SCOTS LIONS ARE READY TO ROAR!
But first they must shine in Six Nations, warns Hines
NATHAN HINES knows how to win a place among the British and Irish Lions and he believes Scotland could have its biggest representation for years in Warren Gatland’s 2017 squad. If — and it is a big if, he admits — the national side play to their full potential in the RBS Six Nations Championship and knock over most if not all of the home nations, then Hines feels Warren Gatland will have no choice but to call on a key collection of Scots stars, such as Stuart Hogg and Finn Russell.
The Scotland skills coach believes that to be a possible aim, but was blunt when asked for the key to a healthy tartan representation in New Zealand this summer.
‘Players playing well,’ he said. ‘The coaches are looking for players who are consistent, at club level and international level, and it always comes down to performing well in the Six Nations, which is why it’s been tough for Scottish players.
‘We have a very talented group, better across the board than I can remember for a long time, and we saw new depth in the autumn with
props injured and new boys stepping up and showing they were international class.
‘We now have a team capable of beating anyone on their day, but they have to all be on “their day” in five games through the tournament; not one or two games. That’s how you get selected for the Lions.’
While he agrees that Russell has pushed himself into the reckoning — of clubs across Europe as well as the Lions — Hines said: ‘Finn will only get the chance if he plays consistently well until the end of the season.
‘Finn is a class act and the way he controlled the games against Racing, against Dan Carter, was great but it didn’t surprise me.
‘At the same time, some of the things he did in the 1872 Cup game against Edinburgh were not so great and that’s the consistency of decisionmaking I’m taking about. To become a Lion you have to be on top of your game time after time.’
Hines has experienced both sides of the Lions selection coin. He was a triumphant tourist in South Africa in 2009, but missed out in 2005 in part due to his well-documented battle with Scotland head coach Matt Williams which led to a brief international retirement, while in 2013 he was on Gatland’s reserve list.
‘It is an honour and a privilege to be selected. I was injured at the start of 2009 and had a knee op, but I knew the Six Nations was where the calls would be made, so I did everything I could to get back.
‘Geech (Ian McGeechan) called me the night before the squad was announced to ask if I would tour if selected. I was at Perpignan and they were not keen to release me, but I told Geech I would go. You still don’t know at that stage whether you’re selected, so it was a nervous wait until I saw my name on TV the next day.
‘To be picked for Scotland was very special and that had the same feeling of humbleness — being told you’re one of the best players in the home countries… it’s hard to take in. ‘I’ve heard people saying the Lions should have been left in the amateur era and, while we do have to manage players more now, you ask anyone who’s ever been on a Lions tour — player, coach or fan. They want it. It’s still a unique, brilliant part of rugby.’ This will be the final tour under an agreement signed by the home unions with the SANZAR nations in 2003. Then, the Lions tour was in jeopardy, the 2001 tour having been criticised despite Graham Henry’s side coming within touching distance of a series win. The SANZAR countries then held all the aces on the revenue split, season timing and tour itinerary. But the Lions have since grown into a major commercial success and, crucially, help New Zealand, Australia and South Africa battle the increasing costs of professional rugby.
To that end, the Lions have coopted the SRU chief executive Mark Dodson and his counterparts in England, Wales and Ireland on to the board to draft a new touring plan post 2017.
Gatland has been critical over the lack of Scottish influence in his coaching team, with Gregor Townsend, Vern Cotter, Hines, Jonathan Humphreys and Jason O’Halloran all opting to go elsewhere, both in current roles and new ones entirely.
Hines shrugs off the suggestion that this leaves Gatland short on knowledge of Scots players, saying: ‘He knows our players pretty well and I think he’s keen on a few.
‘We have a good squad and as many as nine or ten players I know could perform for the Lions, but who goes depends on them. The good thing with this group is that they know that; they’re grounded and pretty organised mentally.’
As many as ten Scotland players could perform well for the Lions