PRIDE OF LIONS
Who’s going to tackle the All Blacks?
WARREN GATLAND handed Jonathan Joseph an 11th hour reprieve after deciding the Lions could not do without his dancing feet.
The final selection meeting was coming to a close, a squad of “warriors” packed with size and power had been chosen. But Gatland could not shake from his mind the thought that he was ignoring the player who most troubles the Wales team he also coaches. “I said to the rest of the coaches, ‘We can’t leave Jonathan Joseph out’,” said Gatland. “He’s a point of difference – his footwork, his speed – the lines he ran in the game against Scotland, when he scored a hattrick, were outstanding.” Gatland’s coaching team listened intently. They know the job description for winning in New Zealand: big men with big frames and bigger hearts. They also know that Joseph is only 6ft tall and weighs little more than 14 stone.
“He’s got some weaknesses,” Gatland conceded. “But when I look at it from a Welsh perspective, he’s the one player that causes us so many problems when we play England.
“It’s his footwork and pace. Other midfielders in other teams don’t have the same stuff.”
So it was that Joseph, who had all but lost out to Ireland rival Garry Ringrose, found himself added as the 41st and final squad member. It gave England a 16th representative, more than Wales (12), Ireland (11) and Scotland (2).
But the Lions were at pains to make clear that Joseph’s selection in no way marks a change in their playing philosophy.
“It’s no secret how the All Blacks play,” said assistant coach Graham Rowntree, a player in the 2005 squad Black-washed 3-0 by the merciless Kiwis.
“New Zealand: attritional place, attritional rugby. It can be a very tough place to tour as
well – 2005 was a tough bloody tour. But from it we learned the type of character you need in abundance to go there and win.”
Which explains a squad filled with players from Ireland and England, sides who have beaten the All Blacks. Not to mention Welshmen who reached a World Cup semi-final there.
“All of the guys we’ve named typify that character we need,” Rowntree added. “We’ve picked the best competitors – warriors to go down there.
“It is a nice blend of experience, guys who have done it before. Guys who have beaten New Zealand, guys who have won Premiership and European finals.
“Fearless young men. That’s what you need down there.”
Leading the party once again is Sam Warburton, the Wales flanker who skippered the 2013 Lions to glory in Australia. “One of the things I admire about Sam is that it’s not about Sam Warburton, it’s about the team first,” said Gatland. “If someone is better than him in the number seven position – whether it’s Sean [O’Brien] or Justin [Tipuric] or whoever else – and we picked him over Sam, Sam would understand that.” Gatland’s thinking is that to beat the best he’ll have to do so in the final quarter. Hence the selection of the England bench players Eddie Jones refers to as “finishers”. Jamie George, Ben Te’o and Kyle Sinckler boast one Test start between them. But they know how to close out wins. Success for the Lions is only a remote possibility – but Gatland is not going to die wondering.