Gordon Bulloch's good form hasn't been rewarded with a Test placeWhilst the dirt-trackers can return with heads held high, unbeaten, the truth is that they frequently came up against sides that had more in common with the pre-1995 era than the post. The dirt-trackers struggled to overcome a combination, of pro, former-pro (presumably because they weren't up to scratch) and guys who made most of their living away from the rugby pitch. When put up against some very well paid players they really stood up and were counted. There were some memorable exceptions. A few, too few, were recognised by SCW and have performed well in last Saturday's Test side. Ryan Jones and Simon Easterby immediately spring to mind. Some players have been outstanding and haven't had a crack at a test place. Gordon Bulloch has barely put a foot wrong and his sole honour has been to lead the unbeaten midweek side. Chris Cusiter and Charlie Hodgson have a very real grievance at not even getting onto the bench for a test.
Back to the 3rd test, New Zealand did not create a brand new game last week, they did not raise the bar. They played a simple match, with a straightforward game plan with safe hands and at pace. Everything came together. It has happened before, notably against France last season, it will happen again. But on other occasions it won't, balls will slip, players will over-run passes, tackles will be made, turn-overs gained and most importantly points conceded.
The rubber is dead and maybe the Lions will follow in the style of the England cricket side, who have one a solitary match in the last 8 Ashes series when the rubber was "live". In truth I don't think so, the game will probably be tighter than last week but this Lions side, whilst hurt and wounded have had too little game time together to challenge a side brim full of confidence and with even more ability as well. Even the loss of super-outhalf Dan Carter, will do little to harm the flow of All Black rugby. The Lions are walking wounded, the side had it's best outing as a Saturday team last week with no player doing badly. Some may have been ordinary, but I feel you couldn't fault the effort. The backline is being messed about with and still it has a look of defeat. I am convinced that Jason White offers many more options than Martyn Williams on the bench, as does Cusiter over Dawson. The 3 Caledonian Amigos, have a very genuine grievance at not being included at any level on Saturday. I think that we'll shore things up defensively and will restrict the Kiwi's to 21-25 point win. We'll have lost a 3 match rubber by a wholly predictable 3-0. That is the real tragedy, at no time did SCW's squad look as if they could do anything other than lose from the moment he hamstrung their efforts with his geriatric selection. In the words of Private Fraser, we were doomed.
All said. I'm still not convinced that New Zealand will win the Tri-Nations, there is a good chance they will lose in both Australia and South Africa, but they certainly have the whip hand when they come on their Grand Slam tour in the autumn. British Isles rugby has been exposed not for it's players, who can be outstanding, but for the complete lack of innovation and imagination in the coaching. SCW says if he had it all to do again, he would do the same, stupid.
This inability to allow your thinking to evolve is central to the failure of the side. The Scottish sides of the 80s and early 90s had such coaching and so a limited resource went a long way and gave us our most successful period since the mid-1920s. Now the lessons must be learned, the next Lions coach need not be an established international with past glories behind him, but a fresher mind with success in front of him. The squad should be looked after, but not pampered. It should be a side which is able to bond and if players have to drop out then with modern flights there is no problem calling someone in at short notice.
Footballs mondial still manages with a squad of 20 outfield players and 3 goalkeepers. If anything the imperative for big squads lies in the past, when it took weeks to travel to these countries.
For us there are few lessons to learn from the Lions, from New Zealand many, one of which is to have faith in the younger players, reputation should stand for nothing compared with current form. The second is that if we play the game at pace and simply, we will win. I hope that the coaches' at Glasgow see that some of the more elaborate stuff from last season could be replaced with more intensity and quick ball. Let the All Blacks be our model.
Lions: Murphy; Cueto, Greenwood, Thomas (capt), Lewsey; Jones, Peel; Jenkins, Thompson, White; O'Callaghan, O'Connell; Easterby, Moody, Jones.
Replacements: Byrne, Rowntree, Corry, Williams, Dawson, O'Gara, Horgan.
New Zealand: Muliaina; Gear, Smith, Umaga (capt), Sivivatu; McAlister, Kelleher; Lauaki, So'oialo, Collins; Williams, Jack; Somerville, Mealamu, Woodcock.
Replacements: Witcombe, Johnstone, Ryan, Holah, Marshall, Evans, Howlett.