The famous British and Irish Lions kick off their month long tour of Australia on Wednesday. En-route the Lions stopped over in Hong Kong for a game against the Barbarians ( 59-8 Lions). The much anticipated tour has been 12 years in the making since 2001.
On their last tour down under, the Lions went up against what was thought to be the best team in the World and the World Champions at the time. Although this does not remain true at present the Lions do have a tough ask on their hands.
12 years ago, the Lions shocked the world in the first test when they threw everything at the World champions and pulled off a magnificent 29-13 win at the Gabba in Brisbane. Brian O’driscoll, Gavin Henderson, Jason Robinson and Jonny Wilkinson carved up what was at the time the best back line in the world. The likes of Stephen Larkham, Chris Latham, Matt Burke, Joe Roff and Elton Flatley were made to look like school boy defenders. Keith Woods’ man of the match performance is one of the top rated games played by a hooker. Wood was all over the park and gave the Lions a huge leg up matching up as a 4th third row player.
As expected the Wallabies came back strong taking the second test with a massive 34-11 win in Melbourne. Matt Burke put up a magnificent performance scoring a converted try and 6 penalties. Joe Roff also made an impact finishing off two spectacular tries.
The deciding final test was played at the Sydney Australia Stadium and what a game it was. The Lions went toe to toe with best in the world and eventually came up just short -29-23. Daniel Herburt starred for the Aussies finishing off two tries whilst Burke converted both and knocked over five penalties. Jonny Wilkinson also proved why he was arguably the best player in the world scoring 18 points within the 80 minutes in addition to the 19 points from the previous two tests.
Kiwis Collide
There are many similarities from the tour of 12 years ago and the first one that comes to mind is Kiwi presence at the helm of the Lions squad. Sir Graham Henry had the honor of becoming the first New Zealander to take charge of the Lions 12 years ago and now Warren Gatland who many believe is one of the best in the World will take charge on the British and Irish. Gatland will go head to head with another Kiwi Robbie Deans as they have done so many times in the last two years from the RWC 3rd place play- off and the many James Bevan trophy encounters between Wales and Australia. Deans has had the edge in recent times having trumped Gatland 7 times since 2011.
Young Leaders
Both outfit’s lock horns lead by two young yet successful skippers, James Horwill and Sam Warburton. The two have had injury troubles in the recent past and have not exactly been at the pinnacle of International Rugby of late. This is no testament to their ability as both of them are well accomplished leaders. Warburton has lead the Welsh to a Grand Slam win and the 4th place finish in the World cup. On the other hand Horwill has a Super Rugby Championship and Tri Nations trophy along with a World cup Bronze medal.
Unfortunately the Lions medical staff has cast doubts as to Warburton’s fitness and have mentioned he is unlikely to be fit for the first half of the tour.
Players to Watch for
The Lions come in with a massive squad of 37 full of talented players but one of the main players to watch would certainly be the veteran Brian O’Driscoll. The Irishman is on his 4th Lions tour and is rated as probably one of the best outside centers in the world. O’Driscoll was spectacular against the Wallabies 12 years ago when he was a youngster. He is a rock solid defender and is a force to reckon with in attack. Another Lion to look out for would be Owen Farrell. The young Brit has made his impact on Northern Hemisphere rugby from the time he made his England debut 2 years ago. Farrell is a spectacular goal kicker and will be expected to play a similar role to what Wilkinson did 12 years ago. The sharpshooter Leigh Halfpenny will also be a crucial player for the Lions his long range goal kicking will make the Wallabies think twice before conceding penalties within 55meters. His small yet calm demeanor is essential as the Lions last line of defense.
For the Wallabies the combination between Will Genia and Berrick Barnes in the halves will be crucial. Genia is rated the number one half back in the World and is expected to marshal the young Wallaby forwards. Barnes is a solid number 10 whose playmaking and tactical kicking will dictate how Australia plays. James O’Conner, Australia’s golden boy will also play a major role in the Wallaby back line. O’Conner can slot in anywhere from first five to full back. He is also a solid goal kicker.
Injuries and Missing players
Over the last three Lions tours the biggest issue facing the coaching staff has been managing the injuries. The tour is a long and gruesome one and players struggle to remain fit all through. The Lions come in missing a few big names with the line of England skipper Chris Robshaw and Irish Hooker Rory Best missing out on the squad. Jonny Wilkinson who decided to turn down the call up has also been circled with controversy. Wilkinson who earlier announced that he will be playing just one more season of professional rugby before retiring, turned down Gatlands call stating that he thinks he can’t give the team enough. The veteran who is known for his unselfish team spirit said he thinks that the likes of Farrell and Sexton can bring a lot more to the squad. He has however agreed to remain on stand by and will make the trip if he is needed.
There has also been quite a bit of controversy in the Wallaby camp. Firstly the sacking of the enigma that is Quade Cooper. Cooper who is probably one of the most talented players in the world has been overlooked by the Wallaby selection after he openly criticized his team last season. Cooper brings rare yet brilliant performances to the table and would certainly have given the Lions a lot to deal with. Unfortunately he is in the opposite of respectable players like Wilkinson who put the team before themselves which is why he has been omitted from the squad. Kurtley Beale is another player who has been surrounded by controversy in recent times. Beale has withdrawn from the Rebels squad for personal reasons and is not a part of the Wallaby squad. His ability to slot in anywhere in the back line will be greatly missed. Another player the Wallabies will miss is David Pockock who is still nursing an injury and will not be fit in time to make an appearance. Pockock’s menacing presence around the breakdowns will be greatly missed and will help the Lions forwards breathe a sigh of relief.
Lions Schedule
Lions v Barbarians Hong Kong June 1
Lions v Western Force Perth June 5
Lions v Queensland Reds Brisbane June 8
Lions v New South Wales/ Queensland Country invitational Newcastle June 11
Lions v NSW Waratahs Sydney June 15
Lions v ACT Brumbies Canberra June 18
Lions v Australia Brisbane June 22
Lions v Melbourne Rebels Melbourne June 25
Lions v Australia Melbourne June 29
Lions v Australia Sydney July 6
