The Thursday rugby two-up: Untimely injuries

Injuries are rarely well-timed, and the British and Irish Lions Tour of South Africa got off to the worst possible start on the personnel front, losing captain Alun-Wyn Jones in their warm-up win over Japan at Murrayfield.

It looked like a wrist injury to the inspirational skipper at first, but was later confirmed to be a nasty shoulder dislocation, and though Warren Gatland explained that the best-case scenario could see Jones back for the Tests, the decision was made to call in Ospreys and Wales lock Adam Beard.

Gatland named Ireland scrumhalf as his replacement tour, and full of praise: “Alun Wyn will obviously be a big loss, both on and off the field, but will be ably replaced by Conor,” he said of the decision.

“Conor is an outstanding rugby player and is held in the highest regard with both the players and coaches. As a three-time Lions tourist, he knows what will be required as captain and I am certain he will lead the squad with excellence. He will also be well supported by an experienced leadership group.”

It begs the obvious questions as we start turning our attention toward the July internationals…

Question 1: How big a loss is Alun-Wyn Jones for the Lions, and has Warren Gatland got it right naming Conor Murray as his new captain straightaway?

Harry
Replacing grizzled, patch-haired ‘AWJ’ as a lock with balding Courtney Lawes or slack-jawed Iain Henderson, when playing the superb ‘Bok locks, is not as big a Lions loss as is replacing him as an on-field captain-coach with dour Conor Murray.

Honest Jonny Gray should’ve been the fly-in lock because he is just the sort of big grafting forward needed to stem the ‘Bok tide of behemoths. He spends so little time on the floor or leaning wanly against rucks, especially since mulleted Jonny Hill has no business on a Test pitch in South Africa, this was an opportunity lost (with the one-dimensional Adam Beard in).

But the loss is about captaincy; see Geoff Parkes’ brilliant current series. Murray has never led Munster. He is an easy target for South African loosies to hit. He will have to show something quickly.

He does know the Springbok coaches, and perhaps he was the only leader sure of a starting berth besides 12-penalty Six Nations bad boy Maro Itoje.

Brett
If there was one player Warren Gatland wouldn’t have wanted to lose before his third tour in charge kicked off, it would’ve been Alun-Wyn Jones. I’m pretty sure there was an audible yelp, followed by a series of wailing, weeping screams emanating from the coaches’ box as he made his way from the field with that very obvious look of ‘my tour is done’.

And Conor Murray may well be the best option, but I was bit surprised he was named immediately. And it was immediate – I’m not even sure AWJ’s shoulder was properly back in place when Gatland said Murray had the job.

I mean, wouldn’t there have been some merit in at least getting on the ground in the Republic and seeing who the natural leaders are away from Jones’ shadow?

Though, that all said, maybe Gatland is hoping the quickest way to move on from the disappointment of losing their natural leader is to get the replacement straight into the job and let him start leading now?

Alun Wyn Jones. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Geoff
A timely question given our two-part Monday foray into captaincy and leadership. Alun-Wyn Jones is the kind of talismanic leader often favoured by the Lions; physically imposing but disarmingly approachable.

Capable of a gruff harrumph when needed, but in the next breath, drawing people in with a warm lilt, channelled straight from one of Wales’ prettiest valleys.

Lions captaincy is very much about moulding four into one and in that respect, Jones will almost certainly be a major loss.

As for Conor Murray, the field of candidates was small. Gatland needs a skipper who is a certain starter. Given Murray’s CV isn’t stacked with high-level captaincy experience, perhaps Lions fans should look to Gatland and have faith that, while he might not know what makes the Chiefs tick, he does know his Lions players better than the rest of us.

Digger
AWJ is a great loss, no question, his experience and no nonsense play and leadership is exactly what you want in the mix for a South African tour, and is not readily replaced.

Murray is certainly a fine and experienced player, but the decision to me smacks of too much conservatism, which is a hallmark of Gatland’s style of coaching.

That can certainly work against sides such as New Zealand if you can pull them into the trenches, but it is simply sailing right up the South Africans’ alley, who would welcome such an approach from the Lions. The last World Cup semis and final is a good example of why not.

He is not too popular around these parts, but my choice would have been Maro Itoje, who I believe is a fantastic player, and a likely starter. Most importantly to my way of thinking, he expects to win and could provide that spark and difference the Lions will need against the Boks.

Question 2: What do you most want to see during the July Tests from your respective national teams?

Harry
From the Boks, it’s simple.

I want to see an umbrella that never breaks, boxes that shut hard, lineouts high in the sun, tries raining and niggle in the jiggle.

Brett
I touched on this in recent weeks, and it seems right to bring it up again. I want to see the Wallabies’ identity starting to become clear this year, and I can imagine Dave Rennie does too.

Rennie has certainly picked players of a certain type, favouring big physical tight forwards and ball carriers all across the field. And to a degree, that’s not too dissimilar to his predecessor.

But Rennie’s teams play differently, and there’s been a lot of emphasis from the coaches about speed of play. And I do wonder if – given the injuries – they’ve been putting the players through something of a second pre-season, in terms of building fitness levels up to where they need to be.

So it would be great to see all this amounting to something. And I’m not talking about the next incarnation of whatever the hell ‘the Australian way’ is, but rather a way of playing that suits this group of players and will push them to a method of play that can work on the international stage.

(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Geoff
There are a few things I’d like to see from the All Blacks. Real presence from some of the emerging talent in the front row, some surety and consistency in the midfield (here’s looking at you, Rieko!), and no serious injuries.

For the Wallabies, their task is more basic. The ‘how’ isn’t quite so important, nor are qualifications around what players France have left at home. It’s the ‘what’ that is non-negotiable. They need wins. Two of them at a minimum.

Digger
I am not too sure what one should expect given the quality of New Zealand’s opposition and I imagine we will see a number of changes, mixing and matching in July as the Coaches run their eyes over their squad.

It’s hard to expect a lot of fluidity in those circumstances, so what I would hope to see is a team executing well, defending strongly and a strong set piece throughout.

OVER TO YOU: Is Conor Murray the right man for the Lions?

And what are you hoping to see during the July Tests?