Dallaglio: Billy can be best No.8 in the world
Lawrence Dallaglio tells NEALE HARVEY how Billy Vunipola can usurp Kieran Read as world leading No.8
CLERMONT Auvergne had no answer to the barnstorming performance of Billy Vunipola last weekend and in that form, the Saracens juggernaut can eclipse New Zealand’s Kieran Read as the world’s best No.8 during the Lions series against the All Blacks.
Vunipola produced a monumental display in last week’s Champions Cup final victory with 20 carries to put his opposite Fritz Lee in the shade. And former Lions and England back row legend Lawrence Dallaglio reckons the 24-year-old is winning his battle with Taulupe Faletau and CJ Stander for the Lions’ starting jersey – with little to chose now between him and Read.
Dallaglio told The Rugby Paper: “Billy led by example last weekend and he’s one of the most improved players in world rugby. He’s still got a lot more in his game as well, which is scary, and he’s taking ball-carrying and offloading to a whole new level.
“His performance against Clermont will not have been overlooked by (New Zealand head coach) Steve Hansen because he’s got the ability to do things very few players in the game can do right now, and that’s unique.
“Kieran Read, quite rightly, has been regarded as the best No.8. They’re slightly different players in that Read, at 31, has got World Cup-winning experience on his side and tends to do his great work in the wider channels, but Billy’s skill-set is immense.”
Dallaglio added: “Billy’s not a bash-crash player, although clearly he can do that – he can take the ball beyond the gain-line, break tackles and offload – but he’s also got a great deal of subtlety about his game that the New Zealand public will appreciate.
“Billy’s used as a decoy on many occasions by his club and country and he’s got the ability to take the ball on or pass before contact, so that head-to-head between him and Read will be one of the most anticipated because they’re the best No.8s right now.
“Faletau and Stander will be in the mix, but Billy’s hitting his straps after a four-month lay-off earlier this season and won’t be running out of juice.”
Dallaglio believes Vunipola may well be joined in the starting XV by the other five battle-hardened Saracens in the squad, Owen Farrell, George Kruis, Jamie George, Mako Vunipola and Maro Itoje.
He said: “Saracens are a very impressive unit and all six guys are world-class and bang in form. You want those guys in the team because the one thing you need to beat New Zealand down there is huge belief.
“The England team I played in when we beat New Zealand in 2003 had that belief and the boost you get coming off big cup final wins is immense. The finale of the Northern Hemisphere season, if you’re involved in it, is the perfect launch pad for Test rugby. Those are international-standard games, just played in a club shirt.
“If you win those games, which Saracens did last weekend, you’ve got huge momentum that you’ll take into a tour. You have an aura about you, which is no bad thing in a place like New Zealand where the locals will be in your faces.”
Speaking ahead of September’s charity cycle challenge to celebrate the 150th anniversary of his former club Wasps, Dallaglio wants to see Farrell start at No.10, adding: “I know he’s been picked as a 10/12 but you can see Saracens want him to get his hands on the ball as much as possible and he richly deserves his reward as European player-of-the-year. Along with Beauden Barrett, he’s not far off being world player-ofthe-year and I’m very impressed. He’s adding to his game and could become one of the world’s greats.”
The last Lions team to visit New Zealand in 2005 subsided to a 3-0 series loss after Brian O’Driscoll was spear-tackled out of the tour seconds into the opening Test, but Dallaglio reckons Gatland’s class of 2017 will not submit to dirty tricks.
He said: “It’s not all about specifically targeting people, but New Zealand got at O’Driscoll in 2005 and we didn’t have the tools to cope. All tours are physical but when it did kick-off we were found wanting in that respect.
“Tana Umaga went on to score two tries and be man-of-the-match after O’Driscoll was stretchered off so that tells you everything you need to know, but I don’t think the Lions will find themselves in that position again. This squad will cope.
“It’s a physical game and you have to accept the challenge, and the great news for the Lions is that Warren Gatland has not only coached the Lions before, he’s also been on the other side by playing against the Lions for Waikato Chiefs.
“He knows what the New Zealand public and players are thinking so that puts the Lions in a much better position and Warren will tell his squad what they need to know about the challenge.
“You’ve only got to look at history to see how difficult it is to win in New Zealand but if the Lions’ pack, with Saracens boys like Kruis, Itoje, George and the Vuipolas at its heart, can get into the All Black’s set-piece and win that first Test at Eden Park... well, the New Zealand public don’t like their team losing so it would be very interesting!”
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