Call-ups smack of being deliberate snub to England
Gatland could have bolstered Lions squad more effectively – and without bad publicity
‘You don’t have to be mad to be a hooker, but it helps.” OK, that is usually said about football goalkeepers, but it is far more applicable to rugby’s hookers – many of whom are complex people.
At present, I am wondering whether Warren Gatland fits the bill because of his decision to call up six players to augment the British and Irish Lions squad for the game against the Chiefs tomorrow. Allan Dell, Kristian Dacey, Tomas Francis, Cory Hill, Gareth Davies and Finn Russell are now with the squad and have all the regalia, but only Russell can argue that he has a legitimate claim for inclusion on merit.
The remainder are there by accident of geography and because Wales and Scotland are touring in New Zealand and Australia respectively. Gatland has stated that four years ago the Lions had problems with players who were called up as cover and had to travel from Argentina, where England have been touring.
None of these players should be criticised for accepting the invitation, but I imagine that deep down they are not totally comfortable with their position. This furore will be over shortly, but the real point is that it need not have happened this way. It almost has the feel of a deliberate slight to several England players.
Gatland has now said that this was always the plan, so why not announce it before the squad left and save yourself the unfavourable headlines?
Why not be transparent with those players who were entertaining faint hopes of a call-up, having dealt with the enormous blow of not being chosen in the first place? Why not secure the agreement of Eddie Jones, the England head coach, to release some of his players after the first Test in Argentina so that they could travel and acclimatise without problem, thereby preserving the maxim of players having to earn the ultimate accolade in British and Irish rugby?
Gatland can do whatever he likes in pursuing a famous Test series win against the most difficult opponents in the world, but there was an easy way to have done this which would have left him with a stronger squad and no bad publicity.
As for the rugby, Gatland saw his shadow Test team subdue a Maori side that, on paper, should have provided the sternest of tests before the series begins on Saturday. The Maoris offered so little that it is tempting to dismiss them, but the truth is that they were crushed by a very proficient performance from the Lions pack and a defence that shut down an individually talented set of backs. It was reminiscent of the way the Lions neutered the Crusaders, but even more comprehensive.
Make no mistake, if the Lions can do the same to the All Blacks in the first Test on Saturday they will pose the Kiwis a lot of problems. No team look good having to play on the back foot. If the Lions can find the support lines to turn line breaks into tries, they might just beat the All Blacks. If they do not score those tries but do maintain discipline and do not give away penalties, they might kick their way to victory in a tight match.
If, if, if – it would be preferable not to have these qualifications, but things are as they are and the Lions know a considerable increase in overall quality is needed to win a Test against the world’s No 1 side.
At the moment, we have not seen much guile in the way the Lions have attacked; there has
The All Blacks do not have the look of weaklings who can have sand kicked in their faces
been a distinct absence of dummy runners and carriers to make defenders make decisions other than when to hit the ball-carrier. I hope this is simply the Lions not wanting to reveal their full hand rather than there being no more to come. Few sides have been able to bully the Blacks into submission, and this squad do not have the look of weaklings who can have sand kicked in their faces.
The Lions must get their mentality right before they step on to Test turf. Trying to limit the All Blacks and absorbing what they throw at you is not the way to beat them. You have to take the game to the Kiwis, give them only sufficient respect and have a go at them. The Lions have to step into the difficult arena of Eden Park twice in this series and they need to rouse their travelling supporters, who have an important job to make the stadium a less hostile venue. The All Blacks struggle like everyone else in difficult circumstances. Knowing how to make it as difficult as possible is not hard; doing it is.