South African Tour Preview: British Lions look to re-affirm status in 2009
Roar Guru By James Mortimer, 12 Jan 2009 James Mortimer is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Alex Ferguson, Cape Town, Ian McGeechan, Ryan Jones, Shane Williams, South Africa, The British and Irish Lions, Warren Gatland
Ian McGeechan – referred by some as the Alex Ferguson of rugby – will take the Lions back to basics on their upcoming tour of South Africa.
It will be a restoration to the time-honoured ethos of the celebrated team. More condensed, more unified, and most importantly, players selected on merit.
The Scot, the last British Lions coach to taste success, has an outstanding record with the Lions and coaching overall. Some would argue that the current Director of Rugby with London Wasps and former Northampton and Scotland coach is the best northern hemisphere born coach plying his trade.
Formerly a Scottish player from 1972 to 1979 he was good enough to be awarded eight British Lions Tests in the 1974/1977 tours.
Under his command Scotland won a Grand Slam five nations title in 1990 and in 1999. He coached the Lions to success in Australia in 1989, and again in South Africa in 1997. Even though he lost as coach to the All Blacks in 1993, they did win a game – which remains the only match victory against New Zealand since 1977.
Unlike the ill-fated 2005 tour to New Zealand, where Clive Woodward largely ignored the form book and stayed loyal to his English cohorts. The 2003 World Cup winning coach took 45 players and a back-up team of 21.
McGeechan will only take 35 players and a small coaching team, with Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards confirmed as his direct assistants.
The Lions committee felt that the previous operation was too excessive – and while Woodward had separate midweek and Test teams, this will not occur against South Africa.
“Every single day you want to be working with players to get to know them. That’s why we’ll be one set of coaches for midweek and Saturday sides. We need to give everyone a chance to challenge for a Test spot. We’ve got three World Cup finals to play against the world champions, South Africa, and that unity, that ability to draw together, is critical,” the Scot stated.
Unfortunately, the spectre of club versus country will rear its ugly head – with the 2009 Guinness Premiership final scheduled to take place the same weekend the Lions play the opening game of their tour.
The finger has been pointed by the Lions board that the fault of this lies with England. It was a specific request by the RFU to bring the dates forward one week.
Hopefully this will not impact the preparations for the tour, with McGeechan adamant that all selected Lions players will leave for South Africa as one.
As with all Lions tours, this should be a fascinating series. It is expected that it will be a full strength World Champion South African team lying in wait. Peter De Villiers appears to be making more progress on the field despite his off-field “verbal quips!”
Meanwhile, McGeechan has stated that only fully fit and match hardened Lions will be selected, which puts pressure on players who are, or will be, struggling with injuries.
So what will the team look like?
Well, if the right team is selected, and a culture can quickly be implemented for cohesion, they should threaten the world champions. The warm-up games will be crucial, and if full strength teams build through the provincial matches, there is no reason why the Lions cannot record their first series win in 12 years.
This is who I believe should tour – if fit. A 35-man squad as per final touring numbers:
Fullback: Lee Byrne WAL, Geordan Murphy IRE
Wing: Shane Williams WAL, Topsy Ojo ENG, Mark Cueto ENG, Sean Lamont SCO
Centres: Brian O’Driscoll IRE, Gavin Henson WAL, Luke Fitzgerald IRE, Tom Shanklin WAL
Flyhalf: Stephen Jones WAL, Jonny Wilkinson ENG, James Hook WAL
Scrumhalf: Mike Blair SCO, Dwayne Peel WAL, Danny Care ENG
Number Eight: Andy Powell WAL, Ryan Jones WAL, Jamie Heaslip IRE
Flankers: David Wallace IRE, Martyn Williams WAL, Tom Croft ENG, Jason White SCO,
Locks: Paul O’Connell IRE, Alan Wyn Jones WAL, Donncha O’Callaghan IRE, Steve Borthwick ENG
Props: Phil Vickery ENG, Euan Murray SCO, Marcus Horan IRE, Gethin Jenkins WAL, Adam Jones WAL,
Hooker: Jerry Flannery IRE, Ross Ford SCO, Dylan Hartley ENG
The full tour schedule is now as follows (all times are local):
Saturday, May 30: Highveld XV v Lions in Rustenburg – K-O 3pm
Wednesday, June 3: Golden Lions v Lions at Ellis Park in Johannesburg – K-O 7.10pm
Saturday, June 6: Free State Cheetahs v Lions Bloemfontein – K-O 3pm
Wednesday, June 10: Sharks v Lions in Durban – K-O 7.10pm
Saturday, June 13: Western Province v Lions in Cape Town – K-O 3pm
Tuesday, June 16: Coastal XV v Lions in Port Elizabeth – K-O 3pm (TBC)
Saturday, June 20: South Africa v Lions in Durban – K-O 3pm
Tuesday, June 23: Emerging SA v Lions in Cape Town – K-O 7.10pm
Saturday, June 27: South Africa v Lions in Pretoria – K-O 3pm
Saturday, 4 July: South Africa v Lions at Ellis Park in Johannesburg – K-O 3pm
January 12th 2009 @ 7:46am
van der Merwe said | January 12th 2009 @ 7:46am | Report comment
I can see them winning the Durban test, if any. Pretoria will be hard. They will most definitely receive a mauling in the last test.
January 12th 2009 @ 10:09am
hayden said | January 12th 2009 @ 10:09am | Report comment
One hell of an itinerary. I like your selections James. While the backs look good, it is the health and well being of the forwards I fear for. No team is a brutal as SA on their home ground, and after a month of softening up in the warm up games, I can imagine DeVilliers having to do little more than throw some raw meat in the dressing room half an hour before kick off to motivate his boys. I love the concept of the Lions, and long may they continue, but part of their appeal is in the stories of valiant defeats, infighting and what ifs. Mighty Mouse is probably the spot on choice for caoch. The man has mana, and if anyone can pull it off, it will be him.That said, the series is the Boks to loose I think. I agree with van der Merwe, Durban is their best chance.
January 12th 2009 @ 10:23am
Colin N said | January 12th 2009 @ 10:23am | Report comment
A good article there James but an even more interesting team selection. A couple of names particularly stand out for me and those are Ojo and Cueto. I was just wondering what your thought process was in selecting those two players? Obviously Ojo scored two well taken tries in New Zealand but has since drifted out of the international wilderness, partly due to the alledged incident during the June tours, but his club form has been very good.
As a Sale fan myself, I have seen Cueto struggle for 18 months with injury, but sparkle in the last two months, with some utstanding performances. Undoubtedly one of the best wingers in the NH when fit and on form, but I would have thought his struggles after the world cup may count against. He may well be in the revised EPS squad for the forthcoming six nations but it is by no means a certainty although on form it should happen.
I also have a couple of other perhaps left-field selections (one perhaps less so). Those of Rory Lamont and Ben Foden. One has already proved himself on the world stage and the other who has the potential to be brilliant in a position he doesn’t see himself in. Foden is an awesome talent but moved from Sale to Northampton to play scrum-half. However the signing of Lee Dickson and the form of him has reduced the game time of Foden in HIS favoured position. Thus he has been moved back to full-back for the last couple of games, over the excellent Brunce Reihana and has flourished once again. I’m not sure if you saw the Northampton-Leicester game at the weekend but he was named MOTM and was superb.
January 12th 2009 @ 12:55pm
sheek said | January 12th 2009 @ 12:55pm | Report comment
Gee, the common sense is just pouring out everywhere from McGeechan. After the debacle of Woodward, Mac’s approach is so refreshingly simple & straight-forward. There’s always some idiot like Woodward trying to re-invent the wheel.
I would have accepted a touring party of 37, but 35 is tighter which is better. The support team will probably be no bigger than 10-12 which is also about right for these days. One of the criticisms from 2005 was that with all that support staff, they were all falling over each other trying to be relevant & justify their position.
It’s also obvious the Lions tour committee have settled on 10 match, 3 test tours. Personally, I think they should aim for 12 match, 3 test tours. Those 2 extra games would help firstly with combinations, & secondly with giving players plenty of game time going into the first test.
I love the concept of Lions tours & wish the Lions all the very best. I reckon the series will be decided 2-1 perhaps in the Boks favour. British & Irish rugby isn’t exactly vintage at the moment. If selected, would Brian O’Driscoll be captain again?
January 12th 2009 @ 8:13pm
Westy said | January 12th 2009 @ 8:13pm | Report comment
This is not mischevious. But under what rules are they playing? Same as the HH tests?
January 12th 2009 @ 8:27pm
Jerry said | January 12th 2009 @ 8:27pm | Report comment
Westy – I’d imagine they’d be played under the “International ELVs”, eg the ones played during the NH tours by SA, NZ, Aus, Arg etc last October & November. Essentially the same as those played during the Tri-Nations except without the ELV reducing sanctions for ruck and maul offences to free kicks. I seem to recall SARU wanted the S14 played without the sanctions ELV to better prepare its players for the Lions tour.
January 12th 2009 @ 9:11pm
Guy Smiley said | January 12th 2009 @ 9:11pm | Report comment
O’Driscoll is struggling with the Irish captaincy let alone the Lions and his form has dipped again. He always looks like he expects an injury nowadays and his hammys are very fragile. Not the genius he once was which is sad. I firmly believe the captain must be from 1-10, outside backs are too peripheral for the job. I know Mortlock does it and does it reasonably well but I’m not sold. I’m still not convinced by Ryan Jones’ leadership abilities as every time I see him he has an air of timidity about him which is no good in the South African bear pits.
I don’t know enough about Jason White in terms of his ability to captain but is he a dark horse? He is superb player when it comes to leading by example and throwing his granite hard body around.
The Boks will hardly need a coach for this series, the motivation is enormous – they were the last team to lose a series to the Lions and it can’t happen again. I love watching their blend of ferocious physicality and ball skills. McGeechan is the Lion’s ace up their sleeve as man for man they aren’t as good as SA.
Should be fascinating and am gutted I can’t be there, it is the best of the Lions tours.
January 12th 2009 @ 9:36pm
Colin N said | January 12th 2009 @ 9:36pm | Report comment
Guy Smiley,
If White was fit and on form he would be in with a shout of the Lions captaincy. Although just recently he has a good run of games, and played very well in each of them, he then broke his finger against Wasps on boxing day but should be back for the six nations.
Agree with you about O’Driscoll, but he will no doubt be in the Lions squad, just because of the quality he possesses. He’s not showing it now and really hasn’t shown it for the last two years but you never know he may just get back to a bit of form.
The problem is that there are no real standout candidates. Personally, I would chose Paul O’Connell as captain, but then again for all the leadership qualities O’Connell has, my mind always harps back to the recent failures of the Irish national team, so you immediately feel that any potential Lions captain who is Irish may choke when playing oh this huge stage.
January 13th 2009 @ 12:52pm
pothale said | January 13th 2009 @ 12:52pm | Report comment
If O’Driscoll is saddled with captaincy he won’t play as well, but he’s a good vice captain – great at team talks. His presence on the field in attacking terms is without douct reduced, however his tackling ability, overall defensive cover, and ability to regain ball is still outstanding for a back line member.
O’Connell should be captain. He does it brilliantly for Munster – just look at the recent backs to the wall game they had against Sale. Several points down with less than minutes to go, a losing bonus point was the best outcome likely. O’Connell looked everyone in the eye, and didn’t say a word. End of the match, Munster finished at a canter having put over two tries and a penalty. If O’Connell can bring never say die into the dressing room and out on the pitch, he’s my candidate. Ryan Jones as the other possible candidate, has waned in the Welsh team in my view and possibly suffers from the same distractions as O’Driscoll. Possibly a vice captain also.
I’m stunned that people’s comments so far even hint at the Lions winning even one of the test matches. Just don’t see it happening if they repeat their performance against England. Simply dominant rugby from start to finish – All Blacks wouldn’t touch them.
But I’ll be the first to dance a jig if it happens. Hoping to catch two of the tests whilst staying with a mate in Cape Town for 10 days.
January 14th 2009 @ 2:34am
Ian Noble said | January 14th 2009 @ 2:34am | Report comment
I am sure that McGeechan has most of Jame’s selection in his eyesight but as the squad will be chosen post 6N’s I can see a number of surprises and names which don’t feature at the moment. I am not convinced by O’Connell as captain, but who else is there? There seems to be a lack of outstanding personalities who are leaders, and would he choose Vickery, Wasps connections and all that.
I hope he picks in form players and just doesn’t rely on reputation as Woodward did in NZ and the next four months before selection, I think in April, will be interesting. The present lack of English players from James squad is disappointing and is indicative of the malaise in English ranks.
By the way, I see that 35,000 have already signed up to follow the Lions, if that is correct it beats the 30,000 who followed the Lions in NZ in 2005.