Outside of the World Cup, British and Irish Lions tours are insurmountable in their ability to showcase all that is great about rugby, both on the field and off.
There are the midweek matches against provincial opposition, the beers, the ability to unite four countries who spend the intervening four years belting the living daylights out of each other. There are the fans who travel long distances to sing and have the time of their lives, the beers, the famous jersey and socks combination, the meet and greets with local communities, and most importantly, the beers.
I was at the Gabba in 2001 for Brian O’Driscoll’s miracle try, yet the most memorable thing for me that night was the sheer quantity, volume and noise of the Lions fans. To someone used to the gentle surroundings of leafy and suburban Ballymore was like watching a spaceship full of binge-drinking aliens with unintelligible accents land in the middle of Brisbane, which to be honest was exactly what it was.
I was also at Suncorp Stadium in 2013 to witness Israel Folau, George North and Alex Cuthbert run riot from the flanks, with Kurtley Beale’s comical missed penalty on fulltime heightening the sense of theatre that often surrounds these tours. Fans such as myself, who relish and celebrate the inherent absurdity of many things in rugby, lapped it up.
After these, three years living in the UK has allowed me to finally appreciate the nuances, quirks and differences that make Northern Hemisphere rugby such a different beast to the South. I put this down to finally accessing the suppressed memory of England’s 2003 World Cup victory, and accepting they had a bloody good team, even if they did scar me for nigh on 11 years.
(AAP Image/Joe Castro)
The above experiences have led me to the point where I shall be cheering for the Lions to pull off an upset victory over the All Blacks in Wellington this weekend. A healthy and winning Lions team is good for the game, as every Test loss seems to bring out the bores in droves, the type that want an end to Lions tours, tradition, fun and beers, and want every match and tournament decided by an algorithm.
It also helps that the façade of niceness that marked the start of the tour has slowly slipped away, with both camps sniping and complaining, running to their mates in the press and generally providing an environment that could boil over in the Cake Tin, with one late hit or dodgy decision being the match that lights the tinderbox.
There is also something grating about the insistence of everyone involved with the All Blacks, from players and coaches to the fans and press that they are the embodiment of Mother Theresa, Gandhi, the Pope and John Eales all rolled in to one, with the catchcry of ‘modesty’ being thrown around more than a primary school disco.
No one likes the person who repeatedly states how humble they are, and New Zealand risk slipping in to a caricature of themselves with this constant refrain.
The caveat to all this is the fact that if you are the number one team in the world and lose approximately one Test per year, it can be hard not to gain swagger and a touch of arrogance, and the task facing the Lions is immense.
We all want to see a deciding third Test, so if the Lion’s do win on Saturday god help the beer suppliers and publicans of Wellington.
yank
Guest
Well said 1999 Aus 2003 Eng 2007 RSA there will always be a team that's going to stand up to the challenge. It's a nice sport so I enjoy it with a beer and some friends love cricket more though
ClarkeG
Guest
ohhh please Drongo...give me strength. You don't feel the need to run others down you said ...says the man that just did exactly that. Apparently you do have the need. Goodness me...how ordinary is that. Nothing nasty about my posts - you need to pay closer attention particularly if you're going to take the holier than thou approach - but if there is any "edge" to any of them it is always directed to specific posters and it is an "edge" always well earned, as is the case with you in this instance.
Wardad
Guest
Even on here I have supported the Wallabies except when playing NZ ,especially when they play England .Makes your statement look a tad silly eh ?
moaman
Guest
Dw i ddim yn siarad Cymraeg sadly.
EnoughisEnough
Guest
Oh, so its ok for NZ'ers to say Australians in NZ should go home, but not ok if someone in Australia says it to an arrogant Kiwi living here?
Drongo
Roar Rookie
I think you have a few issues there ClarkG. Can't recall one post from you that didn't have a nasty edge to it. I don't indulge in nasty, I just give honest opinions without running others down. I don't feel any need to do that.
EnoughisEnough
Guest
Almost as cute as your failure to comprehend the difference between your and you're.....
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
Unfortunately you've completely missed the point that paragraph makes.
Ash
Guest
Come on the NZ Herald rugby writers are all kiwis and a traitorous Scotsman.
ClarkeG
Guest
You know an awful lot of people.
ClarkeG
Guest
You could add champion racehorses to that. People will flock to the racecourse to see these champions.
ClarkeG
Guest
Expect further scorn if one continues to write such tosh as you have further up the page.
ClarkeG
Guest
....you're keyboard is running amok. Nah...I think there is more than a good chance you are a pretender.
ClarkeG
Guest
You're easily impressed it seems.
ClarkeG
Guest
Obviously posted in the wrong place.
ClarkeG
Guest
My ilk? Heavens to Bettsyyyy! You’ve cutely decided what the logic is so it belongs to you.
ClarkeG
Guest
My ilk? Heavens to Bettsyyyy! You've cutely decided what the logic is so it belongs to you.
soapit
Guest
without it being drawn it could have been drawn by someone else without payment it wouldnt have been drawn, without printing it wouldnt have been given an audience and authority/legitimacy (theres a word im searching for?) of being from a national paper,
soapit
Guest
i like
soapit
Guest
yep, and thats what semi pro means. funny how as soon as youre shown to be the one who is wrong its no longer about either of us being right or wrong (you know as opposed to "WRONG AGAIN soapit") be surprised if there wasnt some kind of semi pro league comp in nz somewher (the point of this little tangent)