New Zealand vs. British & Irish Lions: Start Time, Live Stream for 2017 3rd Test
Jul 7, 2017
New Zealand inside center Sonny Bill Williams, right, tackles Lions winger Anthony Watson during the second rugby test between the British and Irish Lions and the All Blacks in Wellington, New Zealand, Saturday, July 1, 2017. (Mark Mitchell/New Zealand Herald via AP)
The British and Irish Lions will have the chance to make history on Saturday if they win the decisive third Test against New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland.
The Lions bounced back from an opening defeat to the All Blacks with a 24-21 win last time out, and victory on Saturday would represent their first series win over New Zealand since 1971.
Here are the viewing details you need to catch the action, and read on for a preview of the contest:
Date: Saturday, July 8
Time: 8:35 a.m. BST/3:35 a.m. ET/7:35 p.m. local time
Their efforts prevented New Zealand from scoring a try for the first time in 39 matches, but they still came close to losing.
The All Blacks had to play for almost an hour with 14 men after Sonny Bill Williams was sent off, and they still led by nine points with 20 minutes remaining.
It could have been a different story if Beauden Barrett, who scored seven penalties because of the Lions' indiscipline, had not also missed three kicks.
If they are to beat the All Blacks again, they will need to give away fewer penalties, and they will also need another outstanding performance from Maro Itoje. Rugby journalist Murray Kinsella hailed his work at the lineout and his all-round excellence:
Brilliant from Itoje in the lineout. How does he get away with it? Into the gap and screaming.
A similar outing from the 22-year-old is a must if the Lions are to win, but it's no guarantee.
Even in defeat the All Blacks looked deserving of their status as the world's best, and they've not lost at Eden Park since 1994.
It's not beyond the Lions to win, as they showed last time out, but doing so will be a phenomenal achievement and require the performance to match.
New Zealand vs. British & Irish Lions: Start Time, Live Stream for 2017 2nd Test
Jun 30, 2017
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 24: Jonathan Davies of the Lions runs with the ball during the Test match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the British & Irish Lions at Eden Park on June 24, 2017 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
New Zealand can end the British and Irish Lions' hopes of a series victory on Saturday with a win in the second Test at Wellington's Westpac Stadium.
The Lions made a bright start at Auckland's Eden Park last Saturday as they looked to surprise the All Blacks in Game 1 of this summer's series, but the visitors ultimately ran out of steam en route to a convincing 30-15 loss.
Preventing New Zealand from gaining their usual second wind in the last 30 minutes of Saturday's Test will be a chief priority for the travelling outfit this time around, although many have tried and failed in that regard.
Lions coach Warren Gatland has changed up the team ahead of Game 2, however, and his side need a win if they're to keep alive any hopes of stopping New Zealand from finishing the series in early fashion.
We take a look at some of the players likely to play key roles in Saturday's crunch encounter, complete with all the fixture details and live-stream information you'll need to tune into the action.
Date: Saturday, July 1
Time: 8:35 a.m. BST/3:35 a.m. ET/7:35 p.m. local time
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 24: Sonny Bill Williams of the All Blacks makes a break during the Test match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the British & Irish Lions at Eden Park on June 24, 2017 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Hannah Peters/G
One of the key areas of debate this week has oddly enough been the midfield, where England centre Ben Te'o has dropped to the bench, with compatriot Owen Farrell taking his place while Johnny Sexton slots in at fly-half.
It's a bold move for Gatland to make considering one of Te'o's primary roles last Saturday was caging New Zealand behemoth Sonny Bill Williams, and the Telegraph's Paul Hayward thought he did a fine job in that regard:
Agree Te'o must be baffled. Not many people play Sonny Bill Williams that well. In fact, does anyone?
Indeed Farrell doesn't pose the same hulking figure as compatriot Te'o in the centre, and there is the added risk of Williams running riot should the sometimes No. 10 lose out by a wide margin in the physicality department.
But the prospect of seeing Farrell trampled into the Westpac Stadium soil hasn't crossed the mind of Gatland, who has insisted the Englishman and Ireland's Sexton can stop the Kiwi crusher, per Nick Purewal of the Evening Standard:
"Johnny and Owen haven't started but have had quite a bit of time together. It's just given us two ball players and two kicking options at first and second receiver, so we're happy with the mix.
"One concern we might have is that looking at the long-range weather forecast it doesn't look too great for Saturday night. So we may have to change how we play tactically."
"And of course defensively we'll have to do a job on Sonny Bill Williams, too. He came pretty direct at us and got away a couple of offloads, so it's going to be important we shut him down."
Gatland touched on the added dynamism his backs will likely have as a result of swapping Farrell in for Te'o, but ex-England centre and former Lion Mike Tindall has also warned of the imbalance that could follow:
Is running Dummy lines all day the defence won't be affected too much. Also think SBW will offload easier without T'eo being there.
It's not as though Farrell hasn't played and taken down big centres in the past, but Williams isn't only big and as athletic as they come, he also boasts some of the silkiest hands in the game.
Therefore, Gatland could either outwit New Zealand counterpart Steve Hansen as a result of his changes, or he could have just handed Williams the keys to the kingdom as he looks to run riot from the All Blacks' core.
Maro Itoje
WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 29: Maro Itoje faces the media during the British & Irish Lions media session on June 29, 2017 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Though some of Gatland's decisions during this summer's tour have been contentious, not many can argue the point that England star and first-time Lion Maro Itoje isn't deserving of his place in the XV.
He's only recently begun to make strides on the international stage, but he's already established himself as one of the northern hemisphere's greatest talents, one that should have started Game 1, according to ex-England lock Ben Kay:
Wales second-row Alun Wyn Jones will be an unfamiliar partner for the 22-year-old, but Itoje's maturity beyond his years was recently illustrated by Murray Kinsella of The42.ie:
Maro Itoje says he will calling the Lions' lineout on Saturday. Big test for his ability in that area.
The fact Itoje could have his chance to make an impact across 80 minutes this time around, as opposed to his 30-minute stint off the bench in Auckland, could make a difference to the Lions' hopes in itself.
That's the unique talent Gatland has opted to trust from the beginning this time around, although a big task awaits the Saracens star in ensuring the occasion doesn't become too overwhelming.
British & Irish Lions Blow Half-Time Lead to Draw 31-31 with Hurricanes
Jun 27, 2017
WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 27: Hurricanes celebrate Ngani Laumape of the Hurricanes try during the match between the Hurricanes and the British & Irish Lions at Westpac Stadium on June 27, 2017 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Mark Tantrum/Getty Images)
The British & Irish Lions let slip a 23-7 half-time lead over the Hurricanes at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand, on Tuesday to be held to a 31-31 draw.
Tommy Seymour and George North went over either side of a Callum Gibbins try in the first half. Seymour scored again after the break, but Ngani Laumape, Wes Goosen and Vaea Fifita all crashed home tries to drag the relentless hosts back level.
The Lions have two matches remaining in New Zealand, both against the All Blacks, and they'll need to win both having lost the opening Test match against them at Eden Park at the weekend.
An ill-disciplined start from the Hurricanes saw them repeatedly give away penalties in the early exchanges, and Dan Biggar gave the Lions a 3-0 lead after 11 minutes when their opponents were penalised for offside in front of the posts.
The Lions struggled to break through the hosts' aggressive defensive line, but a rapid counter-attack allowed them to score the first try of the match.
Greig Laidlaw made a superb interception in his own 22, and he offloaded well to Seymour after being reeled in by Vince Aso, per Sky Sports Rugby:
WATCH: Intercept try! Scotland pair Laidlaw and Seymour combine! Sky Sports 1 now. Brought to you by @SLI_Global. https://t.co/ywZKJ6nMsV
— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) June 27, 2017
Biggar consolidated their lead soon after with another excellent penalty from just inside the Hurricanes' half.
Gibbins muscled his way over from close range after the Hurricanes worked their way through the phases well, but Ben May carelessly held Laidlaw off the ball to gift the Lions another penalty, which Biggar dispatched easily.
A strong finish to the half for the Lions saw them add a second try when Leigh Halfpenny chased down an excellent kick from Biggar. Iain Henderson reacted quickest to offload to North, who broke through to touch down under the posts:
WATCH: "Super try for the Lions.” North bags his first of the tour. Sky Sports 1 now. Brought to you by @SLI_Global. https://t.co/WBBLwQZ06w
— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) June 27, 2017
Rugby journalists Simon Thomas and Alex Spink both singled out Henderson and Courtney Lawes at half-time:
Well that was a frisky old half of rugby. Lost count of the number of scuffles and skirmishes. Locks Henderson and Lawes going well. 7-23 🦁
The Hurricanes flew out of the traps in the second half, though, and they scored a try within a minute when Laumape went over in the corner following good work from Aso and Julian Savea.
A Jordie Barrett penalty saw them eat into the visitors' lead further, but the Lions looked to have sewn up the win when they hit back with a kick of their own before capitalising on a man advantage from Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi's yellow card for Seymour to score his second try:
WATCH: Seymour scores his second to make it Hurricanes 17-31 Lions! Sky Sports 1 now. Brought to you by @SLI_Global. https://t.co/QTHBSPYzPt
— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) June 27, 2017
The Lions had two crucial decisions go against them either side, though, as Henderson and North both went over. The former was held up by Barrett and failed to ground the ball, while the latter stepped into touch while carrying Jonathan Joseph's excellent grubber.
The Hurricanes responded with two tries in three minutes to stun the visitors after Henderson was forced off the field with a yellow card.
Goosen did well to cut in from the right to hand Barrett a straightforward conversion, and the full-back had an even easier kick after Fifita wriggled through under the posts to draw level with 10 minutes remaining.
With the momentum fully behind the hosts, it was all the Lions could do to keep out the Hurricanes as the clock wore down with some desperate defending.
It was they who had the final chance when they found themselves in possession with 83 minutes gone, but Biggar's attempt at a drop-goal fell just short.
While the team is likely to be largely changed when the Lions take on New Zealand on Saturday, to throw away such a lead is far from ideal for Warren Gatland's men, who will need to play out of their skins if they're to beat the All Blacks in their final two Tests.
New Zealand vs. British & Irish Lions: Score, Reaction from 2017 1st Test Match
Jun 24, 2017
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 24: Brodie Retallick of the All Blacks is tackled by Jonathan Davies (R) of the Lions during the first test match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the British & Irish Lions at Eden Park on June 24, 2017 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)
New Zealand came out on top in the first Test with the British & Irish Lions on Saturday as they won 30-15 at Eden Park in Auckland.
Codie Taylor and Sean O'Brien went over for each side in the first half, with the All Blacks going in 13-8 up at the break.
Rieko Ioane grabbed a brace of tries in the second half to extend New Zealand's record to 38 consecutive wins at Eden Park, though Rhys Webb was able to grab a late consolation for the tourists.
The Lions almost scored after three minutes amid a positive start when Elliot Daly went over following a superb break by Jonathan Davies, but the try was disallowed as Israel Dagg was able to force him into touch.
New Zealand quickly established themselves in the contest, though, and Anthony Watson had to make a superb catch to deny Dagg a try after Beauden Barrett chipped the ball into the Lions' 22. Soon after, Barrett drew first blood with a straightforward penalty for offside.
The All Blacks grabbed the first try following a quick tap as they worked the ball across and Taylor went over on the right, per Sky Sports Rugby:
Indeed, the hosts dictated the tempo of the match while the visitors, unable to find a way through, frequently resorted to box kicks, which more often than not just gave possession straight back to the All Blacks.
Another penalty for Barrett restored New Zealand's 10-point lead after Owen Farrell struck, but the Lions came back with a sensational length-of-the-field try.
Liam Williams led an outstanding break before offloading to Davies. He and Daly exchanged passes down the left before O'Brien got it over the line:
The Lions flew out of the traps early in the second half, with Watson and Williams causing the All Blacks problems as they broke with pace, though Farrell should have gone for the points with a penalty rather than attempting for a try by going for the corner.
New Zealand extended their lead, however, after driving a scrum forward and a magnificent offload from Kieran Read allowed them to work it to Ioane on the left.
Another penalty from Barrett put the hosts 15 points ahead with less than 20 minutes remaining, and they put the contest to bed when Williams dropped a high ball and Ioane put on the afterburners to escape Daly and run the ball home:
Webb grabbed a late consolation in the 81st minute when he drove over from close range.
The Lions have two more opportunities to beat the All Blacks in the remaining three matches of the tour, and there were some positives to take from the contest here, but New Zealand's class and ruthlessness shone through.
It will take a monumental effort to turn the series around.
British & Irish Lions Ease to 34-6 Win over Chiefs Ahead of 1st All Blacks Test
Jun 20, 2017
HAMILTON, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 20: Iain Henderson of the Lions scores a try during the match between the Chiefs and the British & Irish Lions at Waikato Stadium on June 20, 2017 in Hamilton, New Zealand. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)
Jack Nowell scored a brace for the British & Irish Lions on Tuesday as they comfortably beat the Chiefs 34-6 at the Waikato Stadium in Hamilton, New Zealand.
Nowell scored the only try of the first half with the Lions going in 13-6 up as two Stephen Donald penalties provided the Chiefs' only reply. He added another in the second after the Lions were awarded a penalty try, and Jared Payne also got in on the act.
The Lions have now picked up their fourth win from six matches on their tour of New Zealand and will play the All Blacks on Saturday in the first Test match.
The Lions started on the front foot and Courtney Lawes set the tone with a steal from a lineout, per Planet Rugby's Ben Coles:
The visitors put the first points on the board through Dan Biggar after 10 minutes. Liam Williams had dropped a pass from Biggar as the Lions advanced in search of a try, but the Chiefs were penalised and the Welshman made no mistake from between the posts.
Another poor lineout handed the Lions a second penalty eight minutes later, with Biggar doubling their lead.
Chiefs captain Donald pulled back three points with a kick of his own as the hosts tried to fight their way back to level terms, but they struggled to get going in the face of the Lions' tenacious defending.
The lineout proved the Chiefs' undoing once more when a knock on gifted their opponents a scrum, after which they advanced on the right before working the ball through Williams and Biggar.
The latter was stopped just short of the line, but Nowell reacted quickly to pick it up from the ruck and drive over from close range. ESPN's Tom Hamilton hailed Biggar's contribution as he added the extras:
Dan Biggar, apart from the high hit, is having some game. Lawes and Nowell also putting their hands up for the Lions. #CHIvBIL#LionsNZ2017
Donald's penalty on the stroke of half-time was the only source of frustration for the Lions in an otherwise excellent first half, as it ensured they would only go in seven points ahead despite their dominant performance.
The hosts lasted 15 minutes in the second half without conceding as they looked to put in a better defensive showing, but in the space of 10 minutes the visitors sealed the result with three devastating blows.
First came the penalty try when the Lions powerfully drove a maul over the line, and Nowell scored his second by finishing off a superb counter-attack led by Elliot Daly:
— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) June 20, 2017
An outstanding run and offload from Williams to Payne completed the rout:
WATCH: Payne scores another cracker to make it Chiefs 6-34 Lions. Sky Sports 1 now. Brought to you by @SLI_Global. https://t.co/EGLx0J6n1p
— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) June 20, 2017
The Lions have now strung back-to-back wins together for the first time on this year's Tour.
It bodes well ahead of taking on New Zealand on Saturday in what will undoubtedly be their toughest test yet.
While there were a number of excellent performances from the likes of Nowell, Biggar and Williams, it may not be enough to force their way into Gatland's plans for the first All Blacks clash.
Chiefs vs. British & Irish Lions: Start Time, Live Stream for 2017 Tour Match
Jun 19, 2017
HAMILTON, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 19: Warren Gatland, the Lions head coach looks on during the British & Irish Lions training session at Beetham Park on June 19, 2017 in Hamilton, New Zealand. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
The British & Irish Lions face the Chiefs in the sixth match of their 2017 tour of New Zealand on Tuesday.
The Lions will be aiming for their fourth win from the tour and back-to-back victories ahead of their first clash with the All Blacks on June 24.
Read on for a full preview of the match, but first, here are the schedule details for the contest at the Waikato Stadium in Hamilton:
The Lions enjoyed perhaps their most impressive result yet on this year's tour in their last match as they beat the Maori All Blacks 32-10 on Saturday.
ESPN's Tom Hamilton hailed their performance:
Huge result for the Lions. They win 32-10 against the Maori. Itoje, Kruis, O'Brien and Sexton superb.
However, it will be difficult to gauge if they can put in a repeat showing against the Chiefs. Per the Lions' official Twitter account, coach Warren Gatland has named an entirely changed starting lineup for the upcoming clash:
ICYMI: The Lions team has been announced for #CHIvBIL...
— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) June 18, 2017
Per Charlie Talbot-Smith of the Lions' website, Gatland said: "The players can put themselves in the frame for potential selection for Saturday, we will need players to double up, and for later in the Tour."
He added:
"We won’t sit down as a coaching team to pick the team until Wednesday and I think that’s only fair to the players taking the field on Tuesday night.
"They’ve got to go out there and perform and know that a good performance will count for a lot towards the end of the Tour.
"If someone has a great performance there’s always an opportunity and if it’s not for this weekend, a great performance may come into consideration for Test two or three."
Rory Best will captain the side, and he has been met with nothing but positivity from his team-mates:
— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) June 19, 2017
The six players Gatland called up this week—Tomas Francis, Allan Dell, Kristian Dacey, Cory Hill, Gareth Davies and Finn Russell—will all be on the bench for the match.
The Chiefs will be a tough prospect for the Lions. Not only have they won the Super Rugby twice in the last five years, but they also demolished Wales 40-7 last year.
It's an excellent opportunity for the players to earn more game time later in the tour, though, as Gatland pointed out. With the three tests against New Zealand looming, there will be none lacking for motivation here.
What the 2017 Lions Can Learn from the Mistakes of the Class of 2005
Jul 19, 2015
British and Irish Lions Rugby coach Clive Woodward talks at the press conference at the Hilton Hotel in Auckland, after their arrival to New Zealand, Friday, May 27, 2005. (AP Photo/Fotopress, Sandra Mu) ** NEW ZEALAND OUT **
The Lions schedule for 2017 was announced last week.
Amid the start of the Rugby Championship and the build up to the World Cup, talk of a tour some two years away has not gained much traction in the media.
But it is worth recalling the last tour of New Zealand in 2005 and perhaps offering a pointer or two to whoever leads the 2017 expedition as to what to avoid next time.
2005 was a different time altogether. Labour were in power after a third straight general election success, Star Wars was back in the cinemas, Liverpool were overturning 3-0 deficits to become kings of Europe and Sir Clive Woodward was still regarded as one of rugby’s finest thinkers.
Two years previously he had led England to their 2003 World Cup triumph, a success that secured him the Lions job.
Woodward’s keen eye for detail and meticulous preparation were seen as key tools that could bring the Lions success in New Zealand for the first time since 1971.
Those hopes were smashed to bits in a 3-0 series whitewash that stands out as one of the lowest points in Lions history.
Any touring team could go to New Zealand and end up with that outcome. New Zealand are simply that good.
But there were a number of specific areas of the tour Woodward led that seemed to contribute to that disastrous seven weeks in the Land of the Long White Cloud.
Read on to discover the mistakes to avoid next time the Lions touch down in All Black country.
Don’t pick a bloated squad
Woodward used a huge squad on tour. His reasoning was to keep his Test players fresh and save them the hassle of travelling for midweek games, which the second string could take care of.
Sir Ian McGeechan, who led the Lions to success on South Africa in 1997 and was part of Woodward’s management team, recalled in his autobiography, serialized in the Daily Mail:
Clive...did not want his Test players travelling all over the country in midweek. His answer was bold, effectively creating two Lions parties, with the players dividing into two groups, one for weekend games, the other travelling for midweek fixtures. There were 51 Lions who played on tour and two enormous management teams. In theory it sounded good but it missed the boat by being far too cumbersome for a five-week buildup to the Tests. Paul O’Connell has said that the players never really got to know each other properly because they were always going their separate ways.
Don’t take a political spin doctor
One of the most widely criticised decisions on the 2005 tour was to bring along former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell.
A controversial figure in politics but deemed a first-class operator when it came to dealing with the media, on the surface it seemed a masterstroke to have such an expert in the camp should things get prickly with the local press.
It backfired spectacularly.
The infamous "speargate" incident in the opening minutes of the first Test put captain Brian O’Driscoll out of the tour and gave Campbell his chance to set the agenda—as far away as possible from an abject Lions display in a 21-3 defeat during which they hardly fired a shot.
Instead of explaining that performance, Campbell’s plan was to focus on some inconclusive footage of the actions of All Blacks skipper Tana Umaga and hooker Keven Mealamu, allegedly picking the Irishman up and driving him into the turf head first.
Whichever side of the argument you come down on as to the guilt or innocence of the two men in black, Campbell’s campaign to smear them was a drum beaten so hard and so often that the media got sick of it.
Then All Blacks coach Graham Henry was quoted by BBC.co.uk:
"I'm sure it's all part of the policy—Mr Campbell and his policies. It's another person to say the same thing the next day. I guess it's very irritating if everybody has to read that stuff all the time, but I guess that's what he's paid to do."
Then there was the allegedly staged photograph of Woodward and Gavin Henson strolling along amiably together in the week after the first Test.
Henson had been controversially omitted from the matchday 22 for the opening rubber in Christchurch and this was supposedly Campbell’s plan to paper over Henson’s reported upset at the decision, seeing as he would be needed for the second Test.
The picture was meant to show that Henson's Test snub had not affected his relationship with the coach. ‘I didn't know anything about the photo. But I haven't seen it, so I can't really comment,' Henson said. When rumours of this staged photograph began to emerge, Campbell told the Sunday Times newspaper that: ‘It was a case of getting a picture done that didn't involve him (Henson) being hassled.’
Campbell’s entire role became a story in itself for the British and Irish media.
Paul Hayward, writing for the Telegraph at the time, wrote:
Campbell's presence in New Zealand was a godsend. How come? Because never again will the head coach of a touring party in sport employ a former press aide to a prime minister who has more baggage than Gatwick to tackle the utterly straightforward task of handling the media in between games of football or rugby.
Campbell, nor any other Malcolm Tucker-esque figure, has been seen near a Lions tour since.
Don’t try to revive old glories
Woodward’s World Cup-winning England side was famed for its methodical, measured approach to training, preparation and games.
Every situation was planned for and every reaction rehearsed. But this way of working took two World Cup cycles to produce the desired result—the Webb Ellis Cup in English hands.
Woodward tried to shoehorn the same blueprint into a seven-week schedule.
“He had revolutionised the way in which Test teams were prepared,” wrote McGeechan in the Mail’s serialization of his book.
Clive saw the challenge as finding a way to bring the Lions into a new age. He is famous for his attention to detail and for pulling the strings of a large, specialist and committed operation. His problem was to apply all that inside a remarkably short period of 11 tour matches….Clive, perhaps understandably, stuck with players he knew well and who had made a great impact under him around 2003. However, by no means all of them were on their best form by 2005.
The likes of Richard Hill, Steve Thompson, Josh Lewsey, Neil Back and Jason Robinson were not the players of 2003, although Robinson did have something of a renaissance in 2007 when he dazzled in spells during England’s march to the World Cup final of that year. Lawrence Dallaglio, too, was picked, and broke his ankle in the first tour match.
When Welshman Ryan Jones was called up as an injury replacement, he blew Otago off the park in a midweek match and earned two caps in the final two Tests with his pace and power. For a man in that sort of form to have been overlooked initially was baffling.
Leave the gimmicks at home
Perhaps even worse than the appointment of Alastair Campbell was the commissioning of a Lions anthem. In another detail Woodward saw as part of leading the best prepared Lions team in history, the 2005 Lions bucked tradition—that of not having an anthem at all and just listening to the opposition’s song before getting on with the rugby—and a special song was written, The Power of Four.
Woodward told BBC.co.uk: "It can be used to stir the passions and help build the phenomenal camaraderie that is developing between the players of the four countries who have come together as one."
Make your own mind up.
If the 2017 Lions tour is to be successful, the first thing it will need is one of the most talented Lions squads ever assembled. But it will also need a management sympathetic to its anachronistic nature and conscious that a spirit and togetherness can't be built through micro-management.
2005 could prove the most valuable lesson the next tour's coach could wish for.
British and Irish Lions: Will the Lions Win Really Matter?
Jul 20, 2013
The British and Irish Lions have finally reversed their decades-old failure to secure a Test series win on tour, but will that win have any positive effect on the state of northern hemisphere rugby?
One person who is confident that it will is Wales attack coach Rob Howley.
Only a short time after the historic Lions victory, Howley told the BBC that the win will move the bar forward for rugby in the home nations.
The manner of the win on Saturday - 41 points and scoring four tries to one - just shows we can do it.
I've got no doubt, not only from a Welsh perspective, but all the players from England, Scotland and Ireland when they take on the southern hemisphere guys again they can go there knowing that they have beaten them.
The magnitude of [the fact that] we've beaten them over the past three weeks having been there so many times and been so close and yet so far away.
Mr. Howley's optimism, which comes on the heels of a huge Welsh contribution in the final Lions test, is unfortunately misplaced.
There is scant evidence that the home nations have reason to feel bullish following the recent Lions performances.
Those performances, at least in Test matches one and two, were hardly worthy of optimism.
A brief look at the match reports from those first two fixtures reveals that, had it not been for a slip and fall by Australia's Kurtley Beale in match one, the Lions' long record of failure would have continued.
Putting that aside for now, can northern hemisphere rugby truly be said to be on the upswing?
How Many Welshman Does It Take To.... ?
There was uproar around the globe when the roster for the final Lions Series Test was announced; however, Welsh rugby fans had the last laugh. No less than 10 Welshmen helped power the Lions to their best result of the series; but history tells us that the Welsh do not generally fare as well in the Southern Hemisphere when sporting their national colours.
The Welsh have only beaten Australia twice in 23 matches, dating back to 1991. Their record against the southern hemisphere's other major powers is equally unimpressive.
Many feel that the Welsh style of attacking play is the key to advancing the game in the northern hemisphere; however, until the sixth-ranked Welsh are able to post victories against the world's top teams, claims like these will inevitably ring hollow.
Ireland: The Decline And Fall
If only such statistics could effectively tell the story of Ireland's troubles in recent times. After narrowly missing out on the wooden spoon in the 2013 RBS Six Nations, Ireland eventually sent no less than 12 players to aid the Lions' cause down under.
The result of those departures was almost disastrous for the nation's International Rugby Board (IRB) rankings.
An understrength and inexperienced Ireland squad very nearly dropped the opening match of their summer tour in Texas, against an aggressive and ambitious squad from the USA.
In the end, only three of those 12 Irish players were deemed worthy enough to crack the Lions' starting 15 in the deciding match of the 2013 tour. Those omitted included the legendary Irish captain and talisman, Brian O'Driscoll.
O'Driscoll's departure is—in many ways—representative of the current state of Irish rugby, a nation that for years was among the world's elite but is now struggling to find its form.
Against those same three southern hemisphere powers, Ireland's record is significantly better than the Welsh, but not recently.
During O'Driscoll's prime, Ireland won three straight Autumn internationals against South Africa between 2004-2009, but have only one other win against the Springboks reaching back to 1906.
Scotland may have struggled to a third-place finish in the 2013 RBS Six Nations, but they would go on to place only three players on the initial 35-man tour squad for the British and Irish Lions. None of these three players were in the starting 15 that would take the field for the Lions in the crucial deciding match versus Australia.
This may surprise some, especially since Scotland have come away with wins in their last two games against the Wallabies in 2012 and 2009. Unfortunately for the hard-pressed Scots, those are the only victories they have posted against Australia since 1982.
Such a record would certainly be respectable enough for a relatively small rugby nation, had it not also been accompanied by shocking losses like the one to Italy in 2012 or the crushing defeat at the hands of Samoa only a month ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDbkVygdBLI
While Scotland may still have what it takes to claim the occasional scalp of a top-tier nation, more than ever before they themselves are firmly in the sights of developing rugby nations from across the globe.
It is increasingly difficult to see how Scotland will ever be able to muster the necessary talent to even compete for an RBS Six Nations crown, let alone find success against their rivals in the South.
England: The Once And Future Kings?
Of the four home nations, England is surely the most likely to once again return glory and respectability to rugby in the British Isles. Even former All Black Coach Graham Henry believes England have the potential to be the finest rugby nation on planet earth.
He said this in a 2012 interview with the BBC:
A country with over a million players should be the best team in the world and England's potential in the backs is as good as it has ever been.
But how frustrated those players must get in a white shirt.
England and the English clubs play a game based on fear and a generation of promising backs are dying on their feet. That has to change.
Despite a well-acknowledged superiority in forward play, England continually struggle to compete against southern hemisphere nations whose back-lines routinely get the better of their English counterparts.
Of the 15 men that were eventually selected to take the field for the final Lions match this summer, not a single English back was among them. Given the disparity in the number of players in each of the home nations, this is surely a troubling sign.
Of the top 20 backs in the home nations, how many Englishman would win a place if were you the selector?
England have been ranked as the No. 1 team on the planet as recently as 2004, but their record against the southern hemisphere powers remains only slightly better than their fellows among the home nations.
England have seven victories against the All Blacks in 35 encounters, including a famous home win in the Autumn of 2012.
England have not beaten South Africa since November of 2006.
And The Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place:
The home nations are fond of their spiritual songs, so we've offered one of our own atop these concluding thoughts.
In the increasingly competitive world of international rugby, the home nations must seem like friendlier targets to the likes of France, Argentina, Samoa and even Tonga, let alone their traditional Southern rivals from South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
Given the financial and political troubles that continue to plague rugby union across the British Isles, one wonders if it won't be long before we begin to see some of the home nations fall permanently outside the world's Top 10.
So for those who continue to revel in the admittedly thrilling and historic Lions win of 2013, remember this: unless something is done to reverse the overall trends that have governed rugby in the home nations in recent times, it might not be long until the only hope of a British or Irish win in the southern hemisphere rests with a Lions tour.
Jeff Hull is a Featured Columnist with Bleacher Report.
To follow the author on Twitter, click on the link below.
Brian O'Driscoll Dropped from Lions: The Right Move but Will It Matter?
Jul 3, 2013
Brian O'Driscoll is one of the greatest rugby players of his generation. However, his presence was unlikely to help the Lions to the Test series victory they so desperately need.
Perhaps nothing can.
O'Driscoll was once the terror of European clubs and international back lines across the globe, including in the Southern Hemisphere. He was part of a long run of powerful Irish teams that dominated Northern Hemisphere rugby and put fear into the hearts of Southern Hemisphere rivals.
He was, in his prime, perhaps the greatest centre to ever play the game.
Those days are behind him, however, and now that he has been dropped from the final British and Irish Lions Test versus Australia, one wonders if fans will have to look to film footage of his glory days to see their legendary hero on the pitch again.
Mr. Gill's contentions regarding the traditions of Lions rugby betray a misunderstanding of the very forces that have forced Coach Gatland's hand.
The Lions tour is supposed to be about four nations coming together as one—the best of four nations taking on the rugby powerhouses every four years, playing attractive, winning rugby. For 125 years, the odd political decision notwithstanding, it has largely met that criteria.
Mr. Gill is not alone in his feelings on the subject. Many in the British and Irish press are currently shouting themselves hoarse with rage, but there are sound reasons for this selection, both historical and tactical.
For starters, let's have a look at the notion that the Lions are "the best of four nations taking on the rugby powerhouses every four years, playing attractive, winning rugby."
First off, we'll try winning.
The Lions are indeed supposed to be the very best of the four British and Irish rugby nations. However they have won only a single international Test series since 1993 and none since 1997. As O'Driscoll himself said in the post-match interview included below, had it not been for a slip by Australia's kicker, Kurtley Beale, in the first match, the Lions would have lost. The 2013 tour would have been added to the near astonishing record of Test series defeats the Lions have endured in recent decades.
As I argued in late April, such a dismal record puts into question the entire idea of the Lions as an elite representative team and risks their legacy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGVvUYcAbD0
The fact that the tourists have been gifted an opportunity to finally knock off one of their Southern Hemisphere rivals and restore some measure of success to the Lions brand is exactly what is motivating Gatland's decisions.
In looking at the attractiveness of their play, the Lions failed to score a single try in their second Test against Australia and lost, despite the presence of O'Driscoll alongside some of the Northern Hemisphere's biggest attacking threats.
More will be needed.
O'Driscoll's supporters, like Conor McNamara of the BBC, will point out that he made every one of his 23 tackles in that match; however, this is besides the point. The Irish legend has always been an elite level defender. It is because attacking opportunities come so rarely in these type of matches that a different presence is needed.
Further arguments from our own Rob Gill and others point out that those selected to replace O'Driscoll bring a more direct style of play, and are not known for their magical line-breaking abilities.
It may be that no such magic exists in players within a Lions group that continues to demonstrate the disturbing lack of creativity in Northern Hemisphere rugby.
When Warren Gatland inserted no less than 10 Welshmen into his starting team for one last shot at a Test series win, it was because he is hoping his Welshmen can provide, as a group, what no player– not even O'Driscoll–can provide alone.
In the end, it may be an impossible task. Only time will tell.
What Gatland and the Lions really need to aid their cause is the Brian O'Driscoll of old–The Brian O'Driscoll that could conjure tries from thin air and demoralize the opposition with here mere presence.
Sadly, that player is gone.
Given the state of rugby in the Northern Hemisphere, one wonders if we will ever see his like again.
What do you think of O'Driscoll's removal from the Lions team? Use the Bleacher Report forum below to let us know your thoughts.
Jeff Hull is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.
To follow the author on Twitter, click on the link below.
