Lions idea ‘a nonsense’, says legend McBride

WARREN Gatland’s call for a British and Irish Lions warm-up next summer against the All Blacks has been dismissed as ‘meaningless nonsense’ by a behemoth of the game.

Gatland floated the idea of in effect a £5m decider against Ian Foster’s side after overseeing the Lions’ drawn series with New Zealand on their 2017 tour.

But Lions legend Willie John McBride, captain of the invincible 1974 squad who toured South Africa, fired a broadside at Gatland’s proposals and dubbed the prospect of the match as “stupid.”

He labelled it: “Completely against the ethos of the Lions.”

McBride, still viewed by many as the greatest Lion in history, spoke out just days after Gatland had put forward his proposal ahead of his Class of 2021 heading for a three-Test showdown against world champions South Africa.

Gatland revealed he had spoken to New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson about the prospect of a NZ Maoris side making the trip to Britain for the one-off game, but ramped things up suggesting the All Blacks could come.

He suggested a Twickenham match in June could generate ‘four to five million pounds’, boosting the coffers of unions currently struggling under the coronavirus shutdown.

But Irish titan McBride, who went on five Lions tours earning 17 caps, told The Rugby Paper: “It’s completely alien to the ethos and history of the Lions.

“For the Lions to play a home Test match is nonsense.

“That’s the problem with the world of professional sport at the moment. It’s about money not about sport. Therefore this (Lions v All Blacks) is going to be played for money. It would be meaningless.”

McBride also took a swipe at the current state of the game and those running it.

“Lessons should have been learnt but they have messed it up,” he said.

“The ethos of the game has been damaged so much. It used to be run by rugby people. Now it’s run by (supposed) financial wizards.

“If they’re going to have a Lions, then have a proper Lions tour.

“They keep saying they can’t squeeze the Lions into the curriculum once every four years, yet they always seem to find room for some stupid idea to fill Twickenham.”