Lions Rugby

Can anyone remember the Lions winning the super 10 in 1993? With a team of which 14 of the starting players would then go on to represent the Springboks. A team lead by Francois Pienaar. A team coached by Kitch Christie. A team that went on a famous 19 run unbeaten streak. A team that is a world away from the current Lions team. 

Since that famous unbeaten streak, time hasn't been very good to the boys from Jo'burg. The last time they appeared in a final was in 2007. And even then they lost 20-18 to the Free State Cheetahs.

I, for one, am not surprised by this. You would be forgiven for thinking that maybe the problem lies in a lack of talent from the surrounding area? You would be wrong. Let me give you some names, and you tell me what they have in common.

1. Schalk Brits

2. Rory Kocket

3. Andre Pretorious

4. Joe van Niekerk

5. Jaques Fourie

6. Bryan Habana

Can't guess? They all played for the Lions at one point or another. And that's not an exhaustive list. How can a side expect to be successful when they let talent like this slip through their fingers?

Fitness, too, could be the key issue at my the Lions just cant win. An audit by Jake White was particularly severe on the poor physical conditioning of the player and the poor defence displayed by the union.

A coach change later just saw more of the same. The game after Eloff's sacking proved to be a 74-10 drubbing by the British and Irish Lions.

In comes Dick Muir, former Shark's coach and current Springbok back line coach. Muir is successful, several productive seasons with the Sharks have proved this.

Maybe he can be the Superman that the Lions so desperately seen to turn their fortunes around. 

Can he address the talent drain? The poor defence? And create a winning attitude that takes Lions fans everywhere back the Kitch days?

Only time will tell.

"They don't give the trophy to the winners for nothing, you know"

So said Lions captain Paul O'Connell post-match after a deserved but belated third test victory which finalised an overall 2-1 series defeat; now etched in the history books for all time.

The Sky interviewer had previously pointed out that the Lions had indeed managed to beat the World Champions on the try count 7-5 and on aggregate points total over the series.

But you don't get prizes for that.

And neither to you get prizes for playing the prettier rugby sadly.

As Shaun Edwards pointed out in a column for the Guardian after the first test, scrum-half Mike Philips had seen more of the ball than the entire South African backline combined and it is no stretch to claim the Lions secured the lions share of possession in not just one but all three tests.

It was indeed a bittersweet ending of the 2009 tour for the Lions. Pride restored but the cold hard reality of losing will be hovering over the team during the long flight home.

Not that it was for lack of effort.

The initial selection of the coaching staff, a returning Ian McGeechan after an humiliating 2005 Lions tour, along with his fellow Wasp Shaun Edwards and Wales' Warren Gatland was perhaps telling of the approach the Lions would take to the series.

Gone were the days of separate Lions teams, single rooming and a bloated number of coaching staff. Returning were the values and traditions of the Lions from tours past.

The initial squad selection was strong with perhaps even the 'world-class' fly-half, Ronan O'Gara meriting a place based on Johnny Wilkinson's and Danny Cipriani's acute lack of form/fitness. In the former's case over a period of years.

I guess we'll never know how Irish Grand Slammers Quinlan, Flannery, O'Leary, and a Wales favourite of mine Tom Shanklin would have done. Quinlan's gouging was merited and inexcusable-let's be clear about that. If you think Shalk Burger merited punishment for his horrendous actions then Quinlan deserved to sit out the tour, and he did.

Of all the initial withdrawls, I think Flannery was most missed. He would have easily started ahead of Mears, Rees, and Ford, and the amount of crooked throwing from the Lions various hookers at the lineout, an elementary error to put it plainly, was disappointing.

And so the tour started with a underwhelming performance against the Royal XV followed by a complete roasting of the Golden Lions.

The Free State Cheetahs were put down at the last minute by a Hook penalty while victory against the Sharks and another close call against Western province led up to the brutal physical encounter with the Southern Kings, who clearly were only too eager to soften up the Lions before test No. 1.

By the end of the pre-series games we had found out, apparently, three things:

-O' Driscoll and Roberts were undisputed starters along with O'Connell and our best chance of toppling the seemingly unbeatable Sprinboks.

-The Lions would suffer at the breakdown unless they sorted themselves out.

-We were 'safe' at scrum-time.

Only the first proved correct and British and Irish media and pundits alike got it horribly wrong on the scrum. As we were to find out with the first test.

Of all the tests the first is probably the one South African players will be showing to their grandchildren in years to come. For the first 60 minutes, the Boks were dominant in every nearly every facet of the game: maul, lineout, territory and most infamously, scrum.

They were the World Champions we'd come to know in their element, turning Lions into cubs in their wake.

The Beast had a standout performance come scrum-time. His direct opponent Phil Vickery could not cope and with Botha behind him and Aluyn Wyn Jones behind Vickery it was simply no contest in that area. It was the needless penalties conceded in this area that was to eventual be the difference between the two sides at the end of the game.

Overall, first impressions were clear for me. South Africa were more than willing to stick to a two dimensional set-piece orientated 10-man game and the Lions would have no other option but to use their superior backline and creativity seeing as kicking for touch and contesting the lineouts with Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha around was a no-no.

Not just that but the sheer physicality and conditioning of the Boks was worrying to me as a Lions supporter.

These guys clearly weren't going to be pushed around. They may not be great passers and they may struggle against quick ball and good movement coming off the ruck but it brought home the point more than ever that if you want to succeed in a contact sport -you had better get good at contact!

This point was brought home, painfully in the second test as many walked off injured. As The Lions tour doctor, Dr. James Robson, a veteran of 5 tours put it quite plainly:

"I can only measure it anecdotally and subjectively from my view but I would have to say this has been the most physical tour, the most physical Test matches I have been involved in.”

But the second test was role reversal. Adam Jones drove the Beast upward at the scrum, turnovers were found aplenty for the Lions and Rob Kearney's catching and counter-attacking negated Steyn, Du Preez and Pienaars kicking. As a result the dominant pack was unable to exert dominance in the areas that it mattered. Shaw seen to the mauls.

With the Lions roaring two things happened that changed the face of the game and the series: Numerous injuries to key personnel like Jones and Jenkins (leading to uncontested scrums) and the likes of Bowe, O'Driscoll, Roberts.

And Ronan bleeding O'Gara who was culpably responsible for a 10-point swing and with that, the end of the series.

I'm not going to bleat on about O'Gara here but him at centre was just never going to work in a million years.

Full credit most go to Steyn, Pienaar himself had a bit of a shocker and Steyn's all round game and kicking was imperious coming off the bench and with his 45m penalty, the Lions lost in the end by three points; A tale of so close and yet so far away.

The third test was in a word: redemption. O'Gara was exiled totally from the 22 and the Lions gave a performance that fully merited a win. Shane Williams, Ugo Monye, Riki Flutey and Jamie Heaslip threw aside the various cobwebs of criticisms that had been made against them over the tour and put in world-class performances to the man.

Final thoughts

Ultimately my interest in rugby has peaked with the series. All the games were crackers. The second test is probably the best game I have ever seen and I really feel a lot more affinity with the Lions now, despite the series loss.

They've proven to be a wonderful tradition over their 100-year history and they still are in my opinion. They're unique to rugby as a sport and thus, for me make it special.

People that say the Lions belong to a bygone amateur era have been made to eat their words in my opinion. Both teams took the games seriously, coverage and general interest was strong and most importantly the Lions we're competitive; not the ragtag scrabbled together team some would have you believe.

Overall I'm proud of the Lions.

[Please read on for my Lions player ratings.] 

Note: Obviously I'm not going to rate 40-odd players, so only the major appearance makers on the tour will be highlighted. Ratings out of 10.

Lee Mears-4.5: Went AWOL in the first test, disappointing throwing. Didn't help at the scrum. Rightly dropped.

Matthew Rees-6: Nothing to write home about. Like the rest of the hookers probably lucky Flannery was forced to withdraw to get test appearances under the belt.          

Gethin Jenkins-6: Decent performances. Overshadowed by the Boks pack as most packs are. Fractured his cheekbone in second test.                                          

Paul O' Connell (c)-7.5: Hard to rate. Lineout was always going to be tough. Solid at the breakdown, decent ball carrying. Biggest gripe is that you never felt his performance/presence was crucial to a victory like his counterpart John Smit for the opposition.

Adam Jones-8: His introduction almost single-handedly ended the Boks scrum dominance. His withdrawal due to injury during the second test led to uncontested scrums. Habana's admittedly individually amazing try was the result. He was really important to the Lions in this regard. Written off years ago, now loks a world class prop and scrummager.                  

Simon Shaw-9: Made his first ever Lions test appearance despite this being his third tour! Showed what a true Lion he was and what the shirt meant to him. Great countermauling, huge hands, great breakdown work at the ruck. Should of been first choice from the outset too as his scrummaging, like Jones helped the team immensely. 

Brian O'Driscoll-8.5: Helped create tries for Croft first test and later Kearney in the second test before being forced off. Would have been a dream season for the Ireland captain had the Lions won. Unplayable at times. Not afraid to get stuck in (ask Matfield) and passing was just delicious at times.

Jamie Roberts-9: Has become a world class centre now. Excellent work with the above, they almost seemed like brothers at times. He always guaranteed more than a few yards with his running/carrying. Kept the Boks on their toes constantly.            

Andrew Sheridan-7.5: Kept his discipline, scrummaged well and was willing to carry. Bonus points for his 'hey, you talkin to me?' look. Hilarious stuff.                     

Phil Vickery-6: Had a good pre-series tour to be fair and didn't look like he would be the disaster at the scrum he eventually was. Alot of questions raised for the England captain on this tour. Good mental strength to come back from being dropped.      

Aluyn Wyn Jones-4: Found out. Couldn't compete with the bok pack. Lost the ball numerous times when carrying. Anonymous for most of the proceedings. Looked terrified at times.                                                                                        

Tom Croft-8: Worked hard for a few turnovers. Scored two tries on his Lons debut. Can't ask for more. Many were surprised he wasn't in the original party. I can see why. 

David Wallace-6: I was a bit disappointed with Wallace. He played very well in the pre-test tour matches but went mostly AWOL during the tests. Failed to help out at the rucks.

Jamie Heaslip-7: Another personal disappointment. For me a world class No. 8 but he took so long to show it. He's a fantastic carrier and passer as shown for Williams's first try today. Amazing balance for a big man. Didn't do anything particularly wrong either though.

Shane Williams-7.5: Wasn't even going to rate the IRB world player 2008 until his performance today. This was the real Shane Williams. Two tries, good carrying and great passing. Found form too late you might say.                                              

Mike Philips-9.5: My personal Lions MVP. Great scrum-half. Willing to carry, line break and help out at the rucks. Scored a try. Also played at centre and acquitted himself well there too. Good tackling. Bettered Du Preez, which is saying something. World Class but needs to perfect his kicking maybe.                                                     

Stephen Jones-9: I really liked Jones performances. Very dependable kicking. Memorable kick to tie second test 25-25. Good tackling, passing and running. Only blemish was slicing some of his easier looking kicks to touch.                       

Tommy Bowe-7: Disappointed overall. Had an outstanding pre-series. Scored numerous tries and then did hardly anything in the test matches. Played at centre and was decent. Didn't proove that he's the world class wing we know of in the 6 nations. Just not to be on this tour.                    

Ugo Monye-7.5: Really messed up two great finishing opportunities in the first test. His kicking is ok, tackling reasonable and carrying ok. Nice intercept try but you feel he needs others to create space for him as he himself runs 'too straight' for a winger if you get me.                    

Rob Kearney-9.5: Outstanding. Probably the sweetest catcher of the ball out there. Great balance and agility to evade directly after catches, too. Powerful boot always handy against a strong pack. I really think Kearney could be the best in the world in his position in years to come.                                                                            

Luke Fitzgerald-6: Playing Bowe at center ahead of him was a massive vote of no confidence in the Leinster man. In truth did nothing to warrant a place in the 2nd test team against the Emerging Boks or in the pre-series. Just not quite up to speed but still one for the future you feel.                           

Ronan O'Gara-2: Dependable kicking but otherwise a disgrace to the Lions shirt. Still can't believe he warranted a test-22 place. His performances against the Emerging Boks and Southern Kings were woeful. Can't tackle, can't carry, can hardly pass, slow, gives away possession. Might aswell have been playing for the Boks. Just brutal.

At half time James Hook gave an interview to Sky Sports. Today was his birthday. He wasn't even named in the matchday 22. Ronan 'O' Gara was. What we're they thinking?

I've already pointed out O'Garas unforgivable deficiencies here, but to even put O'Gara on the bench is something verging on a deathwish against such an accomplished physical side like the World Champions.

With 20 minutes left in the game O'Gara, the Newbridge Cutlery model, comes on and within minutes is found out as usual as a headless 2 dimensional chicken who predictably kicked everything he got.

For South Africa's 3rd try, O'Gara once again put in a hopless tackle letting his opponent gain the valuable yardage that ultimately proved so crucial to the TV officials decision to eventually award the try after numerous screenings.

Fast-forward towards the last moments of the game as O'Gara, predictably, kicks the ball into high heaven and gives away a penalty. Much like Ireland's last grand slam match against Wales where O'Gara's ridiculous decision to cede possession was nearly punished with the last kick.

This time we were punished for his stupidity.

O'Gara is on the verge of being dropped in the Ireland team for young Jonathan Sexton. O'Gara was dropped for Stephen Jones in the Lions team. How long will Munster tolerate such a glaringly obtuse player who depends on the valour of those around him to shine?

Ronan O'Gara is quickly becoming rugby's answer to David Beckham. Nobody can provide a convincing argument why he's constantly thrown into the limelight, especially at people like Hook's expense.

I can't put into words my horror at finding out O'Gara was on the bench and the decision was punished, cruelly. The Lions must now wait 12 years as the South Africans had done to avenge themselves. Chances are, thankfully, O'Gara won't be in that squad.

I probably still wouldn’t put any Scots in there, save for Big Nathan—the only man to step up his game on tour so far. With the Springboks picking the Beast in the front row, its a real shame Murray is not fit as he was starting to come onto a game, and he really took the Beast to the cleaners in the autumn if I remember correctly.

So here is the team that I would pick – the real one will be announced tomorrow:

15 Byrne – Big boot, great countering and a fearless pair of hands.

14 Kearney – Competition with Byrne for place at the back has brought back the old attacking Rob Kearnery who we missed in the Six Nations. Stick him on the wing, though I suspect Geech et al will go with Monye.

13 O’ Drsicoll – Along with Roberts, the first two names on the team sheet. Still slower than he used to be, but showing all the fire and skill of old. Useful at the breakdown too.

12 Roberts – Not a bad time to find the form of his life. Hopefully his shoulder holds up. Already showed signs of a partnership with BOD in a couple of games, hopefully they are now fully ready for a searching test of it.

11 Bowe – Sorry for writing you off initially Tommy, I stand converted. Folks got excited about Halfpenny and Earls being selected, but Bowe is the find of the tour so far.

10 Jones – O’Gara is a reliable option but Jones has sparked the attack more successfully so far on tour. Understanding with a Welsh (7) 9 10 12 axis could be important. Pity Hook got injured when he did, would have liked to seen him in form to compete here.

9 Philips – I don’t like how he always piles into rucks but so far the only one in decent form

8 Heaslip – Powell has played much better since some adjustments were made to his personal tactics, but Heaslip has still been the more solid player.

7 Williams – need someone to compete on the floor and his link play with Philips and Jones could be key. Wouldn’t be disappointed if they put Wallace in though.

6 Croft – Pierre Spies like pace and agility, could be just the ticket going forward. Great option in the lineout too.

5 O’Connell – Needs to step up his game to prove he is worthy of the mantle Lions captain. We suspect he is, but he needs to prove it.

4 Wyn Jones – Hines is probably too knackered having started the last two games, otherwise I might well have stuck him in. Shaw is pushing hard too but Alun just edges it for his lineout skill. Does leave the second row a little short of grunt though.

3 Vickery – Murray made a bit of a late surge in the scrums then picked up an ankle injury. Could yet feature but for now Vickery is the outstanding candidate.

2 Mears – near faultless in the lineout and showed up well in the loose. A bit lightweight against a guy with the same name as a battleship but Ford hasn’t taken his chances.

1 Jenkins – pushed hard by Sheridan but Jenkins workrate in defence is phenomenal, and offers a bit of cover for tighthead too.

Bench: Rees, Jones, Hines, Wallace, Blair, O’Gara, Fitzgerald

Missing Hook on the bench here – where’s the magic spark? For this I would be tempted to slot Blair on the bench, but I doubt this will happen and they will go with nuggety Ellis.

Fitzgerald has looked sharp and pacey so far and offers cover in a few positions. Nathan is unlucky not to start but fatigure from playing back to back should see him rested (much as I am sure he would hate that).

Flutey is another bench option, I don’t think now is the time to throw Keith Earls into the maelstrom of test rugby. Monye would be unlucky to miss out but in reality he will probably make Geech’s test team,which will probably also see Shaw on the bench rather than Nathan.

Who would you pick? Be back tomorrow to see what Geech thinks of my selection.

In 2005, when Brian O'Driscoll (BOD), Lions captain, was controversially spear tackled by the ferocious All Blacks double team of Tana Umaga and Keven Mealamu, his Lions campaign ended instantly with a dislocated shoulder.

The following infamous 'blackwash' rubbed salt in the wounds for the Lions skipper as the Lions received an embarrassing 3-0 series drubbing.

Brian O'Driscoll was left to contemplate life on the sidelines, an all too familiar story ever since, as BOD became increasingly injury prone.

That period was to proove a key turning point in his career of the, up until then, seemingly meteoric rise of BOD to the Valhalla of international rugby.

For his beloved Leinster, Declan Kidney was to unceremoniously fail and then leave for perennial rivals Munster that same season leaving Leinster to chance their arm on a then relatively unknown Michael Cheika.  

It was then French rugby came calling to O'Driscoll as he faced a nadir in his professional career in the summer of 2006. And in the great what ifs of Irish rugby history he choose to stay and contribute to the Michael Cheika experiment, for better or worse.

The going was initially rough. Ulster and then the Ospreys were to clinch the Magners league title and O'Driscoll as captain of the Ireland team, would reach their own nadir in the Rugby World Cup in 2007, subsequent failure in the six nations in 2008 leading to the end of the up until then successful reign of Eddie O'Sullivan, the current USA rugby coach.

But then the first shoots from the ashes begun to spring up for BOD.

A Magners League title eventually would be claimed in 2008 but the real story of the rise of the phoenix was to take place during this season.

Relinquishing the Leinster captaincy to Leo Cullen, with a new coach yet old mentor in charge of Ireland in the form of Declan Kidney and with a well publiscised loss in weight, BOD would go on to have his most wildly successful season ever.

A historic Grand Slam followed where BOD would win player of the tournament scoring a try in every game bar the climatic finale in Cardiff.

For Leinster, although they effectively relinquished the Magners League in a loss to Munster in April (in which BOD missed out through injury), they would claim for the first time in their history the European Cup after defeating Leicester in memorable fashion.

The new BOD is a different animal. Defensively BOD, much like his club has toughened considerably. His amazing try scoring ability has returned but with a new threat - drop goal kicking. He has lost weight leading to tries like the intercept tries he scored against Italy and Munster.

Most interestingly he is not a player for the limelight anymore. He passed up the Leinster captaincy to Cullen and the Lions captaincy went to Paul O'Connell after discussions with Ian McGeechan and his international teammate.

And so full circle, karma, has come around. Although Umaga and Mealamu have long sinced retired, the physical intimidation of World Champions South Africa awaits the Lions tour of 2009.

This tour will top of what has already been a dream like season for the Ireland captain. If they win his place in Rugby Valhalla will be incontestable, and if they lose, those demons from that fateful day in Christchurch may come back to haunt him.

Congratulations to BOD and the boys for a fantastic season for this Leinster and Ireland fan and best of luck to the Lions this summer. Here's hoping BOD, the phoenix and the Lion will come full circle from the ashes of 2005.

 

On March 14^th, Queensland defeated the top of the table Sharks 25-13 in an awesome display. Their loss to the Lions tonight was a polar opposite display of rugby nous.

Phil Mooney looked as if someone had died in his post match interview. For all intents and purposes, not only has the Reds season passed away, but they now stare at the real possibility of their sixth consecutive bottom three finish. 

With matches against the Blues, Brumbies, Crusaders and Hurricanes to finish their season—all legitimate title contenders—the reality is that Queensland will likely finish with their second wooden spoon in three years.

It is a damning statistic for a mighty rugby state that in 1980 they defeated the All Blacks, then won the back to back Super 10 titles (the predecessor competition for Super 12/14) in 1994/95 and finished the regular season of the inaugural Super 12 in first place.

It was a Lions side that limped into Brisbane. They were debilitated with injuries, foremost amongst these the loss of World Cup winning centre Jacque Fourie. But their position on the table belied the latent ability in the South African side. 

They had defeated the Brumbies 25-17, and had recorded respectable losses against the Hurricanes and Chiefs.  Against the latter, they had actually led the Waikato based team by 19 before capitulating in the fourth quarter.

Queensland was looking at the game as redemption. 

They lost their first two games to the Bulls and Stormers in South Africa; the latter being a narrow three point loss at the fortress of Newlands. They then smashed the Cheetahs 22-3, before losing to last year’s finalists NSW by only four, and then pulling off a huge upset downing the reigning Currie Cup champion Sharks in Brisbane.

That is a reading that indicates a quality side.

But since then, heavy losses have followed to the Chiefs and Force, both by well over 20 points. This then followed to a loss to the Highlanders, who, despite an excellent midseason remain the worst New Zealand team.

There was nothing at Suncorp Stadium that indicated any quality whatsoever.

The Reds, despite having four capped Wallabies in their backline looked so rudderless in attack that the stadium of over 15,000 was heard to groan more than cheer.

Their pack, half capped international players and containing an All Black hit the rucks with no intensity and never were marshalled in the manner indicative of a senior representative pack.

Effectively their performance was so poor that they made the Lions looked like a Springbok team.

With not even 40 percent possession, the Lions won by enough to deny the Reds even a losing bonus point.

Even with the Lions down to 13 men for nearly nine minutes after suffering two consecutive sin-binnings, the Reds could never make their two man superiority count.

The Lions will not get carried away by such a performance.  Any review will show that the Reds were quite simply non performers. It was a display that would have struggled to put away an age grade side.

For the Reds, they will have a lot to answer for. A fair number of Queenslanders were represented at Suncorp Stadium tonight and would have gone home with a very bitter taste in their mouths.

In the next four weeks they will play against three teams who between them wield no less than 12 Super rugby titles. The fourth, the Hurricanes, wield no titles but have four semifinal appearances in the last six years.

The Reds face a horrific month to their end of season review—which on tonight’s account, will be damning indeed.

Reds: 20
Tries:Genia, Higginbotham, Cooper
Con: Cooper
Pen: Cooper

Lions: 31
Tries:Mentz 3, Joubert
Cons:Pretorius 4
Pen: Pretorius
Yellow cards:Kruger (56 min), Van Zyl ( 58 min)

A patchy but ultimately enthralling Six Nations campaign reached its breathless climax on Saturday, but already teams of the tournament have been put to bed and the focus shifts to the British and Irish Lions tour this summer.  

With half its teams tied on three wins each and even Grand Slam winners Ireland desperately narrow Six Nations campaign victors over England and Wales, the Six Nations has provided few dead certainties for the Lions team. Ian McGeechan and his coaching team will once again have the toughest selection job in rugby as they seek not simply to select the best fifteen players in the British Isles but to decide who will combine well with whom, how to blend flair with stability, and which players will gel as a team in the face of the most brutal defense in world rugby.

We start in the forwards, where the Lions will have to find the brawn to match the sheer bulk of the South African pack, the best line-out jumper in the world, and the beast that is Schalk Burger.  Man-mountain Andrew Sheridan has had a disappointing tournament and is likely to be warming the bench for the man who played all three tests four years ago, Gethin Jenkins.

Rock solid in the scrum and quick enough in the loose to tackle Hugo Southwell on the touchline, Jenkins' physical toughness was proved by the incredible 16 tackles he made against England in what both packs described as one of the most bruising matches they had ever played. He must start.

Only England's Phil Vickery made more that day, but he loses out in my XV despite a recent resurgence. Frequent treatment to his neck and recurrent poor discipline suggest there could be better options at loose-head. Adam Jones has had a good winter but may find the hard, running pitches and thin air of the Highveld too much. Euan Murray will hold the scrum steady and put in plenty of work with one of the others a useful option on the bench.

No man stands out at hooker: Lee Mears is busy without punching any holes and played his part in an unflappable English line-out, and Ross Ford has been solid for Scotland, but Rhys Jones’ throwing will hardly stand the Matfield test.  In the absence of an outstanding candidate the temptation is to choose Jerry Flannery in the hope he can reproduce the Munster and Ireland jumping chemistry with Paul O'Connell.

Lock Paul O'Connell has been totemic for Ireland this campaign and stands alongside fellow captaincy candidate O'Driscoll as a dead certainty for the Lions XV. His line-out prowess could shake even Victor Matfield and he is a warrior with and without ball in hand. This is one man who will not falter in the face of the Springbok pack.

The place alongside O'Connell is up for grabs. Alun Wyn Jones had the pundits purring early on, but faded, especially in the line-out. Team mate Ian Gough caught the eye with a couple of terrific big hits but also suffered at the line-out. English captain and line-out tactician Steve Borthwick only turned up for one game, while Scotland barely had a fit lock in their squad, ruining Jason White’s winter in the process.

Donncha O'Callaghan did not look out of place alongside O'Connell for Ireland and would be a safe choice, with Wyn Jones' athleticism perfect for an impact substitution to ease him into the leonine fray.

Competition in the back row is ferocious. Ireland's David Wallace has by common consensus been the star in the loose, but even then his position is open to debate—should he play at blind-side to accommodate the veteran scavenger Martyn Williams of Wales? I feel a pack with two men weighing in at a ‘mere’ 100kg could be overpowered by Schalk Burger et al.  

Tom Croft and James Haskell both gave dynamic performances for England, while Ryan Jones’ leadership would be a significant asset at six or eight.  Dennis Leamy would roar too, given the chance, and some pundits are backing an emerald-green trio to round off the pack.

I would pick Jones on the blindside and give Jamie Heaslip of Ireland his head at number eight—he gives physical presence and running power and has outperformed Wales’ Andy Powell.

Scrum half was one position that looked extremely well stocked back in January, but the contenders have fallen back into the pack.  Mike Blair was ordinary, perhaps crushed by the expectations and reality of a disappointing Scottish campaign, while Mike Phillips’ delivery looked a little sluggish and he could have lost his place to Dwayne Peel.

The ever-eager Harry Ellis made the most of his chance with some typically combative games for England without shutting the door on Danny Care. Thomas O’Leary was strong and kicked well for Ireland but Peter Stringer’s faster service and sharp running have their fans too.  

In the end Mike Phillips’ size and strength make him the prime candidate—just witness his late break against Ireland when he strode through a series of tackles.  The next week for the Ospreys he even acted as a back row runner might, giving his forwards a target by running from the base of the scrum.  However, Peel or Blair’s swifter pass could see one of them playing a role at some point in South Africa.

The fly-half position has been symptomatic of the tournament as a whole. No team or player took the Six Nations by the scruff of the neck: Goddard was as forgettable as much of Scotland’s play until the Evans brothers sparked into life; Flood was tidy and was able to glide through the odd space without silencing the incipient sibilance of wistful whispers for a Cipriani firing on all cylinders. 

Of the number tens who contested the championship decider in Cardiff, Stephen Jones is holding James Hook at bay without launching the Welsh back line as consistently as he would have liked; meanwhile Ronan O’Gara’s kicking from hand was surprisingly poor for a man accustomed to driving his team down field with such power and accuracy. In the first half of the final game he was clearly rattled by the giant dragons Wales sent thundering his way, repeatedly crashing backwards as his team mates came to the rescue.  

However, both men showed exceptional strength under pressure as they traded match-winning drop goals at the death. Stephen Jones’ solidity means he has to start against South Africa, with O’Gara a worthy replacement and a cool tactical head for the closing stages.

Riki Flutey began the winter as a man of potential untapped—potential to become the new Andy Farrell according to some—and ended it as a devastating attacking force.   His stepping off either foot sometimes beats two men, flummoxing the player inside his marker as well, and his timing of a pass and support lines have also drawn praise. A more dominant presence with every game, he is the man to unlock space outside or break the line himself.

Rumours of Brian O’Driscoll’s demise have been very much exaggerated. The Irish captain is one of the few men in world sport whose sheer genius can make everyday excellence appear mediocre.  He broke the line and swerved home to open a lead on a well fancied French team before turning loose forward to smash and burrow his way to the line in desperately close contests with England and Wales.  

Every time Ireland faltered the hand, heart and striving legs of BOD drove them on again.

On the wing, Shane Williams rarely looked the 2008 IRB player of the year, but may have been hampered by the ankle injury he sustained early in the tournament as much as Wales’ inability to summon the ‘go forward’ to release his talents. However, with his irrepressible energy and desire to look for openings at scrum half and in midfield he remains the outstanding flyer in world rugby.  

Tommy Bowe was a surprise winger of the tournament, not least for his chase, catch and sprint for the line ahead of Henson and Williams in Cardiff. He must be given the chance to carry this form to South Africa—like Flutey his star is on the up and opponents have not yet had time to work him out. Behind these two a pack of chasers includes a resurgent Mark Cueto, one-match wonder Monye, the electric Evans brothers and Leigh Halfpenny’s lightning acceleration.

As with Shane Williams, and Wales in general, Lee Byrne was not on top form throughout, but he still hit the line at superb angles and has been touted as the best player in the world this winter. His siege gun boot, brave defence, especially under the high ball, and physical strength will also be needed against the Boks. The more mercurial and elusive broken field running of Armitage and Kearney will be best utilized as the game starts to fray later on.

So:  Byrne, Bowe, O’Driscoll, Flutey, Williams; Jones, Phillips; Jenkins, Flannery, Murray, O’Connell, Callaghan, Jones, Wallace, Heaslip. It is hardly controversial, but then the Lions could name two teams without either surprising. My choice is a dazzling back division that will not yield in midfield and a powerful engine room with leadership throughout. 

What say you?

A lot of mistakes cost both the Sharks and the Lions a bonus point in this week's game at the ABSA stadium. The Sharks attacking play was just not good enough and the Lions kept them down to only three tries. The Lions looked terrible and suffered at their own hand. Knock-ons, forward passes and other instances of bad execution stopped them in their tracks time and again.

Earl Rose opened the scoring with a drop-goal after a full 14 minutes. This was to be the standard for the rest of the game - sloppy play interrupted by someone getting it right and scoring points.

Deon Carstens put the hosts in front with a try after some good pressure from the Sharks. They enjoyed the biggest share of the possession and territory, but just could not capitalise on that. Ruan Pienaar did not bring his kicking boots to the ABSA stadium.

Despite the Lions missing a lot of tackles and suffering in the set-pieces they managed to end the half only 8 points to 3 behind the Sharks.

In the second half the greasy ball and humid temperature dominated the game. The Lions managed to stick their noses in front for a few minutes thanks to an excellent try by Ashwin Willemse and the conversion by Earl Rose.

The Sharks hit back with two tries by Ryan Kankowski, a classic eighth-man-out-sprinting-the-back-line-defence which was adored by the Durban crowd, and JP Pietersen rounding off a sustained period of pressure in the visitor's 22.

The final score was 25-10 to the Sharks. The Lions need to live up to their name - not the habit of lying around doing nothing, but that uncanny speed and strength the King of the Jungle unleashes on its prey in the wild.

The Sharks also have some work to do in order to justify their title as effortless killers in the deep oceans. Seeking and destroying opposition teams in the same merciless fashion as their namesake in the waters off Southern Africa.

In the end it was a real circus-like comedy of errors and a big headache for anyone who thought that the Sharks will be able to reach the Super 14 final in 2009.

Last time I checked it's 327 days, 18 hours and 11 minutes until the arguably biggest rugby franchise gets under way and the British and Irish Lions head to face world champions South Africa.

Finally it's happening again, that few months every four years when the English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh all put aside their respective heated rivalries and club together to support a conglomeration of the best players that the home nations have to offer and cheer in unison for the legendary British and Irish Lions. I personally love the Lions, even under the scrutiny of selection and arguable bias based on the origin of the coaching staff the Lions is a rugby event.

I'm sure I am not the only one who was fairly disgusted when after the disastrous tour to New Zealand in 2005 (ending in the tourists being destroyed by an All Blacks team that were quite frankly unbeatable) the home nations considered disbanding the franchise due to it being a money pit of sorts. Though the bigger matches of that tour were embarrassing the atmosphere appeared to be amazing, I was so envious of those who followed the players to the opposite side of the planet. These points completely ignore the money that was raked in through tourism ticket sales and sale of merchandise in the British Isles and New Zealand.

But to the point, so far the preparations for the 2009 tour seem to be going the right way. The two deciding figures in how the squad performs in South Africa have been selected with the Welsh legend Gerald Davies being selected to be the Tour Manager and Ian "Geech" McGeechan the Scot working with London Wasps and the Lions squad of 1997 being selected as Head Coach for the tour. This is a great decision, Geech knows how to get the lions done, 1997 was the last successful tour for the home nations where they beat Australia 2-1 in the 3 test series.

Recently announced for the aid of the lions is that the Guinness Premiership's final will be played on the 16th of May, this means that there will not be conflict with premiership fixtures in England at least, it would not be foolish to hope the other unions adopt a similar allowance considering the special circumstances, here's hoping.

Here is the announced tour schedule:

Sat 30th May-Royal Bafokeng- vs Highfield XV

Wed 3rd June-Ellis Park, Johannesburg- vs Golden Lions

Sat 6th June-Vodacom Park- vs Cheetahs

Wed 10th June-ABSA Stadium, Durban- vs Sharks

Sat 13th June-Newlands, Cape Town- vs Western Province

16th/17th June-Port Elizabeth- vs Coastal XV

Sat 20th June-ABSA Stadium, Durban- vs Springboks 1st XV

Tues 23rd June-Newlands, Cape Town- vs Emerging Springboks

Sat 27th June-Loftus Versfeld- vs Springboks 1st XV

Sat 4th July-Ellis Park, Johannesburg- vs Springboks 1st XV

The entire country of South Africa must be licking their lips in anticipation of the tourists landing in 327 days.

Also as I enjoy doing here is a British and Irish Lions 22 of my own choosing:

1-Andrew Sheridan (England), 2-Ross Ford (Scotland), 3-John Hayes (Ireland)

4-Paul O'Connel (Ireland-Captain), 5-Nathan Hines (Scotland)

6-James Haskell (England), 7-Tom Rees (England), 8-Ryan Jones (Wales-Vice Captain)

9-Eoin Reddan (Ireland), 10-Danny Cipriani (England)

11-Shane Williams (Wales), 12-Gavin Henson (Wales), 13-Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland), 14-Paul Sackey (England)

15-Matthew Tait (England)

16-Jerry Flannery (Ireland), 17-Matt Stevens (England), 18-Ian Gough (Wales), 19-Jordan Crane (England), 20-Mike Blair (Scotland), 21-James Hook (Wales), 22-Shane Horgan (Ireland)

Lets see how close to the test squad I get come the 20th June 2009.

Bring on the lions, we all eagerly await the training squad and the release of the new kit, I know I do at least.