 Sexton
9 Phillips
1 Corbisiero
2 Youngs
3 Jones
4 Jones
5 O'Connell
6 Croft
8 Heaslip
7 Warburton (c)

Hywel (@HywelV2) is head Rugby writer on the v2 Journal. A bundle of contradictions, he is a Solicitor and Farmer, a Scarlets supporter and a "conservative, forward orientated typical blydi prop".

The Pagano Preview #14

Sky Sports with their endless series of dramatic montages would have you believe that Lions Tours are all about history, tradition, honour and what-not. 

For me, it’s about winning a test series, and it finally gets underway this Saturday.  Elsewhere the season draws to a close for the rest of the Six Nations after England & Ireland wrapped things up last week, plus the Wolfpuppies are in action one final time.

***

Saturday, June 22

LIONS TOUR

Australia v Lions, 11:05am

We have agonized over this Lions XV for months & months, and now, right or wrong, Warren has made his final choice and it’s up to us to get behind them.

But amid all our agonizing, all our selecting, all our bickering, there is one thing we have been neglecting…just what are the Wallabies going to bring to the party?

Well maybe “neglecting” is a strong word, for it’s not like they have given us anything to go on.  Kim Jong Un’s goings on in North Korea have been easier to understand than those of Robbie Deans over the past few months as he has instilled a bunker mentality into his squad.

The gamble does have a degree of sense to it…were he to allow his men to play for the Super Rugby franchises before the test series he risked injury as well as providing clues to his gameplan…instead he just sat back and allowed Gatland to worry about such things.

On the other hand, of course, it was a gamble in that his elite players will have gone several weeks without any top flight rugby, which could make it more difficult for them to hit the ground running against the tourists.

Looking at this first test, it would seem to be all about the match-ups, and there are some fascinating ones all over the park.

FOLAU v NORTH – The rugby league convert is an awesome prospect for this sport, but will that be enough in a full test fixture where every foot placement can prove the difference between winning and losing? It was vital to the Lions that North was fully fit – I just hope he really is.

IOANE v CUTHBERT – Given the Welshman’s defensive issues, this could be a mismatch when the Wallabies have the ball – much like Folau, one step the wrong way and his opposite number will be past him.  But referee Chris Pollock could play a role here.  When a team goes a man down it isn’t always easy to find the gaps but Cuthbert seems to have a knack for it.  If the Aussie backrow land on the wrong side of the ref then he could well come into his own.

O’CONNOR v SEXTON (open play) – In here lies the greatest mystery.  We have a pretty good sense of how Sexton will operate things…he won’t have the strength of Roberts at 12 but there’s still plenty of bash from his two wingers plus Croft & Heaslip.  As for what the Wallabies plan to do, well your guess is as good as mine but you have to assume it has to do with getting Folau & Ioane the ball in space.

O’CONNOR v HALFPENNY (placekicking) – Halfpenny’s near-perfection from the tee could provide the biggest influence on Deans’ strategy from the tour matches preceding the test.  They can’t afford to give him chances anywhere on the park, plus a try anywhere is almost as good as seven points on the board.  We’re not sure JOC is kicking just yet, but I’d give him the role for this kick in Hong Kong alone.  At the end of the match, having just gotten the try, nailed it despite the pressure and his being only 12.

ASHLEY-COOPER v O’DRISCOLL – May not make much of the headlines but a pivotal battle nonetheless.  Two of the best tacklers in world rugby (I still can’t fathom AAC’s double tackle against the Boks).  The media will talk at length about BOD’s history but the fact remains he has a key role to play here and will be of much help to Jonathan Davies inside him.

GENIA v PHILLIPS – Penalties, free-kicks, turnovers.  If the ball is anywhere near Will Genia when those things happen in Australia’s favour, watch out.  But we can be sure Mike Phillips will be watching out, and he’s been known to take a quick tap or two himself in his day.  With these two running the show the pace could be relentless.

MOWEN/HOOPER/PALU (GILL) v CROFT/WARBURTON/HEASLIP (LYDIATE) – Here lies the rub.  The Wallabies have a proud tradition in the backrow, and these Lions have already had a taste of it against the Super Rugby teams. And even without the likes of Messrs Elsom, Pocock and Smith at their best, they are still putting out a trio any Heineken Cup side would be happy to field.  But the Lions have a bit of talent in this area too.  Croft & Heaslip have shown the form both in helping their clubs win silverware and on this tour to earn their jerseys.  Many reckon O’Brien, Tipuric and Faletau deserve inclusion ahead of Warburton and Lydiate, so here we need them to repay their coach’s faith.  There is no doubt both have the ability to do that.  Their battle for both the ball & the referees’ sympathy should decide this series.

Three weeks ago, I would have laughed at the bookies favouring the Lions by just the three points.  As each day has passed, my confidence has been worn away…not so much by the Lions performances, but more when I appreciate the opposition they are facing and just how much it means to them to come out on top in front of their home crowd.

For once, I’m going to fall in with the professional tipsters, but a narrow victory won’t augur well for the tourists in the series overall as I reckon the home side will only get stronger. Lions by 3

TOUR MATCHES

New Zealand v France, 8:35am

Castres fly half Remi Tales gets “rewarded” for his club’s Top14 success by getting the blue 10 jumper at the end of the tour with the series lost and Dan Carter returning for the All Blacks.  Luck him, eh?  I expect the French to put some points on the board, but not until the final quarter.  A high-scoring warmup to the Lions test this one, nothing much more to see.  New Zealand by 20

Scotland v Italy, 1:15

PREVIEW TO PUBLISH SATURDAY MORNING

South Africa v Samoa, 4:15pm

PREVIEW TO PUBLISH SATURDAY MORNING

Sunday, June 23

PACIFIC NATIONS CUP

Tonga v Fiji, 4:10am

This is effectively a final…they lie 3rd and 2rd on the table respectively but the Canadians in first have completed their matches so the winner will overtake them.  Worth getting up early to watch on Setanta live?  Meh, maybe just record it.

Japan v USA, 5:10am

JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

PREVIEW TO PUBLISH SATURDAY MORNING

Samoa v Scotland, 2pm

Australia v Ireland, 2pm

South Africa v New Zealand, 2:15pm

Fiji v USA, 5:15pm

Argentina v France, 5:15pm

FINAL : Wales v England, 5:45pm

Tuesday, June 25

LIONS TOUR

Melbourne Rebels v Lions, 10:40am

PREVIEW TO PUBLISH MONDAY EVENING

***

Be sure to enjoy your rugby this weekend wherever you are. JLP

Rugby's Ryder Cup

Throughout the season John O’Sullivan kept us up to date with Connacht’s progress, now he turns his attention to the Lions…

In sporting terms, the only parallel close to the Lions is the Ryder Cup.

The mix and match of players from a variety of countries is absolutely fascinating and a privilege to watch. Players from four of the world’s premier rugby nations selected to fulfil one common goal epitomises what is beautiful about rugby: fraternity and camaraderie. Players can go from looking to decapitate each other in their international clashes, to being willing to die for another when they don the famous red jersey, as the Lions’ fly on the wall documentaries suggested. The Lions role in relations between the respective nations should not be underestimated.

One of the phenomena of the contemporary world is online fantasy management games, be it NFL and MLB in America or English Premier League soccer/football in Britain and Ireland. English readers, see how accommodating I am by describing it as both soccer and football because I know calling it soccer irks a lot of you greatly. Digression over. Back to my main point: for all intents and purposes, the Lions are a real life fantasy team, managed not by you, but by Warren Gatland and co., who, despite our infinite pool of rugby knowledge with a few pints on us, is a better rugby mind than the vast majority of us.

It is so exciting and spellbinding to see, every four years, the most talented players, bar a few exceptions due to injury etc (Stephen Ferris methinks) from Britain and Ireland combine to take on the mega powers of any one of the three of the Southern Hemisphere triumvirate of South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. That is, essentially, the attraction of the Lions, seeing how a group of players, in an extremely uncompromising time frame, fare against the powers of world rugby. It really is a race against time.

Even before the squad announcement, fans from each of the four nations had added their two cents in term of the Lions starting XV, and I am no different.

Back Row:

Here lies the greatest selection headache for the Lions staff. It wouldn’t be considered crazy to describe the Lions backrow options as an embarrassment of riches, such is the atlantic-esque deepness of the Lions options here. After much musing, my Lions back row is as follows:

8: Jamie Heaslip. Considering how poor his Six Nations was, this may surprise many, but Heaslip proved in Leinster’s recent domestic and European finals and semi-finals how capable he is in big games. In order to shoe horn the brilliant duo of Sean O’Brien and Stephen Ferris into the Irish back row, neither a natural openside, Heaslip had to assume more of the defensive groundhog work that a natural openside would invariably do, thus diminishing his prevalence in attack. Number eights are often pigeon holed as nothing more than ball carrier, but that assumption is fallacy. A top class number eight should have ball carrying, linking and defensive capabilities by the bucket load and Heaslip certainly does. With Sam Warburton, a natural openside who will assume much of the responsibility at the breakdown, Heaslip has an insurance policy which will liberate him from much of the defensive work he’s been burdened with for Ireland for the last few seasons and will allow him to show his 2009/2010 best.

7: Sam Warburton. The Cardiff Blues openside is regarded, along with Richie McCaw and David Pocock, as one of the world’s foremost openside flankers or fetchers, as they’re also known. Warburton’s breakdown acumen will liberate Jamie Heaslip and Tom Croft, my other backrow selection, from much of the dirty work at the breakdown, thus making the Lions backrow a far more potent attacking threat. Underrated in terms of ball carrying and a player who offers a solid line out jumping option, the greatest compliment I can pay Warburton is I wish he was Irish.

6: Tom Croft. The most athletic and inform back row in the Lions squad. The Leicester Tigers man just edges out Leinster and Ireland’s Sean O’Brien for the number six jersey. Pacey, strong, with a good positional awareness, Croft is the consummate number six. Let’s not forget his prevalence at line out time, where he uses his massive height extremely effectively. Croft showed his class with several barnstorming displays in the last Lions tour, and I expect a similar impact this time around.

Second Row:

4: Richie Gray. The perfect blend of ball carrying and line out nous for a lock, Gray should prove the perfect foil to Paul O’Connell in the Lions engine room. Standing ridiculously tall at 6’10, Gray is clearly a key go to man in the Lions line out. Also, as evidenced by his famous swashbuckling try in the Aviva stadium, Gray is a prodigious ball carrier.

5: Paul O’Connell. The leadership that the Munster stalwart brings to a side can’t be quantified. He may not be the captain, but due to his constant vocal support and follow by example leadership style, O’Connell is crucial to any potential Lions series victory. I would stick my neck out and say he would grace any team in world rugby. Totemically tall, O’Connell is a wonderful line out target and the Limerick man wreaks havoc to the opposition line out, where he more than seldom pilfers their throws. Unanimous selection amongst all fans and pundits.

Front Row:

3: Adam Jones. If the Lions are going to secure ball and solid attacking platforms for their talented outside backs and back rows, then Adam Jones’ anchoring of the scrum is the foundation on which any Lions victory will be built. Simply put, he is that important. On paper, at least, he and Cian Healy should gain the scrummagging ascendancy over their Australian counterparts.

2: Rory Best. Will surprise many, but I feel Best, despite his late selection for the squad, is the most rounded hooker in the touring party. A supreme scrummager and a solid ball carrier, Best, despite a few darts going awry during the Six Nations, is also a fine line out thrower.

1: Cian Healy. His Twitter Bio reads something along the lines of “prop dreaming of being a centre” and that should paint an accurate picture of Healy’s main attribute: his herculean ball carrying ability. Alongside Tony Woodcock, Healy is the world’s foremost ball carrying prop and, under the tutelage of scrum guru Greg Feek, his once erratic scrummaging has come on leaps and bounds. A certain starter.

Back Three: Leigh Halfpenny: There’s not much the Welshman can’t do. Despite his relatively small height, the Cardiff Blues full back fields the ball excellently and is strong defensively. The feathers in Halfpenny’s cap, though, are his counter running and goal kicking prowess. Whether it be he or Jonathan Sexton taking place kicks is irrelevant, both are excellent kickers and the Lions are in rude health in that regard. After his extremely impressive Six Nations campaign, he has the full back jersey locked down. Importantly, Halfpenny can also play as an auxiliary winger.

14: Tommy Bowe. Despite only returning from injury, the former Osprey and current Ulster winger has to, in my estimation, start. He is far more capable defensively than his main rival for the spot, Alex Cuthbert. A former Gaelic Footballer, Bowe’s kicking and fielding are superior to Cuthbert’s. Bowe is rapidly quick and also uses his ball fielding ability very well as a target for Garryowen’s.

11: George North. The soon to be Northampton Saint is perhaps the closest Northern Hemisphere parallel to Jonah Lomu, which is, obviously, high praise indeed. Devastatingly quick and strong, North invariably breaks the gainline and uses his massive frame brilliantly as a first receiver off set pieces. Imperative he starts.

Centres:

12/13: Roberts and O’Driscoll. Toyed with the idea of playing Manu Tuilagi at twelve, but, due to his almost telepathic understanding with O’Driscoll, which was honed on the last Lions tour, I opted for Wales’ Jamie Roberts. The duo dovetailed beautifully in South Africa in 2009, and are the ultimate match of brain and brawn. Is baited for not scoring enough tries, but Roberts is an excellent defender and uses his huge frame like a proverbial battering ram. Cerebrally, O’Driscoll is the best centre in the world. Offensively and defensively, the four time Lions tourist, invariably makes the right decision and the prospect of him picking line off Jamie Roberts’ big carries is a mouth-watering prospect.

Half Backs:

9: Mike Phillips. Phillips is the chance offspring of a tank and a ballerina, such is his variety of skills. His strength at the fringes of rucks means he’s almost another back row and his distribution is up there with any of the world’s finest scrum halves. Phillips ball carrying competence is often underrated, but, as an Irishman, I can vouch that he is indeed a very good ball carrier.

10: Jonathan Sexton. Second only to Dan Carter in the pantheon of world fly halves. Name a style of game and Sexton can play it. He is more than capable of playing a more conservative kicking for territory game and, as defences the length and breadth of Europe will testify for, a more expansive running game. Sexton is a tremendous ball carrier, with a particular penchant for his almost trademarked wrap around move. They say variety is the spice of life and the multitude of option that Sexton offers could add the spiciest of flavours to Warren Gatland’s Lions recipe.

I’m John O’Sullivan, 20. Part time student, full time sports nut. Love rugby and am currently the PRO of Connemara RFC as well as admin for the Rugby Banter Facebook page. I also do some radio work for my local station. One day, I would love to be a Sports Journalist/Broadcaster.