TOUR TROUBLES

I’m starting to question the credibility of some of the matches on this tour. The latest shambles took place last Tuesday and to be quite frank, knowing what the result would be, I put a record on Sky+ for it and then quickly fast forwarded through it before I went out that afternoon. You may be questioning how I call it a shambles for the Lions whenever it resulted in another crushing victory, but there are plenty of reasons why.

It’s all well and good giving the Country team the chance to realise their dreams and play against the might of the Lions. Giving guys like these the opportunity to have a crack at some of the Northern Hemisphere’s best is a nice concept. But watching the match you realise how unbelievably flawed that concept is.

No offence to the Country players, but they are the equivalent of the AIL players we get here in Ireland, as I mentioned in my last blog. Pitting them against the cream of the British crop is a complete mismatch and to be honest I’m very surprised the Lions only put 64 points on them. This, in my opinion, causes big issues.

People have started to question the credibility of the Lions tour, and this match combined with the Western Force game will have done nothing to dispel the rumour that the matches the Lions face are less than standard. People can argue that this goes back to previous Lions tours where they would travel for months and play teams of all qualities and from all over the respective countries, but times have changed and the Lions must move on.

Facing sides that are sub-standard will not get them anywhere. OK, I’ll concede that the Force weren’t expected to roll over like they did, but playing a Country side that consisted of reserve Super Rugby players and Australian League players proves absolutely nothing to Warren Gatland and his team. The Wallabies are probably sitting back and watching in glee as their touring opponents beat teams that are put together simply for the match, and learn nothing.

My question is this – is there not an Australian second side that the Lions can play instead of these part-time amateurs? In past years the Lions have faced the New Zealand Maoris and the Emerging Springboks as part of their warm-up matches – two formidable teams whom the Lions did not actually beat. They will have learned far more from those games than a 64-0 drubbing of the Country team.

This tour is threatening to go downhill, and quickly. Warren Gatland will be very disappointed that his side could only manage 64 points against a severely weak side that has never played before, and there is a case of the Lions possibly coming into the first test undercooked. They face two big tests against the Waratahs and the Brumbies tomorrow and next week, and they will have to start praying that those two give them a bit of a fight.

Sydney slam

Forget about Tuesday, we’re moving on from Newcastle to Sydney. Allianz Stadium is the destination for the Lions’ fourth match of the tour, and the New South Wales Waratahs are the opponents. Although they aren’t as good as the Queensland Reds, or as good as the Brumbies should be next Tuesday, the Waratahs will provide stiff opposition for the Lions.

If anyone was worried about the Lions before the Country match, they’ll be petrified now. This is a chance to dispel those fears – certainly it will be the easiest match the Lions will face before the end of the tour and they have to make the most of it. A big win is required, and it will have to be a convincing win at that.

Sam Warburton has been faced with the difficult news that he may not make the test side at all with the form that Justin Tipuric has been in and this is his chance to prove himself to Warren Gatland. Expect a big match from the Lions skipper. Simon Zebo will be up for the game too – called up as injury cover for Tommy Bowe, he will be desperate to make any chance he gets count.

This is where the tour really starts in my opinion. The Reds game came at the wrong time, sandwiched between the Force mauling and the Country embarrassment. But now we begin the build-up to the first match against the Wallabies, which unbelievably is only a week away. As I said, a convincing win tomorrow starts that build-up in the perfect fashion.

Easier said than done though.

B&I Lions vs. NSW Waratahs

Saturday 15^th June, 10:30

Allianz Stadium, Sydney

Warm-up match

Live on Sky Sports 2

BRITISH & IRISH LIONS

15. Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), 14. Sean Maitland (Scotland), 13. Jonathan Davies (Wales), 12. Jamie Roberts (Wales), 11. Simon Zebo (Ireland), 10. Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), 9. Mike Phillips (Wales); 1. Mako Vunipola (England), 2. Tom Youngs (England), 3. Adam Jones (Wales), 4. Alun-Wyn Jones (Wales), 5. Paul O’Connell (Ireland), 6. Tom Croft (England), 7. Sam Warburton (captain, Wales), 8. Jamie Heaslip (Ireland).

16. Richard Hibbard (Wales), 17. Alex Corbisiero (England), 18. Dan Cole (England), 19. Geoff Parling (England), 20. Dan Lydiate (Wales), 21. Ben Youngs (England), 22. Owen Farrell (England), 23. Rob Kearney (Ireland).

NEW SOUTH WALES WARATAHS

15. Drew Mitchell, 14. Cam Crawford, 13. Rob Horne, 12. Tom Carter, 11. Peter Betham, 10. Bernard Foley, 9. Brendan McKibbin; 1. Jeremy Tilse, 2. John Ulugia, 3. Paddy Ryan, 4. Will Skelton, 5. Ollie Atkins, 6. Jed Holloway, 7. Pat McCutcheon, 8. Dave Dennis (captain).

16. Luke Holmes, 17. Richard Aho, 18. Sam Talakai, 19. Lopeti Timani, 20. AJ Gilbert, 21. Matt Lucas, 22. Ben Volavola, 23. Tom Kingston.

Referee: Jaco Peyper (RSA)

Assistant Referees: Jerome Garces (FFR), Glen Jackson (NZ)

TMO: Keith Brown (NZ)

Assessor: Scott Young/Andrew Cole (Aus)