Long-distance runner Webb can be lethal off the bench
RHYS Webb says he is in the shape of his life. That is just as well, because he will have to be if he is to not only oust Conor Murray as the Lions starting Test series scrum-half but also eclipse Aaron Smith, the All Black touted widely as the best No.9 in the world.
However, the Welshman has shown enough on this tour to suggest that neither challenge is beyond him. Webb’s great strength is that he is the legs and lungs of the Lions sides he plays for, a ring-master who can match Smith for speed to every breakdown.
He may not be as accurate as Murray when it comes to boxkicking precision – very few are, including Smith – but the Ospreys man has a special spring in his step. He has that rare ability to not just operate at high-tempo constantly, but then overcome fatigue to hit overdrive and make match-winning breaks.
Webb has an eye for the gap and speed off the mark most wings would covet, and if the Lions can get enough runners in close support he is a lethal weapon. He and Murray, who is a friend as well as a rival, are certainties for the Test 23, and prospects of that double act will have the All Black analysts working overtime.
When it comes to fitness, Webb has gone up a gear in preparation to take on the All Blacks. He says that the experience of the Wales tour of New Zealand last summer meant that he knew he would have to tailor his high-tempo running training to cope with the big difference in average match distance he is expected to cover for the Lions.
“You are probably looking at 4.5km a game for the Ospreys, maybe 5km with Wales, whereas with the Lions it’s 5.5 to 6km. It was high here in June last year, and I’ve felt it’s gone up again. I’m definitely in really good shape and condition.”
He adds that weight loss is an associated factor that has to be handled carefully by the Lions. “You probably lose about two to four kilos during a game, and some lose six to eight. That’s why it’s important on a tour like this that the boys do what they can to recover after a game. So we have ice baths, masseuses, and protein shakes, which is vital -– and touch wood we haven’t picked up many injuries or knocks.”
Webb has an upbeat, buoyant air about him. It is reflected in his confidence that the Lions have done their preparation well.
“We knew it would be a different tempo game with the ball-in-play time a lot higher in Super Rugby than in the Premiership and Pro 12. They like to chuck it around, but we’ve talked about getting to grips with the game, controlling it, and playing at our tempo. Warren has picked a squad capable of doing special things, playing at this tempo and intensity, and with the accuracy and skill set to go with that. So, we are definitely up to speed.”
“Look, we have got 41 of the best players in Europe here, and these boys have not just come in to make up the numbers. They are not going out there and putting the Lions jersey on just for the fun of it. They are putting on that jersey with pride and passion.”
However, he returns to the core theme of staying the pace. “The big thing is playing for 80 minutes. We can’t afford to switch off after we’ve been ahead, thinking after 65 minutes that we’ve won the game, because we know how well the All Blacks can go for the full 80.”
Webb’s belief that there is no psychological barrier to stop the 2017 Lions beating the world champions in their own backyard is based on the conviction that he, and the rest of the squad, have the legs and lungs to do so.