Watch: The night Warren Gatland's 'colossal gamble' paid off and exonerated the Lions' demons of 2005
It had been 12 long years since the British & Irish Lions were embarrassingly swept 3-0 on their last tour of New Zealand.
After a sputtering start in the first test at Eden Park, the Lions were down 1-0 with the 2017 series on the line. A trip to Wellington awaited, which was not an insignificant ground in Lions’ history.
It was the same turf where Dan Carter’s world-class performance had decimated the Lions in 2005, a 33-point haul that was defined as the passing of the torch from Jonny Wilkinson to Carter as the world’s best five-eighth.
The All Blacks ran riot on the back of two tries to the 23-year-old first five to win 48-18 and claim the series.
The home side had similar visions of repeating history with reigning World Player of the Year, Beauden Barrett, having claimed the title as the world’s best player in 2016. The All Blacks had not lost at home since 2009 to the Springboks, enjoying a 47-test unbeaten run.
With everything on the line, Gatland pushed all the chips into the pot to hand Jonathan Sexton the start at 10 in combination with Owen Farrell at 12 in a dual playmaking axis.
His move wasn’t well-received, with British fans and journalists alike criticizing the selections.
https://twitter.com/cparrott07/status/880311869164138496
Love to see @lionsofficial pull this out of the bag, but not sure about Sexton / Farrell. Sexton has to have a big game.
— Jonathan Hopkins (@jdhopkins) July 1, 2017
I think the Farrell Sexton combo could have really worked, but you have to plan for it not change last minute.
— TheWelshDragon 🏴🐉 (@TheWelshDragon9) July 1, 2017
Farrell & Sexton combo should of started a warm up game – more poor planning?
Back three will see more ball.#LionsNZ2017 #AllForOne— Rugby And Good Times (@rugby_goodtimes) June 29, 2017
Jack de Menezes of The Independent questioned the ‘panicked’ move, which might leave Gatland ‘licking his wounds’ after the reputational damage of a series defeat.
“Has Warren Gatland panicked? It’s a question that we will not know the answer to until around 10:30am on Saturday morning,” he wrote.
“By then, the British and Irish Lions series may be done and dusted too, and Gatland left licking his wounds with his reputation taking a major hit.”
Mick Cleary of The Telegraph wrote “this is a salvage mission” that will define Gatland. He claimed the ‘odds are against’ the Sexton-Farrell partnership but it would be a masterstroke if it works.
“The reputation of Gatland will be defined by it one way or the other.
“If it comes off – and the odds are against it – it will be a masterstroke to rank with the very best. If it fails, it will be seen as a desperate play to get something from a tour that has been buffeted by various trials and tribulations.”
While the British media saw the selections as a reputational gamble, New Zealand’s press also took aim at the selections, with Hamish Bidwell predicting for Stuff a kick-a-thon in the second test.
“Both Sexton and Farrell have been pedestrian on this trip and you assume neither will waste much time running and passing at Westpac Stadium. They’ll kick instead and hope the All Blacks’ rejigged back-three don’t have a great night with their catching.
Mark Reason of Stuff was over the top in his attacks on Gatland, claiming that the Lions coach would be made to look like a clown after his ‘colossal gamble’ would fail in the second test.
“Forget the red nose, if the Lions get hammered in the second test Warren Gatland will be up on the wobbly bicycle with shoes as long as an alligator and a green wig bigger than the hedge in Waikanae,” he wrote.
“Gatland’s selection for the second test is a colossal gamble that contradicts almost his entire coaching career. Gatland never plays a second playmaker at second five. He plays Warrenball.”
New Zealand Herald‘s Gregor Paul was more on the money with his assertion that the Lions would implement a wide attack.
“The decision to select both Johnny Sexton and Owen Farrell is not unexpected, but is perhaps surprising that the Lions have waited until the second test to start with these two as a combination,” he wrote.
“With Sexton and Farrell in tandem, the Lions have two decisions-makers, two big kickers and two distributors. They are sacrificing the direct gainline running of Te’o to give themselves the opportunity to shift the ball wider.”
With twenty minutes remaining, the Lions kicked into gear with Sexton and Farrell pulling the strings to orchestrate two tries and comeback from 18-9 down to defeat the All Blacks 24-21 in one of the all-time great wins.
Final point on Lions tour. Gatland was ballsy in his choice of Sexton and Farrell for 2nd and 3rd tests. And he was right!
— David Walsh (@DavidWalshST) July 8, 2017
Can't believe Farrell & Sexton actually worked 🤙🏼
— Owain Johns (@owain_johns) July 1, 2017
Sexton/Farrell combo started well. Holding defenders
— Tom Shanklin (@TomShanklin) July 1, 2017
Sexton Farrell what a selection 🇬🇧🦁🇬🇧🦁
— Gorrie (@JamesGorrie1) July 1, 2017
https://twitter.com/ruaridhcameron/status/881103288090972161
What a finish, farrell sexton combo was the game changer 🦁🙌 #NZLvBIL
— Al (@alexmarsh99) July 1, 2017
After the series, Sean O’Brien told the Off The Ball podcast that the Lions should have won 3-0 and it was Sexton and Farrell who saved the series with their ownership of the attacking plans.
“I think we should have won. With the players we had, we should have won the series.
“If we had a little more structure during the weeks and more of an attack game plan driven [from] way earlier in the tour we could have won 3-0.”
“The coaches have a lot to answer for in terms of our attack. Johnny [Sexton] and Faz [Farrell] were the ones running our attack shape,” O’Brien added.
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments