In the first round of Super Rugby in 2001 – the most recent British and Irish Lions tour year – the three Australian provinces taking part in the then Super 12 all recorded victories ranging from handy to handsome against New Zealand opposition.
The Reds beat the Hurricanes at Ballymore, the Waratahs put 42 points on the Chiefs, and the Brumbies thrashed the Crusaders 51-16 in Canberra.
History’s capacity to raise the eyebrows never fails, even with trips into the recent past.
It was the beginning of a strong year for the Australian sides: the Brumbies won the title, knocking out the Reds in one semi-final.
It was the also the start of another stat that optimists could cling to this year: for the past three Lions tours, the nation that has played host has also provided the champions of Super Rugby.
But 2013 is different, and significantly so. This is the first time the Lions will have played a series during Super Rugby. The biggest games of the Australian rugby calendar this year occur before the Super finals have taken place.
It provides a unique challenge to the Australian Super coaches – and one that becomes clear with a look at the schedule.
Just seven days after the Wallabies play the third Test against the Lions in Sydney, a significant number of the players who will have just concluded an emotionally and physically draining series will be required to face each other when the Waratahs host the Reds on the very same ground.
On the same day the Force play the Brumbies, while the Rebels have even less recovery time, being required to host the Highlanders on the previous evening. Some of their players might still be out celebrating (or seeking to drown sorrows).
Those fixtures are the last round before the finals stages, and if previous competitions are a decent guide, crucial in deciding who finishes where in the top six. There is a possibility that the Australian challengers will go staggering towards the finals.
Of course, the All Blacks have their own assignment against the French, but that three-Test series in June is completed two weeks before the final Lions Test.
In fact, they will be back into the Super Rugby campaigns on the same weekend the Wallabies meet the tourists for the second time.
This time of year is never kind on aching bodies, but the run-in looks a little gentler on that side of the Tasman.
As for the Springboks, they play Italy, Scotland and a third Test, possibly against Samoa, in a mini tournament on the same weekends as the All Blacks’ matches. There is nothing to match the pressure and scale of the Wallabies-Lions series.
Doubtless the local strategists have been working on the implications of these events, but the possibility of having best-laid plans upset by injuries during the Lions series is obvious.
With that in mind it was interesting to read Jake White recently espousing the merits of coming hard out of the blocks in Super Rugby. No side plans for a slow start but the benefits of putting points in the bag are particularly evident in 2013.
The Brumbies will fancy the opener against the Will Genia-less Reds in Canberra. And I would not read too deeply into the fact that the Brumbies have much fewer faces in the Wallabies’ preparation camp than the Waratahs or Reds.
It is the proportion of players in the final 22 that indicates quality. All of those Brumbies in this week’s initial squad look to have purposeful claims.
Ironnically of course, it is the sides that are well represented in the Wallabies that are most greatly exposed during the Lions series.
It is not an insurmountable mountain, but it is a hurdle. The challenge this year for Australian Super coaches is a particularly sizeable one.
Dadiggle
Guest
Question is did they win? No.
Dadiggle
Guest
Exactly! Heads will roll blood will flow. Samoa players will head back to France and England while the South African teams will resume Super Rugby with the possibility of losing some of their key players in a important stage of the game. And there is a difference between foul play and a mindset of of borderline tackling. One is done on purpose other is a miss calculation.
Bakkies
Guest
Referees only focussed on it when coaches like Woodward and Deans whinged about Australian teams doing it. No coincidence that the Robbie Deans coached Wallabies hardly use decoy runners and just run in to contact instead. Teams still use dummy runners in NH club Rugby.
Dadiggle
Guest
No referees wised up. Point is doing that what they did back in 2001 you will get nailed everytime
mania
Guest
yeah cause boks are known for being the cleanest players in the world. samoa have never been done for biting, head butting or eye gouging anyone, ever. at least samoa are in your face instead of off the ball back stabbing sht
mania
Guest
blow out? las game boks didnt score in the the last 53 mins and final score was 13-5. had JPP been pinged for playing the ball on the ground on their try line it would've been a different story. i'm looking forward to the next game
dadiggle
Guest
Well in 97 they had a midweek side. 2005 they over did it by taking3 squads with who never saw each other on tour almost
dadiggle
Guest
No I was thinking more of them ripping of few of our players heads off and about 10 or 20 late tackles that could potentialy end a couple of guys SR season.
allblackfan
Guest
James, you lost me at NRL `big, real deal' games. Why the hell would NZ young people want to follow an Australian tribal club competition? Just how many people in NZ do you think give a toss about the history of St George or Broncos or (insert club name here)? Not to mention that the ITM Cup over the last 2-3 seasons has been as fast, if not faster, and just as physical as the NRL. You want the real deal? Watch the ITM Cup this year. The Cup may not have the big name players but the talent is awesome!! These up-and-coming part-timers are making the NRL stars look seriously pedestrian!
Bakkies
Guest
''The 2005 midweek side kept their spirits up too,'' By enjoying their time away from Woodward and having their own tour.
Bakkies
Guest
They have been epic contests but are always a blow out on the scoreboard in favour of the Boks.
Bakkies
Guest
You defeated your own points correctly with that last sentence. Australia doesn't have the players to offer professional opportunities in a comp like Super Rugby. A sixth side and more is a complete no no. The problem is the tier 3 level which is not a high enough standard so coaches, refs and players can improve to get ready for Super Rugby.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
In 2005 Simon Easterby and Ryan Jones came in and played very well for the Test side.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
The 2005 midweek side kept their spirits up too, but the point is that there were clear dividing lines between what was considered the Test side and the midweekers. Even in 1997 there were players who complained of being relegated to the midweek side with no contact from the management.
Bakkies
Guest
Tom Croft 2009. Replaced Quinlan who was suspended before the tour then came in to the test frame to replace Stephen Ferris (who was playing well) and had a big impact.
Bakkies
Guest
Probably due to the fact that Woodward and Henry are painful people wouldn't have helped the tour atmosphere. Dawson and Healey really vented in the media (from memory Eddie Butler stitched up Healey as his ghost writer) about the coach/training methods. After watching the tour video tape Henry was very irritating in the team and management meetings. At least in 2009 Gatland had a working relationship with McGeechan from their days at Wasps and the head coach really appreciated the Lions touring set up. The Lions will go well if Gatland goes down the same route.
mania
Guest
bakiies - i agree, but in particular the samoa vs boks games have been epic edge of seat stuff. u dont see many teams match the boks for brutality and this isnt even samoa's style, but when they play the boks they really get into their faces and give as good as the boks do. last game at the WC at full time the boks looked elated to win but exhausted. it was a hard fought match.
Bakkies
Guest
Samoa have been rewarded due to their improvements and ranking. They are amongst the second tier at the moment and deserve to be treated accordingly.
Bakkies
Guest
The Cheetahs and Western Province gave the Lions a good work out, along with the Emerging Springboks. The only good provincial game from the 2001 Tour was the Brumbies vs the Lions and it was a Brumbies second XV that had a crack. The Reds and Waratahs games were rubbish in comparison, opposed training runs with plenty of MMA thrown in between.
Bakkies
Guest
Forget the NRL but he does have a point about the ITM Cup. The games may be good but you need good crowd support which was there over 10 years ago when the likes of Lomu, etc played in the NPC. One of the best games of the decade was the Wellington v Canterbury NPC Final in 2000 when Vunibaka chased down Lomu. Now you have players taking sabbaticals which allows them to skip parts of or the whole Super Rugby season.