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Lions playing into Australia's hands claims ex-Wallabies skipper
By AAP
James Horwill thinks the British and Irish Lions’ plans to play running rugby could bite them in Australia.
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The towering lock was captain of a Wallabies team ranked No.2 in the world that lost 2-1 the last time the tourists visited in 2013.
Ahead of the first Test in Brisbane on July 19, Australia are now ranked eighth in the world, narrowly ahead of Fiji, Italy and Georgia.
The third-ranked Irish boast 15 players in the squad but, with question marks over the Wallabies’ scrum and lineout, Horwill thinks that could ironically play into the Wallabies hands.
“We can win it,” he told AAP. “They haven’t picked as big a side in the back row that they could have.
“That gives you an idea they want to move the ball more, which we’re seeing in Ireland lately.”
Wales’ three-time Lions back-rower Taulupe Faletau, outstanding Englishman Jack Willis, big-bodied No.8 Tom Willis and 205cm lock Adam Beard were among the noteworthy omissions.
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Coach Andy Farrell has instead included 20-year-old Henry Pollock, the compact Jac Morgan and versatile Ben Earl among his back row options.
Farrell will also leave son and veteran playmaker Owen at home, preferring England pair Marcus and Fin Smith and Scottish co-captain Finn Russell as his No.10s.
“All of their ball players want to play; they’re not your traditional kick-first No.10s,” he said.
“That’s another indication of their intent.
“Then probably (Irish scrumhalf) Jamison Gibson-Park in the No.9, he’s a huge chance to start and he wants to run the ball.
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“So you’ll see a bit more ball movement than we’ve seen from northern hemisphere sides in the past.”
It comes as Schmidt prepares to name his squad this week and the Lions prepare for a one-off Dublin Test against Argentina on Friday before jetting to Australia.
The tour includes five lead-in games before the first of three Tests, beginning in Perth against the Western Force on June 28.
A sea of red is expected to follow them around the country, Lions fans hungry for action after none travelled on their last tour of South Africa during COVID-19 restrictions.
“It’s a big occasion … you’re not going to be able to be in the city and not know it’s on,” Horwill said.
“In 2013 we were front and back page of the paper every day of that tour.
“There’s a big opportunity there. We can see some new heroes built.”
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If this is true then we should be in for a very entertaining Lions series!
I'm not sure the backrow choices are so much about how much they want to move the ball and more a) how they want to defend and b) those are the best players we have available.
The England backrow was the dominant backrow in this year's 6N with an emphasis on 3 mobile jacklers able to cover the whole field between them and support in the wide channels. There aren't loads of hulking massive power players to choose from right now. The best flankers are mobile, we don't have any giant ball carrying eights and most of the locks are lighter and more athletic. No doubt this will transfer to attack and suit a faster game which the Aussies will enjoy but I don't believe the plan has been to pick a lightweight squad in order to play fast attacking rugby. Just the way the cookie crumbled.
Seems to me he has selected Chessum and or Beirne to play that big 6 if needed but someone’s not going to make it to test one u would think as got plenty of 7 options would be not another brought in ..one things for sure Wallabies have got the players to go big in backrow
I thought the three 7s plan by England worked poorly against Ireland. Not the team to do that against and it showed. It worked against Wales but thats not much of a barometer right now. We didn’t do it against France which was probably our best game.
Funny enough I think it could work well against Scotland who did batter England at the breakdown, Ritchie had a great day.
But it does require other players to do some carrying. As good as the Curry brothers are they aren’t great ball-carriers for me. Martin having a poor tournament before injury and Genge and Earl not doing much in that game in Dublin probably didn’t help either.
I prefer the three 6s approach we had last year for a time - Itoje, Martin and Chessum. Nice to have the options though if we ever got everyone fit.
Maybe true but I’m sure the Lions will test the maul D every chance they get and the scrum if Oz boys can’t hold it they will go back as much and often as they can …I think Wallabies can hold them but I do get bit worried bout ur props if injuries occur