No ‘fear factor’ from Faletau, say NZ press after loss ofVunipola
WARREN Gatland’s Lions won’t roar in New Zealand next month after losing Billy Vunipola to injury because his No.8 rival Taulupe Faletau ‘holds little fear factor for the All Blacks.’
That’s the verdict of the New Zealand media following Sunday night’s withdrawal of England’s back-row battering ram Vunipola from the 41-strong Lions squad through a long-standing shoulder problem.
With England flanker James Haskell called in to replace the former Pontypool schoolboy, Vunipola’s cousin Faletau looks a shoo-in for the first Test with the All Blacks at Eden Park on June 24, with Ireland flanker CJ Stander the only real competition for the No.8 berth.
It means the Lions are poised to include two Welshmen in their back-row in skipper Sam Warburton and Faletau and that figure could conceivably rise to three with Justin Tipuric and Ross Moriarty also in the selection mix.
And that argues, New Zealand Herald rugby correspondent Gregor Paul, plays right into the All Blacks’ hands.
Writing in the Herald, he said: “Taulupe Faletau is a harder worker, more mobile and more aerobic than Billy Vunipola but the qualities the English No.8 lacks are not the qualities the Lions need.
“Vunipola can run over the top of even the best defenders, Faletau can’t and while the Welshman played well in New Zealand last June, he holds little fear factor for the All Blacks.
“They ultimately see him as a player they know they can dominate because they have done so many times before.
“When he lines up with Sam Warburton at openside the All Blacks will cast their minds back to last June and recall how those two were here in different red jerseys.
“And the All Blacks will recall how they managed to win that series against Wales 3-0 without ever managing to play anywhere near their best and feel pretty good that the Lions have two Welshmen in their loose trio.
“It’s not hard to understand why Warren Gatland tried to persuade Vunipola to still come to New Zealand even if his shoulder was shot.
“Gatland had big plans for the England No.8 knowing that Vunipola’s presence would add a highimpact, destructive edge to a slow, grinding game plan.
“Gatland has always been hoping to offer more than bump and grind and Vunipola was his trump card.
“When big Billy gets going, he’s a tidal wave of destruction, hence Gatland’s attempts to persuade Vunipola to still come to New Zealand on a managed programme of training to protect his damaged shoulder.
“At close to 130kg, Vunipola’s an astonishing bit of machinery on the charge. He’s never been fit enough to give 80 minutes but the Lions were banking on him bringing 65 minutes of ball-carrying carnage.
“They were planning to have him power off rucks and force Aaron Smith and Beauden Barrett into tackling him.
“There were times last year when the All Blacks looked vulnerable to teams attacking them directly through the middle of the ruck and few players in world rugby are better suited to taking that route than Vunipola.
“He wouldn’t provide a point of difference as such, but what he would have done is elevate the effectiveness of a limited gameplan to the extent the Lions would fancy they could make life intolerable for the All Blacks.
“Faletau will most likely be the man who ends up wearing No.8 in the Test series, and good player though he is, he won’t bring the same driving force as Vunipola.”