There are so many ill-conceived decisions in the current Lions itinerary it defies description. This is an expansion on my column of yesterday.
Firstly, there should never have been an opening game in Hong Kong. Forget the commercial and social aspects, the Lions were touring Australia, and that’s where they should have been from the get-go.
There should never have been a Super Rugby fixture in the Lions window.
Seeing the Reds, Waratahs, and Brumbies supply 87% of the current Wallaby squad, all three teams should have been at full-strength against the Lions, not only for their sake, but their supporters as well.
Just as importantly, the Lions deserved more respect than being forced to play against weakened sides.
And arguably the worst decision was to keep the top 25 of the Wallaby squad without a game of any description for nearly a month before they play the first Test.
That’s given the Lions a huge advantage, travelling as a unit and playing two games a week. They will be much more match-hardened, and game ready.
Finally, who had the idea of pitting the Force versus Lions game directly against Origin I, the Combined NSW-Queensland Country versus Lions game against the Socceroos-Jordan World Cup qualifier, and the Brumbies versus Lions game against the Socceroos-Iran qualifier.
All avoidable, and absurd clashes in the decision-making process.
So here is what the Lions schedule should have been like. It’s not Utopia, but it’s as close to perfect as possible:
June 1 (Sat) – Lions v full-strength Reds at Suncorp.
June 4 (Tues) – Lions v full-strength Brumbies at Canberra.
June 5 (Wed) – Origin I at ANZ.
June 8 (Sat) – Lions v full-strength Waratahs at Allianz.
Select a 32-man Wallaby squad coached by Robbie Deans and based in Sydney.
Select a 23-man Australia A squad coached by Ewen McKenzie, based in Brisbane or the Gold Coast.
June 11 (Tues) – Socceroos v Jordan, World Cup qualifier.
June 12 (Wed) – Lions v Rebels, minus squad members, at Etihad.
June 15 (Sat) – Lions v Force, minus squad members, in Perth.
June 18 (Tues) – Socceroos v Iran, Cup qualifier.
June 19 (Wed) – Lions v Australia A at Suncorp.
June 22 (Sat) – first Test at ANZ.
June 26 (Wed) – Origin II.
June 29 (Sat) – Second Test at Suncorp.
July 6 (Sat) – Third Test at ANZ.
The features of the alternative itinerary are obvious.
Run the Lions around the country from Brisbane to Canberra, to Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Brisbane, and Sydney to give the Wallabies the advantage a home side should enjoy.
Selecting the two squads after the Reds, Waratahs, and Brumbies had played against the Lions would have been the ultimate litmus test.
Australia A would have nine days to prepare for their one-off game. Ample time.
The Wallabies would have 12 days before the first Test, more than enough time.
It’s worth repeating my alternative itinerary isn’t perfect, but it’s a damn sight more appealing to a lot more fans, and especially the Lions, than the current set-up.
Bakkies
Guest
By changing 4,000 euro per person rather then 3,500 pp that I saw advertised in papers just after the draw was released?
Gatesy
Guest
Hindsight is 20 - 20 vision!!
David Lord
Expert
I sure didn't moderate your comments Skinny Kid, not even you can offend me, but you obviously get offended. If it's too hot in the kitchen for you, you know where to go.
Dublin Dave
Guest
The Machiavellian trick of moving the touring team around the country to tire them out and improve the host nation's chances in the Test Series is an old one and one that visiting sides have been wise to for quite some time. Any Lions tour manager worth his or her salt would never agree to it. Or, if they were forced to, would ensure that the "unforeseen consequences" that so often attend smart-arse chicanery would be brought into play. You don't have to be a genius to see what would happen if a schedule such as that proposed by David Lord were ever entertained. Sir Clive Woodward's method in New Zealand in 2005 was simply to bring along a hugely overpopulated squad and split it into Wednesday and Saturday teams, frequently having them travel separately to the cities where each was due to play and thereby diminishing the whole "travelling circus" ethos of a traditional Lions tour. Like I said, you don't have to be a genius. But even apart from that there's a strong commercial reason why you shouldn't do such a thing, especially in a country as large as Australia. Lions Tours are a great tradition, but like any great tradition they have to face the paradox that they must change in order to remain current. One way in which the Lions have changed fundamentally over the decades is that whereas they used to be about the best players from the "Home Countries" acting as ambassadors to their long separated kith and kin in the colonies, cheap air travel and comparative affluence has meant that increasing numbers of attendees at Lions matches are visitors from Britain and Ireland. Remember Martin Johnson, Lions captain in 2001, coming into the dressing room after the coin toss before the first test and telling his team mates that they were effectively playing a home match! It's no longer a case of the Lions players being a must-see and exotic attraction for the locals; it's about the host country itself being an attraction for the various distinctive battalions of the "Barmy Army". No point expecting them to travel backwards and forwards across the country. They just won't do it. So arrange the schedule so that clusters of matches occur in or around the same city on consecutive match days. As Sheek has suggested. Again, you don't have to be a genius. :)
p.Tah
Guest
Yes it was
Bakkies
Guest
Mania, Beale hasn't played a good game for the Wallabies in a couple of years. Of course people will bring up the try in Cardiff but that's papering over the cracks. Players like Jesse Mogg frighten the NH teams with his big boot and counter attack, you have to look at the damage Chris Latham caused against them.
AndyS
Guest
Exorbitant rip-off as maybe, which only makes it the greater financial success if they have all been shifted. Following Sheek's original point, it oes suggest they might have underestimated the demand and/or desirability of the tour and could perhaps have been a bit more adventurous.
Bakkies
Guest
BB, in 2001 the Lions lost key players on the training paddock due to Henry belting them out there. That issue was raised by Matt Dawson and Austin Healey in the wrong way.
The Bush
Roar Guru
So really, it's just because a bunch of Test matches in a short period. The whole point of a Lions tour, in my opinion, is the warm up matches against the Provinces. I predict that by the end of this tour the Lions match vs the Reds will have beent he most enjoyable match on tour. Take that away and all it is is more Test matches - boring. It's about David v Goliath...
Bakkies
Guest
I suggest you look at the packages and prices that were advertised over here just after the tour schedule was released. An exorbitant rip off.
Bakkies
Guest
''2. If you have the Super XV schedule you are pretty much nailed on, besides the Super XV schedule was adjusted to accommodate OZ, the ARU just didn’t plan it the best.'' and didn't that work out well......
Perhaps we are. The way I see it there are two major issues here. And it isn't just this time, the same happened when the Lions toured SA. Firstly the competitiveness of the matches. If the non test matches are going to be non competitive then what is the benefit of that to supporter, broadcaster and Lions - None. Secondly, the scheduling, I know sometimes the sporting calendar can be quite congested, and that provides dates where two major sporting codes are in competition with one another for time slots. However, you can start one match earlier or later, or just move the match a day earlier or later. Now either countries get their priorities such that they send out their best teams, or combine teams who has lost internationals, or have fewer matches pre test series. The fact is, if the pre stet matches are played as competitive and high intensity matches, the crowds will be more involved in the tour as well, ARU as I have heard many times before have a challenge to make rugby more "entertaining", does anyone find these floggings entertaining? I very much doubt that. You aren't going to grow Rugby Union in OZ with these limp, runaway matches. The same goes for NZ and SA, the Lions tour is a celebration of rugby, supposed to enthral audiences and build excitement for the test series, what you need is a high quality introduction to the series, with a fanfare and competition, not a limp excuse for rugby matches.
SkinnyKid
Roar Rookie
wow - what a circular argument we are in.
It is not a minefield, and the points you raised are also not that challenging either. It is a case of having the information readily available that makes it impossible to answer your question satisfactorily to the standard you require. If you admit to the fact that it could have been done better , then why have such an issued when someone suggests the same?
Nafe
Guest
You can't have the English Supporters going from one side of the country to the other and back again for just 1 game.
Justin2
Guest
Semantics Sheek really. Fact is we have had lead up matches, trial or warm ups, however you wish to classify them, often. We tend to lose them under Deans so maybe thats why he hasnt gone with them ;)
SkinnyKid
Roar Rookie
yeah thats my point mate. Neither you nor david have the info but you came here with a plan telling the ARU they got it all wrong and its easy to fix...reality as you've just agreed with is it a minefield of metrics that need to match up. My 8 points only scratch the surface BTW. Even seemingly minor details such as 'do the broadcasters have enough cameramen etc to do the coverage on xxx dates'. I'm not suggesting it couldnt have been done better but its not that bad. Why not just support what we have rather to take chucks out of it....and remember, if it was that easy, you'd have a job doing it.
SkinnyKid
Roar Rookie
Well said mate. I, along with a few of the other people on this forum live and play rugby in Asia so it gives us a pretty good snapshot of how the world sees Aussie rugby....and its not half as 'henny penny' as many of the people back home in Australia. As for Asia, rugby is going ahead in leaps and bounds. Yeah there are a lot of political and cultural issues within rugby here but they seem to be ironing out....but its a country by country thing so it takes time. Some of these issues have meant that, outside Japan, club rugby was often of a higher quality national teams. Again this is on the mend. Certainly in my 5 years in Asia the standard of rugby in general his improved many many times. The interport club games I've played are up there with some of the best rugby I've ever been involved with.
skinnykid, solving anything is but a requirement of application and dedication. If you gave me all he information required it is not that hard to put a schedule together, it is however a defeatist attitude to believe something cannot be done better. All David is suggesting here is that it could have been done better, now you are welcome to disagree if you want. I agree though, it could be better, but the way you are stating your question by challenging me to "provide" a real world solution when I have no source for gaining the information necessary to provide you with an 8 point business plan with key indicators of how to solve it is a joke.
AndyS
Guest
Actually, what is being reported is the opposite...http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/hotels-ramp-up-rates-to-cash-in-on-rugby-tourists-20130608-2nwqm.html. If there actually are only 100 official packges available, then this will have been a more than successul tour from a Lions point of view