Assessing The British Lions Tour …
After rain of biblical proportions and lightning had so marred the game on Saturday, causing a lengthy suspension, the Lions lost 12-22 to Australia and the series ended 2-1 in the Lions’ favour.
The British Lions are something of an anachronism – one of those quirky British institutions that no one would now invent yet somehow survives – like county cricket, the House of Lords and the Royal Family.
By the time they tour New Zealand in four years’ time the rebel franchise R365 may well be up and running and the leading clubs in Britain and France more reluctant to release players.
Further, Rugby Union lags behind Aussie Rules, Rugby League and cricket in the list of sporting Aussie favourites and is only really played in New South Wales and Queensland.
Joe Schmidt is a canny coach but, as the game of international rugby demands a squad of 23 to include the bench, he has limited resources at his disposal.
I felt that 2-1 was about right. This was not a great Lions side – unlike the 1971 and 1974 teams – and Andy Farrell can be criticised for partiality to Irish players, notably James Lowe. and nepotism in then calling up and playing Owen Farrell rather too quickly. Blair Kinghorn the the Scottish international full back and Toulouse wing has every reason to feel aggrieved. The 1974 side seemed to divide quicker into a “B” side (“the dirtrackers”) and an À side too.
Still, with the hegemony of Southern Hemisphere Rugby – and with an apology to Eire – an all-British side seems to make sense.
Who were the winners and losers? Winners were Maru Itoje, who recovered his form as lock not inhibited by captaincy; Dan Sheehan at hooker is world class; Huw Jones a forceful clever centre. And the losers? James Lowe, Marcus Smith, Ben Earl, Dohan van der Merwe and Will Stuart.
Miles Harrison was a safe pair of hands as main commentator, but I missed his sidekick Stuart Barnes, who does not hold back from being provocative. Will Greenwood knows his stuff but tends to dwell on the past.
It’s a popular tour for fans too and one has the impression that the band of brothers who wore the redshirt with pride will have a fellowship for many years.
