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Lions 2017 - The Awards: Man of the series, Gatland's red nose and the 'Geography Six'
After the British and Irish Lions’ three-match Test series against New Zealand ended in a draw it was only right that some winners emerged from the tour.
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So here we take a look back at some of the standout individuals and moments from the last five weeks with our Lions 2017 awards.
Try of the tour – Ihaia West
Our first award goes to a man who did not feature in any of the three Tests but provided one of the highlights of the warm-up matches. With the Lions leading the Blues 16-15 with seven minutes to go, West collected the ball from a Sonny Bill Williams offload 10 metres inside the Lions half and forged a route through a sea of red shirts to soar clear and touch down under the posts. The Lions went on to lose the match 22-16 – their first defeat of the tour.
Match of the tour – Third Test
The third Test in Auckland was a thrilling watch. Beautifully poised at 1-1 following the Lions’ shock victory in Wellington a week earlier, the All Blacks remained strong favourites to wrap up the series win and scored two first-half tries through Ngani Laumape and Jordie Barrett. However, two misses from the tee by Beauden Barrett, along with the accurate kicking of Owen Farrell and Elliot Daly, kept the Lions in touch, and the Saracens man rescued the draw with a pressure kick three minutes from time. Cue the awkward scenes of nobody knowing whether to celebrate or to mope.
It has been a privilege to be part of this special @lionsofficial group. Thanks for the incredible support for the team #AllForOne pic.twitter.com/otsWDBs0tV
— Sam Warburton (@samwarburton_) July 9, 2017
The depiction of Warren Gatland as a clown on the front page of the New Zealand Herald early in the tour was harsh – also unoriginal after they gave Australia coach Michael Cheika the same treatment in October. But it was Gatland who had the last laugh, turning up to his news conference after the final Test in a red nose.
Starting media duties. ?
REACTION: https://t.co/x4BRUYjrTc#LionsNZ2017 pic.twitter.com/2YiIeVHg6E
— British&Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) July 8, 2017
The outcome of the series might have been different had Williams not seen red for a shoulder charge on Anthony Watson in the first half of the second Test. The collision between Williams’ shoulder and Watson’s head earned the centre the first red card shown to a New Zealand player in 50 years. Williams was handed a four-week suspension and apologised to Watson. The Lions went on to edge that Test 24-21.
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PR gaffe of the tour – ‘The Geography Six’
The less said about this band of call-ups of convenience the better. Finn Russell, Allan Dell, Kristian Dacey, Tomas Francis, Cory Hill and Gareth Davies were called into the squad as cover based on the fact Scotland and Wales were playing Tests closer to New Zealand than England or Ireland. The decision did not go down well and only Russell and Dell got any game time at all, with Gatland seemingly reluctant to rock the boat any further.
Chant of the tour – Ohhh Maro Itoje
One memorable moment from the tour was when cameras captured Lions veteran Alun Wyn Jones walking down the tunnel at the end of the second Test chanting the name of Maro Itoje – the youngest member of the squad – to the tune of Seven Nation Army. You know you’re on to a winner if the players get involved.
“As long as I’m playing rugby… I’d love to go on as many Tours as possible." https://t.co/tDj2fby1Ul #LionsNZ2017 pic.twitter.com/Fk9oeGqTZt
— British&Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) July 10, 2017
Davies was a giant for the Lions in the three encounters with the All Blacks and the stats back that up. The centre tops the charts for clean breaks and ranks second for offloads and metres made. He is also the only Lion to make the top five for carries across the three Tests, kept off top spot by Beauden Barrett and Kieran Read.
"I think you'll look back at this in years to come and be very proud!" @JonFoxDavies reaction after the #LionsNZ2017 series was tied! pic.twitter.com/VH8Sj4lScM
— British&Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) July 9, 2017
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Jones became the first player since the game turned professional in 1995 to feature in nine consecutive Lions Tests and is one of only seven men to have won matches against New Zealand, Australia and South Africa with the Lions. That surely deserves recognition!
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments