Two New Zealanders – Warren Gatland and Robbie Deans – will have their hands full this weekend, away from their homeland.
And in June the two Kiwis will lock horns for the long-awaited Lions-Wallabies three-Test series. Only the Rugby World Cup is bigger.
Lions coach Gatland will be at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff to watch the blockbuster Six Nations finale with Wales trying to defend their crown and England seeking a first Grand Slam in a decade.
Wallaby coach Deans will be at Allianz Stadium tonight watching Berrick Barnes and Rob Horne make their comebacks for the Waratahs after long-term injuries, and at Suncorp tomorrow night to see champion half-back Will Genia’s return to the Reds after a knee reconstruction six months ago.
This Lions tour will define Deans’ Wallaby tenure that currently stands at 71 internationals for 42 wins or 59.2 percent – nothing flash, but it could be worse.
But to beat the Lions at home would be the climax – the utter utopia.
And to do that Deans must have all the best Wallabies on the park.
He’s already been gutted by the loss of probable skipper David Pocock for the season with another serious knee injury, and Kurtley Beale out with a broken hand.
But Genia, Barnes, and Horne coming back this weekend, and hopefully lock James Horwill next week who has been out since May last year with a severly ruptured hammie, and Deans can start getting his act together to do battle with Gatland.
The return of the Genia-Quade Cooper combination for the Reds will be the centre of attention, as will ope-side flanker Liam Gill who has looked the best of the number sevens so far.
How Deans reacts to the sacking of two Wallabies from the Waratahs – prop Sekope Kepu, and winger Drew Mitchell – has yet to surface, but Michael Hooper’s form at open-side will be closely watched.
He’s slipped in intensity since becoming a Waratah.
Then there’s the early Sunday morning clash between the unbeaten Brumbies and the Sharks where Brumbies skipper Ben Mowen, Nic White, and Christian Lealiifano will be on duty.
Mowen is making a bold bid to grab the coveted number eight Wallabies jersey from Scott Higginbotham, White the standby half to Genia, and Lealiifano either the fly-half or inside-centre berths.
Not overlooking the return of Brumbies favourite son George Smith after three years overseas to win back his number seven jersey.
If Deans wants him, and he must, Smith will have no trouble getting a month-long extension from Japan to play the Lions, international matches take preference from the IRB over any franchise.
So it’s all starting to take shape for Robbie Deans, providing the spate of injuries doesn’t go anywhere near last year’s epidemic 35.
The Lions-Wallabies series promises so much, but only if it’s a level playing field.
Bruce Lee
Guest
Wallabies best 26 man squad v lions: - entire brumbies starting 15 v sharks minus locks - Plus gill, Ioane, genia,, tapua - 5 - plus mcmenniman - 1 - force - plus Palmer and robinson - 2 - waratahs - plus Beale oconnor higginbottom Pyle jones - 5 - rebels
richard
Guest
Kane,the answer is Dave Rennie with his Waikato assistant (his name escapes me) as his lieutant.Now,that is a combo that would take the AB's places. Kirwan and Joseph are not up to it IMO.
Justin2
Guest
Smith is a rugby hero, love the guy. I don't see it happening though. Palu needs to get playing quick, he needs to be fit going into the series. Big questions around 6 depending on the locks. Deans may well go with Horwill and Timani, 2 THLs, which means Higgers has to play for his line out IMO. If deans picks Pyle the maybe mowed or quirk or mmm could be 6. Reality is we need to see more games to judge the makeup better.
Justin2
Guest
It's precisely why a fetcher will be the point of difference. They will ghetto the breakdown before the lions do IMO and I think gill is the man for the job. A top class fetcher is still a wanted commodity. AUS and SA have them. Nz won't move McCaw and don't really have another good enough. Not picking them and not having them are two different things.
Justin2
Guest
Its where we will have a big edge over the lions...
Justin2
Guest
Back to conversations with yourself, definitely mental :)
Billy Bob
Guest
Well put HT. The lynch mob in both countries wait in the dark and come out to condemn with ignorant prejudice at the first mention of a person's name. Robbie, Quade, SBW, Folau...now Zac Guildford. It use to happen to Wendell Sailor, Mat Rogers and Lote Tuquiri. The mere mention of a name was enough to draw people out from behind mum's skirt (Internet anonymity) and throw whatever extreme negatives they have the wit to invent. In the process rational debate is lost because the mob are now trading negatives. There is a difference between rational criticism, which is fair and productive, , and irrational prejudice, which is not fair and serves no-one, including the bigoted critic.
Colin N
Guest
"Our backs will be dominant" Not if they can't get any ball. It will be even worse if Quade Cooper comes under pressure as, when that happens, he has the tendency to have a shocker.
Hightackle
Guest
When you are drunk, you are as "on drugs" as any pot smoker. Also I must add that you seemed to think drugs and poisons were different. Many drugs are poisonous.
Colin N
Guest
Just because Hooper had a good game against England doesn't mean he 'schooled' anyone. Robshaw was excellent throughout the autumn series, but one of the reason's I think Hooper was so effective was that the front-five actually set a platform. The differenece I think between Hooper and Pocock is that the latter will make turnovers when his front-five is going backwards whereas Hooper struggles to make more of an impact. That's why I think Pocock's loss is so crucial. Either way, I think whoever gets the edge in the front-five will very much dictate how the back-row goes.
Hightackle
Guest
No you dont. SA, NZ, Eng, Scot, Fra, Sam, Ital and Arg dont play fetchers. McCaw plays more like a 6 now. It has been made very clear recently that you dont need a fetching 7 and most international sides have moved away from a pure fetching 7. Yet fans think they know better than all of these pro players and coaches that are either changing the way they play (McCaw) or overlooking fetching 7s.
Hightackle
Guest
Malo I doubt Australias backs will be dominant. Imo only 2 Ausie backs, if that, would make the Lions starting 15. At FB Kearney, Hogg and Halfpenny would be ahead of any Australian FB (including Mogg). At 10 both Sexton and Farrell have shown better ability than any Australian. In the centres BOD, Tuilagi and Roberts are all playing better than any Australian centre. On the wings Australia has Ioane but the Lions have Bowe, North, Cuthbert, Visser, Zebo, Ashton, Brown and Maitland to choose from. The Lions have better options in the forwards and backs.
Hightackle
Guest
Hooper has played against the probable Lions set up already.
Hightackle
Guest
No he hasnt. If Hooper was a Red and Gill was a Tah Im pretty sure you would have a diff opinion.
Hightackle
Guest
Gill is also credited with zero. The definition is actually stealing the ball according to some stats instead of forcing a penalty.
Hightackle
Guest
Mania, alcoholics and people addicted to smoking are drug addicts and imo it should be talked about that way. To think or talk of some drugs as seperate from "real" drugs is part of the problem.
Hightackle
Guest
Mania as it wont let me comment on the Zac Guildford article for some reason I will do it here. Alcohol is a drug in any sense of the word and unlike what Dan H implied ("in the broader sense") it is 100% a drug by definition and not "in the broader sense", it is in any sense. Also Dan H. Addiction can be both psychological and physical but it doesnt have to be both. For example, gambling or porn addiction is almost purely psychological. However stating that all addiction is a "mental illness" is false becuz in many cases it can be a physical dependance and not a mental illness at all. You can beat all addictions with the power of will and some medical help but the psychological aspect is part of it, not all of it.
Bob
Guest
Hooper was far and away the best australian player last year. Gill wasn't even in the picture.
allblackfan
Guest
the big blow to the wallabies hope is the (seemingly) loss of David Pocock. Forget about your ball-runners; you need your ball-fetchers!!
Bakkies
Guest
Going in to the Cheetahs match he had zero turnovers for the season.