Dump Lions? What a lot of bollocks
Herald reporter Heath Moore is spending five weeks in a Maui campervan following the Lions fans. This is his latest report
Red Army members have hit out at the British and Irish Lions selectors while taking a swipe at a Telegraph reporter after six more players were called up to the squad ahead of the Chiefs clash tomorrow.
The Welsh quartet of Cory Hill, Kristian Dacey, Gareth Davies and Tomas Francis joined the squad after their test against Tonga in Auckland on Friday night.
Scotland pair Allan Dell and Finn Russell were to link up with the squad in Hamilton yesterday after playing in their nation’s win over Australia on Saturday night.
But the selections have ruffled the feathers of some Red Army fans with a number saying it “devalues the jersey”.
“It’s rubbish,” touring fan Paddy Kenny told the Herald.
“Half of the six players called over aren’t worthy of a Lions jersey and their place in their own nation’s side could be debatable in itself.
“The schedule is pretty tough but the Lions management signed up to it. They knew what they had coming.
“Why can’t they send over English or Irish players who have earned their place? The Super Rugby sides travel to and from South Africa and Argentina regularly and have to back up each week.”
Another fan who didn’t want to be named said, “The Lions is the pinnacle of rugby for us so don’t go tossing jerseys out to anyone who is halfdecent at rugby. It devalues the jersey. They probably thought the Maori All Blacks were going to beat us up big time.”
Their opinions echo the Telegraph’s Mick Cleary, who called the selections “a sticking plaster” and labelled the side the “Lions of convenience”.
But it was the reaction to Cleary’s scathing comments about the tour that turned heads.
Red Army members rubbished the rugby reporter who wrote, “The fans have turned against [the Lions]” that “the Lions is nothing without the backing of the supporters” and “either the whole Lions concept needs to be taken seriously by the powerbrokers or it should be abandoned, left to gather cobwebs as a fond old memory of what used to be, like a steam train in a siding”.
A group from Ireland who are off to every game told the Herald that win or lose, hail or shine, the Red Army would never give up on the Lions.
“Those claims of us waving the white flag are bullshit. Since when have we turned our back on the Lions? We’re here in force.
“We can be pissed off about the selections but when the first test comes around the provincial games become irrelevant.
“We Lions fans make the tour what it is, but at the end of the day the Lions will always be there. And we’ll always be there for them . . . They wouldn’t dare abandon the Lions concept. What a disgrace. Dump the Lions? What a load of bollocks.
“The tour is meant to be tough. Players are meant to piss blood for every victory and we’re there in voice no matter how poorly or brilliantly we play. That’s what it is about. And if we have to bring in reinforcements to our displeasure, then so what?”