‘IRB must give Lions a fair chance’
The IRB needs to restructure the international calendar to afford the Lions more time to prepare according to Ian McGeechan.
The Lions won the third and final Test on Saturday to avoid a Springbok whitewash, and although McGeechan admits he wouldn’t have done anything different in terms of tactical preparation, he still believes a lack of game time puts touring Lions teams at a disadvantage.
McGeechan’s Lions played six games in three weeks before meeting the Springboks for the first time in Durban. According to the man who masterminded the series win over the Boks in 1997, it’s not enough time to develop the necessary combinations.
‘Back home the question has to be asked, “Are we being given a fair chance?” There are two major tournaments on the IRB calendar, namely the World Cup and the Lions series. If they are planned two years out there needs to be a season structure that allows players more time prepare for these series,’ he said.
‘The players have proved it on this tour, and judging from the support out there, the fans also believe the Lions are capable of winning these series. Some serious thought needs to go into improving the situation.’
Both coaches made a number of changes for this game but McGeechan suggested it was the refereeing of Stuart Dickinson that finally saw a result go the Lions’ way.
‘We got a couple of 50/50 calls going our way for a change. I’ve said it all along, we haven’t had many lucky breaks in this series.
‘On the other hand, I’m very proud of my boys. Congratulations to South Africa for winning the series, but on this occasion, we were very accurate and very intense. There were only eight points difference in those first two Tests, so it shows how tight this series has been,’ he said.
The Lions coach lauded his captain for the way he led the team, but Paul O’Connell gave all the credit to his players. After losing the series 2-0 and a host of players to injury, it was tough to get up for a match dubbed meaningless by most.
‘It’s been a very tough week, but everyone stood up. I’m proud of the boys, they dug very deep and showed what the Lions’ jersey is all about.
‘Sport can be cruel and we were devastated after that loss [at Loftus Versfeld]. But to come back from that and beat the world champions in their own backyard is a great effort. It’s something the guys will remember for the rest of their careers.’
O’Connell admitted touring South Africa was one of the toughest challenges he’s ever had to face as a rugby player. Besides adjusting to aspects like the local conditions, it has also been difficult to adjust to playing alongside Six Nations rivals.
‘Everybody played for everybody, and everybody galvanised everybody. The senior players really stood up, I don’t want to mention names but a guy like Phil Vickery was a leader himself.
‘Playing for your province or your country is easier because you’re in your comfort zone. Coming here and having to work with players you don’t usually play with takes you out of your comfort zone.
‘It’s brought us together and we’ll remember this win for a long time, it’s a good result for the Lions. If we didn’t win today, it would’ve been a long, long summer.’
By Jon Cardinelli, at Ellis Park
July 4th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
“The IRB needs to restructure the international calendar to afford the Lions more time to prepare according to Ian McGeechan.”
Why? The Lions are not an IRB playing nation are they? If the IRB is going to fix anything it would be the sub-standard teams that 6N teams insist on sending here every year for a slaughter.
July 4th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
“There are two major tournaments on the IRB calendar, namely the World Cup and the Lions series.”
Says who? The 3N is much much bigger and much much tougher than some Lions series.
July 4th, 2009 at 8:17 pm
Someone please shut this McGEECK up. he is far too big for his shoes!
Complaining plonker. You lost the series. go home now!!!
10 or 12 games would not have made the difference. YOU LOST!
July 4th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
#3 mellowyellow: How about you try actually reading what he says instead of just spouting ****? This has nothing to do with SA, he is just stating his opinion on the future of the Lions and it will involve shortening the NH season to accommodate more prep time. It doesn’t affect you and it doesn’t concern you!
#2 RedLion: Maybe you better ask John Smit about that one. He rates the Lions series win as highly as the RWC win. The talk before the series was that a lot of senior Boks hung around in SA specifically for this series. Explain that?
July 4th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
#4 jonnymain: Don’t bother. I think the two are children. They wont understand.
July 4th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
#3 mellowyellow: you are making a fool of yourself. Please go to bed.
July 4th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
The Lions are actually asking for MORE time on the road and aren’t following the yarpie tradition of griping about an imaginary “travel disadvantage” from having TOO MUCH time on the road! The Lions have the correct attitude.
July 4th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
WHO THE HELL DOES HE THINK HE IS . does he honestly think the whole world should reschedule their calenders to accommodate him and his cubs !!
someone shut him up ,sheeesh
July 4th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
“Sport can be cruel and we were devastated after that loss [at Loftus Versfeld]. But to come back from that and beat the world champions in their own backyard is a great effort. It’s something the guys will remember for the rest of their careers”
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Sure they must remember it. But they must also remember that beat a B-team here today.
PdV in effect denied them a proper victory.
Lions coaching staff must all go for counselling once back in UK
July 4th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
#9 Sheriff: Yeah it was a good effort from the Lions B team though.
Some of you okes really need to calm down a bit. It seems that you can’t read a piece about the Lions without taking a negative view of what is said.
July 4th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
#10 jonnymain:
Geech’s intention was clearly to field his strongest possible side.
PdV on the other hand, had other objectives for today’s match.
Sure, he would have loved to take it 3-0, but the moment Morne Steyn landed that 50m + penalty last week, a few more options became available
But shame, a part of me is happy for the Lions, albeit only 0.5% of me.
I would NOT have preferred the 3-0 result; Boks would have been over-confident going into the 3N and Geech would have been severely embarrassed.
Let’s not forget they could not even beat the Emerging Boks, hahaha!
July 4th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
#11 Sheriff: It was the strongest possible side but still had 7 changes from last weekend. As it turned out I think the combination of Worsley, Williams and Heaslip worked much better than the Croft, Wallace, Heaslip combo but aside from that there were a lot of fringe players out there today.
You really expect me to believe you wouldn’t be celebrating a whitewash right now if the score was different today!?
July 4th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
#12 jonnymain:
I would have celebrated, but would have been very uncomfortable.
Geech should have combined those 3 earlier, so another error on his part. But then again, it was always going to be a bit easier there with Stu in charge…
His bank account should be checked over the next 6 months for huge deposit from UK; just hope he spends the money well …
July 4th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
Perhaps I must say something to this effect: Congrats to the Lions on securing this hollow victory!
Would that be ok?
July 4th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
SA from rugby perspective has it all!
RWC, Lions series, best weather, best talent ON the field as well as OFF, best refs, best stadiums; 7’s series
I almost feel like saying this: hope we dont win the 3N as we will then basically have it all!
Now it’s against our principles not to share …
July 4th, 2009 at 10:27 pm
#11 Sheriff: The Lions in NZ lost all three their tests and they were also beaten by NZ Maori.
July 4th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
#16 TheTackler: Pity about that damn RWC
July 4th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
tackler isn’t the NZ Maori a racist team?
July 5th, 2009 at 12:21 am
Fair Chance?
What more do you need? super fit players from 4 nations picked into one super team What else do you need some more South Africans and Kiwi’s?????
July 5th, 2009 at 12:23 am
#19 CoachPete: Boet don’t swim in the dirty water.
Happy 4′th. Pity it’s not on a Monday.
You taking time off this summer?
July 5th, 2009 at 12:26 am
#20 SodaJoe:
Ja Happy 4th I am wearing my USA tie die t shirt
Yes my friend The way things are here in California I am having plenty of time off
I hope to take off time in July but may get busy soon hopefully
July 5th, 2009 at 2:53 am
Mcgeehans theory is flawed, case in point look at the 2007 allblacks being left out of the S14, they had heaps of time to prepare… an age really and they fell flat.
The lions had long enough to prepare, far longer than most international teams have before they start their season.
July 5th, 2009 at 4:00 am
#18 sideline: Yes, it is a racist team. Just like the Boks were before 1981.
July 5th, 2009 at 4:13 am
More Lions tours…
Would like to see more Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Cook involvement so the Black and Bies dont have a team full of them.
More tours of minnows including The Pumas otherwise rugby will never grow.
July 5th, 2009 at 11:42 am
How much more of a chance do these whinging Poms want?
For the Boks the 1st test was our first game since November and the Lions got 6 warm up games and in the final test we played a B side and on top of all that Boswell and Wilkie circus provided the coach.
No I think the Lions had enough going for them on this tour.
July 5th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
You would think the advantage of being able to take your pick of all the best players from four nations would outweigh the logistical disadvantages.