Lions review shows touring live and well!
BRENDAN GALLAGHER picks his best bits from this year’s behind-thescenes look at the Lions
Uncovered The British and Irish Lions (Spirit Entertainment Ltd, £14.99)
EVERY four years since 1997 not only have we had a Lions tour to relish but then comes the added bonus of re-living warts and all later that year with the official behind the scenes documentary and the 2017 version – Lions Uncovered – does not disappoint.
Of course nothing will ever quite recapture the bravado, humour and drama of the 1997 version – Living with Lions – which quite simply was, and remains, one of the best fly-onthe-wall sports documentaries ever produced. On that occasion, by chance, the cameras were present to capture that precious moment when the old amateur ethos still, just about, held sway despite the game going professional in Britain and Ireland the previous year. Lions Uncovered, however, is a very decent effort indeed. It doesn’t quite delve into as many nooks and crannies as Living with Lions but it leaves you in no doubt that the art of touring is alive and well, schoolboy humour still prevails and beer is still consumed in impressive quantities. The class of 2017 were also a singing squad and some of their renditions of
Fields of Athenry will warm the cockles.
There is no holding back or undue editing of the F word and industrial language generally. Elite rugby is – and never was – a place for shrinking violets and rugby folk sometimes look on in amazement at this current fixation with the ‘climate of fear’ that apparently troubles many sports. Elite rugby is an arena where fear, stomach wrenching and vomit inducing nerves are everywhere, an arena of honest harsh words, relentless even maniacal drive and a total obsession with winning. Nothing else suffices.
I gave up counting the F words when I reached the half century. Some of it was bitter or fearful, some of it was used as a motivational tool while, of course, much was just banter and messing, no offence given or taken.
As with a lot of ‘films’ it helps if you have read the book first so to speak. If you followed the Lions tour closely – and that includes some strong words spoken subsequently – little apparent throw away moments will make more sense.
There are a handful of themes that come through strongly. Over the year Warren Gatland has shown that he can be extremely vocal when needed but it was interesting to see how on this tour he was very much more the calm hand on the tiller. Andy Farrell and, a little surprisingly, Steve Borthwick did most of the shouting and swearing.
Up in the coaching box it was Gatland who was invariably the calmest when things went wrong or the Lions suffered a dodgy call. Most of the time he chose his words carefully and they were designed for impact.
Gatland is a hugely experienced coach, he’s known the high and lows and is always passionate about his rugby but what I saw on this DVD was somebody working really hard to hold it all in and not say or do anything he might regret or ignite unwanted media coverage. It was impressive to behold. He was trying to step up to the plate as much as his players.
Another theme that struck me was the perennial one of what good Lions tourists the English players invariably make. Perhaps they are so used to being the butt of jokes from the other Home Unions that they take it in their stride come Lions tours. It was very noticeable how Kyle Sinckler, James Haskell and Joe Marler – none of them Test starters – quickly became the life and soul of the party.
Not that you can keep the Irish quiet for long either. Sean O’Brien was clearly also a huge character and figure in the group both by dint of his larger than life personality and the sheer world class quality of his play. This is important to note because it gives context to his comments, seen as bitter criticism by some, a few months ago when he insisted the Lions should have won and it was a massive opportunity lost. He was clearly right – and if you listen to Andy Farrell’s briefing before the third Test it was manifestly the view of management as well. O’Brien shouldn’t have singled out Rob Howley, that was unfair, but his general drift was bang on and he more than most had earnt the right to voice it. The sheer presence of Alyn Wyn Jones is a constant. Many – including myself – wondered if he was quite in the form to warrant a Test start. Remember Maro Itoje only made the bench for the first Test, Courtney Lawes was on fire and Ian Henderson got better with every game. But we were wrong. To watch this DVD is to understand fully what an integral part AWJ played in the entire tour and why it was unthinkable that the Lions start a Test without him. The other great theme for me was the sheer decency of Sam Warburton who will possibly go down as the greatest Lions captain ever. My God he is a bloke you would want on your side when it all goes pear-shaped. Totally dedicated, very tough when needed – he doesn’t eschew the F word by any means and when he curses it really strikes home – but mostly urbane, sensible, diplomatic.
No dramas when he didn’t get picked for the first Test, no dramas or ructions when the Lions just missed out on making history. No excuses. He just gets on with the job.
All sorts of individual moments lodge in my mind. The utter pin-drop silence in the team room just after Warren Gatland finished announcing the side for the first Test, followed shortly after by the sight of hardman Peter O’Mahony sobbing quietly to himself after being made skipper.
Then there was the ‘Geography Six’ lock Cory Hill introducing himself to the squad by bringing up his spoof
Wikipedia page on the big screen, listing Warren Gatland as a notable relative; a half-naked Sean O’Brien leaning out of the window doing his best superman impression while Haskell has arranged for some spoof coppers to draw up and ‘arrest’ him.
The sound of perfectionist Johnny Sexton giving Rhys Webb a hard time at training early on the tour. As all Ireland and Leinster backs will testify it was nothing personal Rhys, it’s just Johnny’s way.
And finally the palpable relief in the Lions box when that nice Sam Warburton gently persuaded Romain Poite to downgrade that final penalty to a scrum. They clearly thought it was game set and match to New Zealand right there.
It’s all there and much more besides. Not every Lions DVD delivers but this one is right up there and excellent value.