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Former British and Irish Lions full back Lee Byrne says he just can’t see any way that the men in red can emerge from the forthcoming tour to New Zealand with a series win under their belt.
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The 36-year-old, who started the first test defeat to South Africa in 2009, thinks his former coach Warren Gatland has picked a strong squad that could win a series anywhere else in the world but that the All Blacks will have too much and the tour schedule and quality of provincial sides may also take its toll.
“It’s a very good squad and I’d say they’d have a very good chance anywhere else in the world but it’s a difficult task playing New Zealand in their own back yard and I can’t see them beating the All Blacks unfortunately,” he told Rugby Pass.
“Gatland wanted a hard tour but each game is going to be like a test match, so it is going to be tough. It’s not going to be like going to South Africa or Australia where there might be a bit of a soft underbelly with the midweek teams. Every game is going to be like a test match.”
The Lions haven’t beaten New Zealand in a test series for over 45 years since 1971 and have won just six of the 38 tests they have played against them in total, sobering statistics that suggest Byrne is not just being overly pessimistic.
And, if they are to be competitive, he is clear about what kind of tactics they will employ.
“There’s only one way the Lions can beat New Zealand and that’s up front. There’s no point playing open rugby against New Zealand because their game is far quicker than Northern Hemisphere rugby and in terms of speed and intensity we are not used to playing at that level,” he said.
“There is no way we can match them for speed, turnovers and the way they can get from one end of the field to the other and score tries, so we have got to take them on up front.”
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The man wearing his old number 15 jersey may not see much of the ball if Byrne is correct in his predictions but he firmly believes Liam Williams should be the man given the job of being the last line of defence against the All Blacks in the coming weeks.
“I’d go for Liam Williams at full back. I think that’s his best position, he plays his best rugby there and never lets anyone down. For me, he’s an out-and-out 15 but he’s versatile and coaches like that. If I was him, I’d like to play at full back but he has shown that he can play wing or full back.” he said.
“If you are looking at goal-kicking, then you’d go for Leigh Halfpenny and he offers solidity as well but Liam Williams and Stuart Hogg offer the flair.”
And, Byrne is also tipping Ben Te’o, who has just one test start for England to his name, to play a starring role in the series.
“Another long shot for the test side would be Ben Te’o in the centres because he’s played over there in the Southern Hemisphere, knows what it’s about and is big and tough. It is just a question of whether he has enough international experience.
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“He looks very good though and I think he could be one of the stars of the tour given the chance.”
The Lions face the New Zealand Barbarians in Whangarei on Saturday before going on to play the Blues (June 7), Crusaders (June 10), Highlanders (June 13), New Zealand Maori (June 17) and Chiefs (June 20) ahead of the first of three tests against the All Blacks on June 24.
Lee Byrne took part in the Fiat Fullback Challenge. For more information on the new Fiat Fullback Pick-up visit: https://www.fiatprofessional.co.uk/uk/Models/fullback-pick-up. To view the full video click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES9B07PRmsc.
Comments on RugbyPass
This sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
12 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
77 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
12 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
12 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
12 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
12 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
12 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to comments