The 100th edition of the Tour De France, held over the last few weeks, has not been without incident. Crashes, controversy and drug talk has followed the cyclists around France, culminating in the second British winner in two years, after over two centuries of failure. Certainly British cycling has improved over the last few decades, with riders like Mark Cavendish, Bradley Wiggins and, more recently, Chris Froome coming to the fore. Are we seeing the beginning of a spell of British dominance in the Tour, or is it just a case of 'London buses': we wait centuries for one, and then two come along at once? This blog post will sum up the events of the 2013 Tour de France, and assess whether we are likely to see further British winners in the near future.
This year's tour began in chaos, with a team bus becoming stuck at the finish line, causing a huge pile up. This left Tony Martin with a concussion and a contusion on his left lung, and Geraint Thomas with a fractured pelvis. The carnage also prevented Mark Cavendish from taking the first yellow jersey of his career, leaving Marcel Kittel to take the first stage. Froome and Team Sky's consistency ensured that Froome rose from his initial classification of 41st after stage 1, to 7th after the team time trial stage 4. Stage 5 saw the Manxman Cavendish take another stage in his career, with a convincing sprint finish to win. Froome had to wait until the 8th stage to take a victory, simultaneously claiming the yellow jacket for the first time. An emphatic 51 second victory gave signs of what was to come, and set Froome up nicely for the mid-part of the Tour.
Froome maintained his lead over the next four stages, giving himself a three minute overall lead by the end of stage 11. Stage 11 will also be memorable for Mark Cavendish. Neither the Tour, nor the Olympics, has given Cavendish the success that many believe he is due, with the Manxman the only British rider in 2012 not to take a gold medal home from London. This year was unfortunately no exception to that pattern, with his most memorable moment coming in the cycle between Avranches and Mont-Saint-Michel. After being blamed for a collision in the previous stage, Cavendish recieved whistles, boos, and most seriously, was sprayed with urine by a spectator as he rode in stage 11. A shameful act, which threatened to derail an otherwise enthralling Tour. Cycling as a sport does not need further controversy, with the doping scandals still hanging over the athletes heads. Further questions were to be raised after the announcement by Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell, stating that they had been found guilty of doping. This led to questions over the conduct of Tour leader Froome, to the extent that some of his blood was sent off for analysis, and tapes of his previous Tour performances were reviewed, in order to determine whether it was 'humanly possible to improve to that level without doping'. Fortunately for both the Brit, and cycling as a sport, the tests concluded that Froome had not been doping, and was able to continue his assault on the rest of the field.
Over the next couple of stages, Froome's lead began to be eaten away at, losing a full minute in stage 13, and finishing 7 minutes adrift of the stage winner in the following race. His grip on the yellow jersey was beginning to look tenuous, and he will have undoubtedly been looking nervously over his shoulder. However, he responded in magnificent fashion, taking stage 15 on the backdrop of one of the most iconic mountain climbs of the Tour, and extending his lead to four minutes over the chasing pack. Surely it was his to lose now? A further victory in the individual time trial stage 17, saw the Brit practically confirmed as the Tour winner, as only a crash, or a serious incident, could prevent him from taking his maiden Tour victory. The win was confirmed in the final stage, finishing safely in the peloton to ensure that he followed Bradley Wiggins's lead, and became only the second Briton ever to win the historic event. The final stage also saw the incredible run of Mark Cavendish come to an end. Having won 4 successive stages on the Champs-Elysees, the Manxman failed to emulate his previous successes, being pushed out by the sprint king of the 2013 Tour, Marcel Kittel. But the day belonged to Froome, who stepped out of the shadow of Bradley Wiggins's sideburns, and showed that he is a fantastic rider in his own right. I am certain we will see many battles, both on the road and the track, between the pair of them over the coming years. British cycling certainly seems to be in good hands.
Traditionally, Britain have always been successful when it comes to cycling. In recent Olympics, this has been magnified, with names like Victoria Pendleton, Chris Hoy, Bradley Wiggins, Laura Trott and Mark Cavendish becoming household names. There was certainly reason to be concerned that this was just a 'Golden Era' for British cycling, as these 'eras' often only last a decade or so. If we look at other sports, England's dominance in rugby lasted less than that, and England's 'Golden Generation' in football never really materialised. So concerns were certainly raised when it began to look as though Beijing would be Chris Hoy's last Olympics, and Pendleton began to look past her best. However, firstly Wiggins, and then Froome on the men's side, and Laura Trott on the women's side, seem capable of picking up the mantle, and certainly seem no less talented than their pre-decessors. Credit must go the British Cycling coaches, headed by Dave Brailsford, for managing to consistently nurture such fantastic talent. As for whether we will see British dominance in the Tour de France, I think we would optimistic to predict that. However, I wouldn't mind betting that both Froome, and Wiggins, will be considered amongst the favourites every time they take to the hallowed streets.
Analysis of sporting events, talking points and controversies.
Showing posts with label British. Show all posts
Showing posts with label British. Show all posts
Monday, 22 July 2013
Saturday, 6 July 2013
The British and Irish Lions Win Series Down Under: End To 16 Years Of Pain
19-10. The scoreline at half time of today's game. I tweeted at the time that the game was perfectly poised for the second half, with any outcome possible. I certainly did not expect the response that occurred in Sydney! A second half demolition of the Wallabies, finishing with an unbelievable scoreline of 41-16 in favour of the Lions, giving them a 2-1 series victory. A first series win for the British and Irish Lions since 1997, and only the second victorious tour since the professionalisation of the sport of rugby union. As I mentioned in my Lions preview post, I still fail to understand how the Lions have historically been so unsuccessful, as all four of the prospective teams available for selection to the Lions are fully capable of beating the Aussies on their day. Therefore, a combination of the four of them should be favourites to win on every occasion.
However, as has been proven, this is rarely the case. That makes the events of the last two weeks even more momentous, as the 2013 Lions have had to overcome not just their Australian opponents, but the weight of the failure of multiple previous tours. The success of this set of Lions could perhaps lay the demons of the previous 16 years to rest, and allow the Lions to experience victory more in future tours. This post will examine where the test series was won, along with reviewing all three of the 2013 Lions test series.
Interviews I have heard that were held with Lions fans after the first test have said that there were tears shed after their victory. I cannot understand that. I get that the Lions tour is the most prestigious of all home nations rugby, but to cry after a single victory implies that the fans never expected the Lions to be successful this time. Either the fans have the typical British mentality that they never expect to win, or they do not trust the players' proven abilities on the rugby field to beat the Australians. The first is a stereotype, and the second is ridiculous, for the reason I state above. Nevertheless, the hard fought 23-21 victory in Brisbane on the 22nd of June set the Lions up for this historic series win. Full of quality and last minute drama, the match had everything. A breath-taking George North try, the celebration of which he had to later apologise for, put the Lions 13-12 up at half-time. A cat and mouse second half ensued, with the Australians closing the gap to just two points as the clock ticked onto 80 minutes. A silly penalty gifted the Aussies the chance to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. But replacement Kurtley Beale sliced the kick wide, taking the tally of points missed to 14, and handing the Lions the first Test advantage.
It was always going to be the case that the Aussies would respond. And a week later, in Melbourne, the Aussies levelled the series after a pulsating and nervous 80 minutes. Similarly to the previous match, a final minute penalty was missed to decide the outcome. This time, however, the roles were reversed, with Leigh Halfpenny missing a distinctly more difficult kick from the halfway line. This allowed the Aussies to claim a 16-15 win, rekindling their hope of a series win and denying the Lions the redemption they craved. After a game in which the Lions had dominated, leading 15-9 until the final 5 minutes, and spurning several chances, Australia made them pay with the only try of the game, Adam Ashley-Cooper crashing over to win the game. This put the series on a knife's edge going into the decider in Sydney, where the Lions would have to use every ounce of their desire to secure that elusive tour win.
With the difference between the two sides over the last two matches being just 3 points, today's game seemed destined to be a tense and close affair. An early Corbisiero try handed the Lions the inertia, before four Leigh Halfpenny penalties handed the Lions that 9 point lead at half time. Whilst not quite as anxious as the previous two 80 minutes, the opening half roughly followed the pattern that we would expect. However, the second half saw a complete demolition of the Australians, a demolition that few saw coming. A masterclass from Lions kicker Halfpenny, landing 7 of 8 kicks, propelled the Lions to a superb 41-16 victory in the third test. In the process, the Welsh full-back ensured his own personal place in history, claiming the record for the highest points scorer on a Lions tour, surpassing Neil Jenkins' old record of 41. The Welshman finished on 49 points, valuable points for the Lions in securing their first series for 16 years. If there were tears after match one of the series, I shudder to think what was unfolding in the Lions end of the crowd at the final whistle.
Hopefully this starts an era of more successful British rugby. Whilst all four of our individual home nations pride themselves on an excellent national rugby squad, we have all too often failed to perform when we amalgamate. Praise must go to Warren Gatland, who can now add this Lions tour victory to his highly impressive CV. Now the floodgates have opened, will the Lions now go on to bigger and better things on future tours, using the strength of the 2013 Lions?
However, as has been proven, this is rarely the case. That makes the events of the last two weeks even more momentous, as the 2013 Lions have had to overcome not just their Australian opponents, but the weight of the failure of multiple previous tours. The success of this set of Lions could perhaps lay the demons of the previous 16 years to rest, and allow the Lions to experience victory more in future tours. This post will examine where the test series was won, along with reviewing all three of the 2013 Lions test series.
Interviews I have heard that were held with Lions fans after the first test have said that there were tears shed after their victory. I cannot understand that. I get that the Lions tour is the most prestigious of all home nations rugby, but to cry after a single victory implies that the fans never expected the Lions to be successful this time. Either the fans have the typical British mentality that they never expect to win, or they do not trust the players' proven abilities on the rugby field to beat the Australians. The first is a stereotype, and the second is ridiculous, for the reason I state above. Nevertheless, the hard fought 23-21 victory in Brisbane on the 22nd of June set the Lions up for this historic series win. Full of quality and last minute drama, the match had everything. A breath-taking George North try, the celebration of which he had to later apologise for, put the Lions 13-12 up at half-time. A cat and mouse second half ensued, with the Australians closing the gap to just two points as the clock ticked onto 80 minutes. A silly penalty gifted the Aussies the chance to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. But replacement Kurtley Beale sliced the kick wide, taking the tally of points missed to 14, and handing the Lions the first Test advantage.
It was always going to be the case that the Aussies would respond. And a week later, in Melbourne, the Aussies levelled the series after a pulsating and nervous 80 minutes. Similarly to the previous match, a final minute penalty was missed to decide the outcome. This time, however, the roles were reversed, with Leigh Halfpenny missing a distinctly more difficult kick from the halfway line. This allowed the Aussies to claim a 16-15 win, rekindling their hope of a series win and denying the Lions the redemption they craved. After a game in which the Lions had dominated, leading 15-9 until the final 5 minutes, and spurning several chances, Australia made them pay with the only try of the game, Adam Ashley-Cooper crashing over to win the game. This put the series on a knife's edge going into the decider in Sydney, where the Lions would have to use every ounce of their desire to secure that elusive tour win.
With the difference between the two sides over the last two matches being just 3 points, today's game seemed destined to be a tense and close affair. An early Corbisiero try handed the Lions the inertia, before four Leigh Halfpenny penalties handed the Lions that 9 point lead at half time. Whilst not quite as anxious as the previous two 80 minutes, the opening half roughly followed the pattern that we would expect. However, the second half saw a complete demolition of the Australians, a demolition that few saw coming. A masterclass from Lions kicker Halfpenny, landing 7 of 8 kicks, propelled the Lions to a superb 41-16 victory in the third test. In the process, the Welsh full-back ensured his own personal place in history, claiming the record for the highest points scorer on a Lions tour, surpassing Neil Jenkins' old record of 41. The Welshman finished on 49 points, valuable points for the Lions in securing their first series for 16 years. If there were tears after match one of the series, I shudder to think what was unfolding in the Lions end of the crowd at the final whistle.
Hopefully this starts an era of more successful British rugby. Whilst all four of our individual home nations pride themselves on an excellent national rugby squad, we have all too often failed to perform when we amalgamate. Praise must go to Warren Gatland, who can now add this Lions tour victory to his highly impressive CV. Now the floodgates have opened, will the Lions now go on to bigger and better things on future tours, using the strength of the 2013 Lions?
Monday, 1 July 2013
2013 British Grand Prix: When Will The Tyres Get Sorted?
The 2013 Formula 1 season is in full flow, as the roadshow moves onto British soil. The home grand prix of 4 drivers in the field, and home to the owner of the entire franchise. After years of turbulence between the governing body and Silverstone, racing fans will be pleased to see the grand old track claim its rightful place on the Grand Prix calendar. In contrast, a name we will soon see disappearing from Formula 1 is, sadly, Red Bull driver Mark Webber, who announced his retirement from the end of the season before one of his favourite races. The feisty but likeable Aussie will be sorely missed from the paddock, but conspiracy theories have begun emerging that this was a case of 'jump before he was pushed', as his relationship with the World Champion Sebastian Vettel has deteriorated in recent months. With Red Bull inevitably plumping for their three-time World Champion, Webber has arguably been cast out into the cold by Christian Horner after 7 years of loyal service.
With this news initially detracting from the build-up to the British Grand Prix, thoughts were transferred back onto the job in hand for qualifying. With the early favourites in practice being the traditional one-lap specialist Mercedes cars, it was Ferrari who found themselves lacking in pace in the early stages, with Felipe Massa nearly failing to make it out of Q1. As it finished, it was the usual suspects who ended the first session at the bottom, with home debutant Max Chilton finishing at the back, a full 1.7 seconds behind his teammate. Q2 saw further woe for the usually big teams, as Felipe Massa could only manage 12th. McLaren also struggled, with neither of their cars able to make the top 10 shootout. This time, Britain's Jenson Button outqualified his Mexican counterpart, with 11th the best he could manage. Q3 was all about the battle between the Red Bulls and the Mercedes, with the resurgent Austrian team fighting back against the Silver Arrows' dominance in Q2. However, the Germans were not to be denied, completing a lock-out of the front row. To the home support's delight, it was Stevenage-born Lewis Hamilton who took pole, with a scintillating lap. The question now, though, was could Mercedes translate their qualifying pace into race pace?
Even before the start of the race, there was further controversy and heartbreak, with Britain's Paul di Resta being disqualified from his all-time highest qualifying position of 5th, for performing in an underweight car. This meant that he cascaded to the back of the grid. A silly mistake from the Force India team, and one that threatened the Scot's chances of a good points haul on the Sunday. The race itself began equally eventfully. A first corner incident between Webber and Lotus driver Romain Grosjean forced the Red Bull driver off track and way down the field. Back up front, Lewis Hamilton and Vettel began trading fastest laps, with the Mercedes man eventually breaking free of the vital DRS activation point of 1 second. With Hamilton's lap times comparable with Vettel's, the question began to be asked whether the Mercedes had developed a race winning car. Unfortunately for the British driver, disaster then struck. He suffered a left rear tyre failure mid way through lap 8, forcing him to limp back to the pits, costing him bags of time, and any chance of winning the race.
With Hamilton's demise, Force India's disappointment the previous day was beginning to be recified by the achievements of Adrian Sutil, who moved into the final podium position. The racing was brought to a shuddering halt just two laps after Hamilton's incident, as Felipe Massa also exited the track courtesy of a left rear tyre failure. Just 5 laps later, in almost exactly the same part of the track, John-Eric Vergne suffered a left rear tyre failure. With three such similar incidents in quick succession, concerns were once again raised over the condition of the Pirelli tyres. With the recent controversy over the Italian manufacturers, they can ill-afford this type of debacle. Whilst spokesmen for the tyre supplier claimed it was more to do with the kerbs at Silverstone than the tyres, these claims fell on deaf ears, with a full inquiry to be held in the future days. After these incidents, the safety car was deployed as sweepers were used in an attempt to clear the track of any debris. When racing eventually resumed on lap 21, Vettel scampered away at the front, eventually taking a lead of 3.2 seconds before his second, and final, pit stop of the afternoon.
Further down the field, the action was coming thick and fast. Brits Lewis Hamilton and Paul di Resta found themselves locked in an enthralling battle for the 7th place, with the Mercedes driver beginning to make his way back through the field. With both Alonso, and Raikkonen, coming through after their second pit-stops, Hamilton attacked the Force India, only to fall back behind the chasing pair in successive corners. Back up front, Nico Rosberg made his second pit stop before Vettel, in an attempt to undercut his rival. Advantage Mercedes? The Red Bull mechanics instantly recalculated, bringing their man in the following lap to cover off the Rosberg threat. Vettel rejoined 3 seconds ahead of the Mercedes, with the race now his to lose.
Then lap 42 threw the race, and arguably the championship, back into the balance. After a few laps of Rosberg gaining on the triple World Champion, Vettel's Red Bull coasted to a halt, with a gearbox problem ending the leader's Grand Prix, and opening the door for his title contenders. The fact that this was the first time the championship leader had failed to finish anything lower than 4th this year, and the fact that this was the German's first retirement since Italy of the previous year says a lot for the consistency of the Red Bull, clearly illustrating the bedrock upon which Vettel's success has been built. With the safety car once again being deployed, race leader Rosberg used his 13 second advantage to make a precautionary pit-stop, leaving him on fresher tyres to complete the final few laps. Once Vettel's stricken car was removed from the racing line, the contest could begin again. However, after nearly 50 laps without tyre controversy, Sergio Perez's left rear also let go on lap 46, causing further worries of another safety car period. Fortunately, the carcass was cleared quickly, and racing could continue.
Immediately after the restart, it was clear that Mark Webber had not given up on his chances of, at least, a podium finish. He began cutting through the field, dispatching Ricciardo and Sutil, before a stunning pass on Kimi Raikkonen secured the Aussie 2nd place. Could he now catch Rosberg for the most unlikely of wins? Similar movements were going on behind, with Alonso and Hamilton also making late dashes through the field. From 8th and 9th places at the race restart, the pair finished in a remarkable 3rd and 4th place respectively, overtaking 5 cars each in 6 laps. Just up the road, Webber was closing in on Rosberg, getting the gap down as low as 0.7 of a second. This was going to come down to a final corner finish. Unfortunately for the Aussie, he had perhaps one lap too few, running out of time, and having to settle for 2nd place. Whilst the fairytale send-off from Silverstone will not happen, he can nevertheless be extremely proud of a tremendous drive, on a day where, for once, he got the better of Sebastian Vettel.
The events of yesterday has heaped further doubt onto the reliability of the Pirelli tyres, with many in the FIA undoubtedly questioning whether it they are more trouble than they are worth. I would not at all be surprised if we saw a switch back to the Bridgestones or Michelins of yesteryear in the very near future, as Pirelli have demonstrated they cannot be trusted. As for the title race, whether yesterday was a blip or the beginnings of a collapse or reliability issue cannot be decided in one race. The next few races will certainly be interesting, as it now gives those around Red Bull hope that they can push their cars into failure.
With this news initially detracting from the build-up to the British Grand Prix, thoughts were transferred back onto the job in hand for qualifying. With the early favourites in practice being the traditional one-lap specialist Mercedes cars, it was Ferrari who found themselves lacking in pace in the early stages, with Felipe Massa nearly failing to make it out of Q1. As it finished, it was the usual suspects who ended the first session at the bottom, with home debutant Max Chilton finishing at the back, a full 1.7 seconds behind his teammate. Q2 saw further woe for the usually big teams, as Felipe Massa could only manage 12th. McLaren also struggled, with neither of their cars able to make the top 10 shootout. This time, Britain's Jenson Button outqualified his Mexican counterpart, with 11th the best he could manage. Q3 was all about the battle between the Red Bulls and the Mercedes, with the resurgent Austrian team fighting back against the Silver Arrows' dominance in Q2. However, the Germans were not to be denied, completing a lock-out of the front row. To the home support's delight, it was Stevenage-born Lewis Hamilton who took pole, with a scintillating lap. The question now, though, was could Mercedes translate their qualifying pace into race pace?
Even before the start of the race, there was further controversy and heartbreak, with Britain's Paul di Resta being disqualified from his all-time highest qualifying position of 5th, for performing in an underweight car. This meant that he cascaded to the back of the grid. A silly mistake from the Force India team, and one that threatened the Scot's chances of a good points haul on the Sunday. The race itself began equally eventfully. A first corner incident between Webber and Lotus driver Romain Grosjean forced the Red Bull driver off track and way down the field. Back up front, Lewis Hamilton and Vettel began trading fastest laps, with the Mercedes man eventually breaking free of the vital DRS activation point of 1 second. With Hamilton's lap times comparable with Vettel's, the question began to be asked whether the Mercedes had developed a race winning car. Unfortunately for the British driver, disaster then struck. He suffered a left rear tyre failure mid way through lap 8, forcing him to limp back to the pits, costing him bags of time, and any chance of winning the race.
With Hamilton's demise, Force India's disappointment the previous day was beginning to be recified by the achievements of Adrian Sutil, who moved into the final podium position. The racing was brought to a shuddering halt just two laps after Hamilton's incident, as Felipe Massa also exited the track courtesy of a left rear tyre failure. Just 5 laps later, in almost exactly the same part of the track, John-Eric Vergne suffered a left rear tyre failure. With three such similar incidents in quick succession, concerns were once again raised over the condition of the Pirelli tyres. With the recent controversy over the Italian manufacturers, they can ill-afford this type of debacle. Whilst spokesmen for the tyre supplier claimed it was more to do with the kerbs at Silverstone than the tyres, these claims fell on deaf ears, with a full inquiry to be held in the future days. After these incidents, the safety car was deployed as sweepers were used in an attempt to clear the track of any debris. When racing eventually resumed on lap 21, Vettel scampered away at the front, eventually taking a lead of 3.2 seconds before his second, and final, pit stop of the afternoon.
Further down the field, the action was coming thick and fast. Brits Lewis Hamilton and Paul di Resta found themselves locked in an enthralling battle for the 7th place, with the Mercedes driver beginning to make his way back through the field. With both Alonso, and Raikkonen, coming through after their second pit-stops, Hamilton attacked the Force India, only to fall back behind the chasing pair in successive corners. Back up front, Nico Rosberg made his second pit stop before Vettel, in an attempt to undercut his rival. Advantage Mercedes? The Red Bull mechanics instantly recalculated, bringing their man in the following lap to cover off the Rosberg threat. Vettel rejoined 3 seconds ahead of the Mercedes, with the race now his to lose.
Then lap 42 threw the race, and arguably the championship, back into the balance. After a few laps of Rosberg gaining on the triple World Champion, Vettel's Red Bull coasted to a halt, with a gearbox problem ending the leader's Grand Prix, and opening the door for his title contenders. The fact that this was the first time the championship leader had failed to finish anything lower than 4th this year, and the fact that this was the German's first retirement since Italy of the previous year says a lot for the consistency of the Red Bull, clearly illustrating the bedrock upon which Vettel's success has been built. With the safety car once again being deployed, race leader Rosberg used his 13 second advantage to make a precautionary pit-stop, leaving him on fresher tyres to complete the final few laps. Once Vettel's stricken car was removed from the racing line, the contest could begin again. However, after nearly 50 laps without tyre controversy, Sergio Perez's left rear also let go on lap 46, causing further worries of another safety car period. Fortunately, the carcass was cleared quickly, and racing could continue.
Immediately after the restart, it was clear that Mark Webber had not given up on his chances of, at least, a podium finish. He began cutting through the field, dispatching Ricciardo and Sutil, before a stunning pass on Kimi Raikkonen secured the Aussie 2nd place. Could he now catch Rosberg for the most unlikely of wins? Similar movements were going on behind, with Alonso and Hamilton also making late dashes through the field. From 8th and 9th places at the race restart, the pair finished in a remarkable 3rd and 4th place respectively, overtaking 5 cars each in 6 laps. Just up the road, Webber was closing in on Rosberg, getting the gap down as low as 0.7 of a second. This was going to come down to a final corner finish. Unfortunately for the Aussie, he had perhaps one lap too few, running out of time, and having to settle for 2nd place. Whilst the fairytale send-off from Silverstone will not happen, he can nevertheless be extremely proud of a tremendous drive, on a day where, for once, he got the better of Sebastian Vettel.
The events of yesterday has heaped further doubt onto the reliability of the Pirelli tyres, with many in the FIA undoubtedly questioning whether it they are more trouble than they are worth. I would not at all be surprised if we saw a switch back to the Bridgestones or Michelins of yesteryear in the very near future, as Pirelli have demonstrated they cannot be trusted. As for the title race, whether yesterday was a blip or the beginnings of a collapse or reliability issue cannot be decided in one race. The next few races will certainly be interesting, as it now gives those around Red Bull hope that they can push their cars into failure.
Thursday, 20 June 2013
British and Irish Lions Tour 2013: Test Series Preview
Despite the prominence of many of the home nations' rugby squads in the world game over recent decades, the combination of them into the Lions has rarely led to success on tour. As being selected is seen as the highest honour in international rugby on the these shores, surely the players cannot be accused of being mercenaries like their footballing compatriots. However, a couple of things that perhaps could be laid at the door of many of the Lions players is either they have a 'Lampard and Gerrard' inability to work together when the nations unite, or perhaps they are too afraid of losing their place in the presitigious line-up to put themselves out there and perhaps make mistakes? Whatever the reason, the fact remains that the Lions have only won 2 test series in the previous 36 years, showing that there is clearly a problem.
Discovering this problem is currently the job of Warren Gatland. The ex-Wales boss impressed as manager of the dragons, leading them to two Six Nations Grand Slams in 2008 and 2012, and the World Cup semi final in 2011, where they were cruelly denied a place in the final after captain Sam Warburton was wrongfully dismissed against the French. As head coach of the Lions, his first job has been assembling a squad capable of winning a test tour, a job that has been shown to be incredibly difficult in the past. Fortunately, the new coach has a wealth of talent to select from. Having an excellent knowledge of Welsh talent is particularly important, especially as they are the current holders of the Six Nations, and they correspondingly had the most representatives in the initial squad. The first announcement of the Lions squad was made on the 30th April 2013, where the squad was made up of 15 Welsh players, 10 English, 9 Irish and just the 3 from Scotland. However, as is often the case in rugby tours, withdrawals and injuries are common. As a result, the make-up of the Lions squad has changed somewhat over the last few weeks. Correct at time of publishing, the Lions contained 15 Welsh players, 13 English, 10 Irish, and 4 Scots, with many being called up either to directly replace the injured player, or as cover in case of further injuries. Not the best start to a tour, but I suppose it was to be expected.
In assessing the Lions potential to lead a successful tour down under, it is worth looking at the warm-up games as an indication of their success. The Lions embarked on the tour in May, with the first warm up game taking place on the 1st June in Hong Kong. A comprehensive 59-8 victory against the Barbarians eased the Lions into life on tour, and gave them a morale boosting victory to start the campaign off. Having taken a brief stop in Asia, the Lions moved to Australasia, playing their second warm up game in Perth on June 5th. An even more emphatic win followed, with a 69-15 success over Western Force. Unfortunately, the match was marred by two incidents involving Cian Healy, with the Irish prop firstly being accused of biting an opponent (a charge that was subsequently dropped), and then suffering a tour-ending injury. His absence, coupled with the fact that the Lions had played 3 games in a week, meant that they had a much tougher game against the Queensland Reds in Brisbane. Winning only 22-12, and suffering a number of high profile casualties (Tuilagi and Bowe), the Lions were uninspiring in victory, giving Gatland his first cause for concern.
He needn't have worried about the Lions performances. A whitewash in their next game in Newcastle against the Combined New South Wales-Queensland Country on June 11th saw the Lions return to full form, winning 64-0. Another convincing victory followed, with New South Wales Waratahs dispatched 47-17 four days later in Sydney. However, once again injuries ruined an impressive display, with Jamie Roberts hobbling off. Having looked confident and ready for the start of the test series, the Lions then suffered a sucker punch, losing their final warm-up game 14-12 against the ACT Brumbies in Canberra. This threatened to undo all of the good work of the past two weeks, and potentially undermine the confidence of this injury plagued squad.
If Warren Gatland wanted his initial selections to all be fit for the start of the first test, and therefore selected his best squad, perhaps participating in 6 pre-test warm-ups was not the wisest move. Whilst it is traditional for tours to last longer than simply the test series, to expect that no injuries would be suffered is highly unrealistic. It has been argued that these warm-up matches are essential in enabling the team to gel and get match practice and fitness before the big test games, however, there have been accusations made that the matches selected were far too easy for the Lions, meaning that little match practice was actually gained from them. Even worse, it means that the injuries that have happened whilst on the tour are ultimately for nothing, as they were initially seen as a risk worth taking for match practice. These injuries can certainly partially explain the loss in the final warm-up game, as with a weakened side very few teams would fare well. Equally, the fact that none of these replacement players have been given sufficient time to gel puts the Lions almost back to the same position they were in when they began the tour.
Whilst I agree that warm-up games, in any sport, are necessary and positive, a few general principles must be applied. Firstly, always make sure you have sufficient rest time. You cannot legislate for certain injuries in games, however, you risk exacerbating the situation by playing so many games in such a short space of time, especially in a physical game like rugby. Therefore, perhaps four warm-up games would have been sufficient, giving the players with minor knocks time to recover before exerting themselves once again. As I mentioned at the top of the post, all home nation rugby players are desperate to be involved in the Lions setup, and therefore will not want to hand over their jersey once selected. This leaves them at a much greater risk of suffering serious injury, as their desire to keep their place often overwhelms their self-preservation instinct. Secondly, make sure you select sides that will test you. It is pointless playing a Sunday league side that you will score treble figures against in a glorified training exercise. If you want to allow your players to effectively gel and gain match practice and fitness, you have to be involved in a competitive game. Otherwise there is no pressure on the players to perform. Certainly, there are elements of this in the current tour, however, it is worth noting that two of the 6 games have been very close contests, with the Lions victorious in one, and defeated in the other.
As for what this indicates about the upcoming test series, I fear for the Lions. It is a strange one, as each of the home nations are capable of beating the Aussies on their day. Therefore, you wold expect that a side of the best players of each nation combined would whitewash them. However, rarely does this seem to be the case, and with the injuries that have been suffered by the Lions in the run-up, their chances of bringing home a series victory have been cut. That being said, Warren Gatland is a fantastic coach, and if anyone can get the best out of the players they have at their disposal, he can. I will be watching, more in hope than expectation, to see if the Lions can pull off an historic victory on Saturday to give them momentum going into the second test.
Discovering this problem is currently the job of Warren Gatland. The ex-Wales boss impressed as manager of the dragons, leading them to two Six Nations Grand Slams in 2008 and 2012, and the World Cup semi final in 2011, where they were cruelly denied a place in the final after captain Sam Warburton was wrongfully dismissed against the French. As head coach of the Lions, his first job has been assembling a squad capable of winning a test tour, a job that has been shown to be incredibly difficult in the past. Fortunately, the new coach has a wealth of talent to select from. Having an excellent knowledge of Welsh talent is particularly important, especially as they are the current holders of the Six Nations, and they correspondingly had the most representatives in the initial squad. The first announcement of the Lions squad was made on the 30th April 2013, where the squad was made up of 15 Welsh players, 10 English, 9 Irish and just the 3 from Scotland. However, as is often the case in rugby tours, withdrawals and injuries are common. As a result, the make-up of the Lions squad has changed somewhat over the last few weeks. Correct at time of publishing, the Lions contained 15 Welsh players, 13 English, 10 Irish, and 4 Scots, with many being called up either to directly replace the injured player, or as cover in case of further injuries. Not the best start to a tour, but I suppose it was to be expected.
In assessing the Lions potential to lead a successful tour down under, it is worth looking at the warm-up games as an indication of their success. The Lions embarked on the tour in May, with the first warm up game taking place on the 1st June in Hong Kong. A comprehensive 59-8 victory against the Barbarians eased the Lions into life on tour, and gave them a morale boosting victory to start the campaign off. Having taken a brief stop in Asia, the Lions moved to Australasia, playing their second warm up game in Perth on June 5th. An even more emphatic win followed, with a 69-15 success over Western Force. Unfortunately, the match was marred by two incidents involving Cian Healy, with the Irish prop firstly being accused of biting an opponent (a charge that was subsequently dropped), and then suffering a tour-ending injury. His absence, coupled with the fact that the Lions had played 3 games in a week, meant that they had a much tougher game against the Queensland Reds in Brisbane. Winning only 22-12, and suffering a number of high profile casualties (Tuilagi and Bowe), the Lions were uninspiring in victory, giving Gatland his first cause for concern.
He needn't have worried about the Lions performances. A whitewash in their next game in Newcastle against the Combined New South Wales-Queensland Country on June 11th saw the Lions return to full form, winning 64-0. Another convincing victory followed, with New South Wales Waratahs dispatched 47-17 four days later in Sydney. However, once again injuries ruined an impressive display, with Jamie Roberts hobbling off. Having looked confident and ready for the start of the test series, the Lions then suffered a sucker punch, losing their final warm-up game 14-12 against the ACT Brumbies in Canberra. This threatened to undo all of the good work of the past two weeks, and potentially undermine the confidence of this injury plagued squad.
If Warren Gatland wanted his initial selections to all be fit for the start of the first test, and therefore selected his best squad, perhaps participating in 6 pre-test warm-ups was not the wisest move. Whilst it is traditional for tours to last longer than simply the test series, to expect that no injuries would be suffered is highly unrealistic. It has been argued that these warm-up matches are essential in enabling the team to gel and get match practice and fitness before the big test games, however, there have been accusations made that the matches selected were far too easy for the Lions, meaning that little match practice was actually gained from them. Even worse, it means that the injuries that have happened whilst on the tour are ultimately for nothing, as they were initially seen as a risk worth taking for match practice. These injuries can certainly partially explain the loss in the final warm-up game, as with a weakened side very few teams would fare well. Equally, the fact that none of these replacement players have been given sufficient time to gel puts the Lions almost back to the same position they were in when they began the tour.
Whilst I agree that warm-up games, in any sport, are necessary and positive, a few general principles must be applied. Firstly, always make sure you have sufficient rest time. You cannot legislate for certain injuries in games, however, you risk exacerbating the situation by playing so many games in such a short space of time, especially in a physical game like rugby. Therefore, perhaps four warm-up games would have been sufficient, giving the players with minor knocks time to recover before exerting themselves once again. As I mentioned at the top of the post, all home nation rugby players are desperate to be involved in the Lions setup, and therefore will not want to hand over their jersey once selected. This leaves them at a much greater risk of suffering serious injury, as their desire to keep their place often overwhelms their self-preservation instinct. Secondly, make sure you select sides that will test you. It is pointless playing a Sunday league side that you will score treble figures against in a glorified training exercise. If you want to allow your players to effectively gel and gain match practice and fitness, you have to be involved in a competitive game. Otherwise there is no pressure on the players to perform. Certainly, there are elements of this in the current tour, however, it is worth noting that two of the 6 games have been very close contests, with the Lions victorious in one, and defeated in the other.
As for what this indicates about the upcoming test series, I fear for the Lions. It is a strange one, as each of the home nations are capable of beating the Aussies on their day. Therefore, you wold expect that a side of the best players of each nation combined would whitewash them. However, rarely does this seem to be the case, and with the injuries that have been suffered by the Lions in the run-up, their chances of bringing home a series victory have been cut. That being said, Warren Gatland is a fantastic coach, and if anyone can get the best out of the players they have at their disposal, he can. I will be watching, more in hope than expectation, to see if the Lions can pull off an historic victory on Saturday to give them momentum going into the second test.
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