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FREE LIONS WALLCHART INSIDE

SUMMER TESTS PREVIEW

EVERY LIONS PLAYER PROFILED!

And the importance of A teams

THE LION v THE OX Anthony Watson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Your complete guide to the 2021 squad

THE SPRINGBOK WHO LIVED IN A CAVE

ISSUE JULY 2021

EP T H INSIGHT IN-D

YOUR 2021 LIONS INTERVIEWS STUART HOGG // COURTNEY LAWES // LIAM WILLIAMS // JACK CONAN P L U S N o 9 C O N T E N D E R S A N A LY S E D / / L I O N S C O A C H E S

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WH AT YOU SHOULD BE TALK ING ABOUT THIS MONTH… “Who will start the Tests for the Lions?”

Ready to roar The youngest tourist, Louis Rees-Zammit

PICS Getty Images & Inpho

THE MIDWEEK matches are a very big deal and in many ways the essence of a British & Irish Lions tour. But while we were all debating the squad selection, the logic we kept deploying was, ‘Can this person really stand up to the Springboks in a Test match?’

As the tour roars into action we will enjoy seeing the menagerie of South African provincial sides wrestle with the tourists, but many of those Lions face a battle to impress their way into the Big Team.

Popular sentiment dictates that some key positions are already sewn up, injury permitting.

If we listen to each other, Tadhg Furlong may as well be sleeping in his No 3 shirt now.

Skipper Alun Wyn Jones and Maro Itoje have the lock berths to themselves, right? What about Dan Biggar and Conor Murray as the half-backs, Robbie Henshaw in the centres, Anthony Watson in the back three and Tom Curry in the back row?

But you could run a simulation of a Lions tour 100 times and see some 98 different scenarios play out. What

makes these tours so special is the accumulation of unknowns: you don’t know which players will inexplicably hit it off in camp, which lesser lights will show the form of their life. And, crucially, who will get injured.

Which is why the names so new to this level of competition fascinate.

Youngest tourist Louis Rees-Zammit could continue his rocketing trajectory.

B E NJA M IN KAYS ER TH I S M O N TH

“I believe scrummaging is the heartbeat of a pack, of the team even. Given the Springboks say they love to take you to the ‘pain arena’, I think they agree ” P2 5 3

Sam Simmonds could show exactly what Test rugby has been missing. Chris Harris could will his way into contention with defensive brilliance. The loosehead selection could come out of left field, as it did with Tom Smith 24 years ago.

What we think now could be laughably off the mark by the time the first Test rolls around on 24 July in Johannesburg.

And that is all part of the Lions magic. n

H AVE YO UR SAY Email rugbyworldletters@futurenet.com Twitter @Rugbyworldmag Facebook Rugby World Magazine Instagram @rugbyworldmag

CONTENTS THE FRONT ROW 10 Bobby Stridgeon 15 Mzwandile Stick 18 Lions tour debate 20 Gcobani Bobo 22 Captain’s referral rant 23 Josh Bayliss 24 Boks to watch 25 Benjamin Kayser

THE CENTRES 28 Courtney Lawes 32 Jack Conan 38 Liam Williams 42 Stuart Hogg 47 Rugby photos 53 Lions 2021 squad 80 Harry Randall 82 Summer Tests preview 86 SA’s 2009 win 90 Changing role of No 10s 94 Julien Marchand 96 Anthony Watson & Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 100 Rugby transfers

THE BACK ROW 105 Team of the Month 106 Steve Tandy 108 Dave Ward 110 Amy Perrett 112 Grass-roots news 114 Lions scrum-halves 118 How to run cheat lines 122 Secret Player

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COVER PHOTOS Getty Images & Inpho. PIC Inpho

Subscribe to Rugby World magazine this month and you’ll receive Earfun Wireless Earbuds worth £54.99 – ideal for listening to your favourite rugby podcasts.

See P26-27 for more info or call 0330 333 1113 and quote code 98AM.

Spray fans Pita Ahki and Toulouse celebrate the club’s record fifth European Cup at Twickenham

E D ITO R’ S LETTE R

Countdown to an epic (and unusual) tour begins TOULOUSE TOOK their celebrations to a new level when winning the Champions Cup, donning ski goggles to protect their eyes from Champagne! Will we see other clubs follow suit in coming weeks?

It’s that time of year when players and supporters experience elation or despair depending how their teams fare in the trophy hunt. Four years ago, Lions and

All Blacks were on the middle of that emotional spectrum after a drawn series.

So what of 2021’s South Africa tour?

First, we must cross our fingers it goes off without a hitch as Covid continues to change the landscape. Second, we must accept that this tour is going to be vastly different to the norm, with empty stadiums and pandemic protocols.

Having said that, there’s still a huge sense of excitement for a tour that sees the Lions take on the world champions, 5

with all the unknowns actually adding to that. We hope this issue is the perfect complement to the tour, with in-depth profiles and exclusive interviews. Enjoy!

Sarah Mockford, Editor Email: sarah.mockford@futurenet.com Phone: 0330 390 6479 Twitter: @heelsonhalfway

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YOUR RUGBY CALENDAR How to get your oval-ball fix in June and early July

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Gavin Hastings, the last Scotsman to captain the Lions in a Test series, has a new book out this Friday. In Legacy of the Lions (Polaris, RRP £17.99), Hastings (left) draws on his experiences from the 1989 and 1993 tours. He also gains insights from Sam Warburton, Warren Gatland, Brian O’Driscoll, Martin Johnson, Sir Ian McGeechan, Paul O’Connell and Finlay Calder to look at what the Lions can teach people about leadership.

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There are 40 days left to enter BT Sport’s Innovate 21 competition. If you’re a start-up, entrepreneur or creative and have an idea for sports broadcasting, whether in terms of production at events (below) or the at-home viewer experience, head to bt.com/ innovate21 to enter. The winner will have the chance to develop their idea with BT.

PICS Getty Images

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26th Only eight months have passed since Exeter Chiefs lifted the Premiership trophy, but the winners of the 2020-21 season will be crowned this Saturday at Twickenham. Who will be celebrating at the home of English rugby?

Watch the final live on BT Sport.

NEW ISSUE OUT

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Nigel Carr (right), Simon Danielli and Ollie Phillips are among those taking part in the Great Rugby Cycle, which starts this Thursday in Ireland, to fundraise for My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

Visit thegreatrugbycycle.co.uk/ the-great-rugby-cycle-2021 to donate.

Lions v Lions. Yes, the British & Irish tourists kick off their South Africa tour with a match against the Johannesburg-based franchise (above) of the same name this Saturday (kick-off 5pm). See if Warren Gatland’s team get off to a winning start by watching the action on Sky Sports or the highlights on All4, or listen live on talkSPORT. 6

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THE DIRECTORY All the fixtures details you need for the end-of-season run-in, Lions tour and more FRIDAY 4 JUNE Gallagher Premiership Sale v Harlequins (7.45pm) TV Live on BT Sport Guinness Pro14 Rainbow Cup Connacht v Ospreys (6pm) Glasgow v Leinster (8.15pm) TV Both live Premier Sports/eir Rainbow Cup SA Bulls v Stormers (6pm) TV Live Premier Sports/eir Sport Super Rugby Trans-Tasman Crusaders v Force (8.05am) Reds v Blues (10.45am) TV Both live on rugbypass.com SATURDAY 5 J UNE Rugby Africa Cup Repêchage Burundi v Burkina Faso Gallagher Premiership Gloucester v Bath (2pm) Leicester v Bristol (3pm) Newcastle v Worcester (3pm) London Irish v Wasps (4.30pm) TV All live on BT Sport Guinness Pro14 Rainbow Cup Edinburgh v Ulster (5.15pm) Cardiff Blues v Zebre (7.35pm) TV Both live Premier Sports/eir Rainbow Cup SA Lions v Sharks (3pm) TV Live Premier Sports/eir Sport Top 14 Bayonne v Stade Français Bordeaux-Bègles v Toulouse Castres v Toulon Clermont Auvergne v La Rochelle

Lyon v Agen Pau v Montpellier Racing 92 v Brive Super Rugby Trans-Tasman Chiefs v Rebels (5.35am) Highlanders v Waratahs (8.05am) Brumbies v Hurricanes (10.45am) TV All live on rugbypass.com Major League Rugby Austin v Houston SaberCats Rugby ATL v NOLA Gold TV All live therugbynetwork.com SUNDAY 6 JUNE Gallagher Premiership Northampton v Exeter (3pm) TV Live on BT Sport Major League Rugby Old Glory DC v NE Free Jacks SD Legion v Toronto Arrows Utah Warriors v Seattle TV All live therugbynetwork.com WEDNESDAY 9 J UNE Rugby Africa Cup Repêchage Burundi v Cameroon Africa Cup Women’s Repêchage Burkina Faso v Cameroon FRIDAY 11 JUNE Guinness Pro14 Rainbow Cup Zebre v Munster (6pm) Leinster v Dragons (8.15pm) TV Both live Premier Sports/eir Top 14 Semi-final qualifier (8pm) TV Live on Premier Sports Super Rugby Trans-Tasman Hurricanes v Reds (7.05am)

Brumbies v Highlanders (10.45am) TV Both live on rugbypass.com SATURDAY 12 JUNE Africa Cup Women’s Repêchage Cameroon v Burkina Faso Gallagher Premiership Bath v Northampton (3pm) Bristol v London Irish (3pm) Exeter v Sale (3pm) Harlequins v Newcastle (3pm) Wasps v Leicester (3pm) Worcester v Gloucester (3pm) TV All live on BT Sport Guinness Pro14 Rainbow Cup Ospreys v Benetton (7.35pm) TV Live Premier Sports/eir Sport Rainbow Cup SA Stormers v Lions (3pm) Sharks v Bulls (5.15pm) TV Live Premier Sports/eir Sport Top 14 Semi-final qualifier (8pm) TV Live on Premier Sports Greene King IPA Championship Play-off final, first leg Super Rugby Trans-Tasman Rebels v Crusaders (5.35am) Blues v Force (7.05am) Waratahs v Chiefs (10.45am) TV All live on rugbypass.com Major League Rugby NOLA Gold v Old Glory DC San Diego Legion v Utah Warriors Toronto Arrows v Austin Gilgronis TV All live therugbynetwork.com SUNDAY 13 JUNE

Rugby Africa Cup Repêchage Burkina Faso v Cameroon Guinness Pro14 Rainbow Cup Scarlets v Edinburgh (1pm) TV Live Premier Sports/eir Sport Major League Rugby Houston SaberCats v LA Giltinis Rugby ATL v RUNY Seattle Seawolves v NE Free Jacks TV All live therugbynetwork.com WEEKEND 18-20 JUNE World Sevens Repêchage Final Olympic Qualifier (Men & Women, Monaco) Gallagher Premiership Semis TV Both live on BT Sport FRIDAY 18 JUNE U20 Tournament (Stellenbosch) Georgia v Argentina South Africa v Uruguay Top 14 Semi-final (8pm) TV Live on Premier Sports SATURDAY 19 JUNE U20 Six Nations (Cardiff) Scotland v Ireland (2pm) England v France (5pm) Italy v Wales (8pm) Pro14 Rainbow Cup Final (Stadio di Monigo, Treviso) TV Live Premier Sports/eir Sport Top 14 Semi-final (8pm) TV Live on Premier Sports Greene King IPA Championship Play-off final, second leg Super Rugby Trans-Tasman Final TV Live on rugbypass.com

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PICS Getty Images & Inpho

APPETISER Before the Lions depart for South Africa, they take on Japan, whose last Test was against the Boks. Watch the match live on Channel 4

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Super W Brumbies v Melbourne Rebels Q’land Reds v NSW Waratahs Major League Rugby Houston SaberCats v Rugby ATL Utah Warriors v RUNY TV All live therugbynetwork.com SUNDAY 20 JUNE Major League Rugby Austin v Seattle Seawolves LA Giltinis v San Diego Legion NOLA Gold v Toronto Arrows TV All live therugbynetwork.com WEDNESDAY 23 JUNE U20 Tournament (Stellenbosch) Uruguay v Georgia South Africa v Argentina THURSDAY 24 JUNE Super W Western Force v President’s XV FRIDAY 25 JUNE U20 Six Nations (Cardiff) England v Scotland (2pm) Italy v France (5pm) Wales v Ireland (8pm) Top 14 Final (8, Stade de France) TV Live on Premier Sports SATURDAY 26 JUNE Lions 1888 Cup British & Irish Lions v Japan (3pm, BT Murrayfield) TV Live on Channel 4 Rugby Europe Championship Georgia v Belgium/Netherlands SAR Three Nations Qualifier Brazil v Paraguay

4th DIVE IN Independence Day sees Thretton Palamo and Old Glory DC take on Toronto Arrows in Major League Rugby

Gallagher Premiership Final (5.30pm, Twickenham) TV Live on BT Sport Major League Rugby Austin Gilgronis v SD Legion Old Glory DC v Rugby ATL NOLA Gold v NE Free Jacks Utah v Houston SaberCats TV All live therugbynetwork.com SUNDAY 27 JUNE Summer International England A v Scotland A (tbc, Welford Road) Super W Brumbies v President’s XV Melbourne Rebels v Q’land Reds NSW Waratahs v Western Force Major League Rugby LA Giltinis v Seattle Seawolves RUNY v Toronto Arrows TV All live therugbynetwork.com MONDAY 28 JUNE U20 Tournament (Stellenbosch) Argentina v Uruguay South Africa v Georgia WEDNESDAY 30 JUNE Super W NSW Waratahs v Brumbies Q’land Reds v President’s XV Western Force v M’bourne Rebels THURSDAY 1 JULY U20 Six Nations (Cardiff) Scotland v Italy (2pm) France v Wales (5pm) Ireland v England (8pm) SATURDAY 3 JULY Lions Tour Lions v British & Irish Lions (5pm, Emirates Airline Park) TV Live on Sky Sports Summer Internationals Ireland v Japan (tbc, Aviva Stadium) Maori All Blacks v Samoa

(tbc, Mt Smart Stadium) New Zealand v Tonga (8.05am, Mt Smart Stadium) South Africa v Georgia (tbc) Uruguay v Sudamérica XV (tbc, Estadio Charrú) Wales v Canada (tbc, Principality Stadium) Rugby Europe Championship Spain v Russia Rugby Africa Cup Kenya v Senegal Namibia v Ivory Coast SAR Three Nations Qualifier Chile v Colombia U20 Tournament (Stellenbosch) Finals Day Super W (Coffs Harbour) Finals Day Major League Rugby RUNY v NE Free Jacks Seattle Seawolves v SD Legion TV All live therugbynetwork.com SUNDAY 4 JULY Summer International England v USA (tbc, Twickenham) Major League Rugby NOLA Gold v LA Giltinis Old Glory DC v Toronto Arrows TV Live therugbynetwork.com WEDNESDAY 7 JULY Lions Tour Sharks v British & Irish Lions (7pm, Emirates Airline Park) TV Live on Sky Sports Summer International Australia v France (11am, Sydney Cricket Ground) Rugby Africa Cup Ivory Coast v Madagascar Senegal v Zambia U20 Six Nations (Cardiff) Italy v Ireland (2pm)

France v Scotland (5pm) Wales v England (8pm) SATURDAY 10 JULY Lions Tour Bulls v British & Irish Lions (5pm, Loftus Versfeld) TV Live on Sky Sports RWC 2023 Qualifier – 1st leg Samoa v Tonga (tbc) Summer Internationals England v Canada (tbc, Twickenham) Ireland v USA (tbc, Aviva Stadium) New Zealand v Fiji (8.05am, Forsyth Barr Stadium) Romania v Scotland (tbc) South Africa v Georgia (tbc) Wales v Argentina (tbc, Principality Stadium) Rugby Africa Cup Repêchage winner v Tunisia Uganda v Ghana Major League Rugby Austin Gilgronis v LA Giltinis Houston SaberCats v RUNY Rugby ATL v Utah Warriors SD Legion v Old Glory DC TV All live therugbynetwork.com SUNDAY 11 JULY SAR Three Nations Brazil/Paraguay v Chile/Colombia Rugby Africa Cup Namibia v Madagascar Zambia v Kenya Major League Rugby NE Free Jacks v Toronto Arrows NOLA Gold v Seattle Seawolves TV All live therugbynetwork.com TUESDAY 13 JULY Summer International Australia v France (11, AAMI Park) U20 Six Nations (Cardiff) England v Italy (2pm) 9

Ireland v France (5pm) Scotland v Wales (8pm) WEDNESDAY 14 JULY Lions Tour South Africa A v Lions (7pm, Cape Town Stadium) TV Live on Sky Sports Rugby Africa Cup Ghana v Algeria Repêchage winner v Zimbabwe THURSDAY 15 JULY Major League Rugby Houston SaberCats v Seattle TV Live therugbynetwork.com SATURDAY 17 JULY Lions Tour Stormers v British & Irish Lions (5pm, Cape Town Stadium) TV Live on Sky Sports RWC 2023 Qualifier – 2nd leg Tonga v Samoa (tbc, FMG Stadium Waikato) Summer Internationals Australia v Samoa Women (8am, Suncorp Stadium) Australia v France (11am, Suncorp Stadium) Georgia v Scotland (tbc) New Zealand v Fiji (8.05am, FMG Stadium Waikato) Wales v Argentina (tbc, Principality Stadium) Rugby Europe Championship Russia v Portugal Major League Rugby Austin Gilgronis v Old Glory DC LA Giltinis v Utah Warriors NOLA Gold v RUNY TV All live therugbynetwork.com SUNDAY 18 JULY SAR Three Nations Uruguay v Lowest ranked team from South America pre-qualifier Rugby Africa Cup

Tunisia v Zimbabwe Uganda v Algeria Major League Rugby Rugby ATL v NE Free Jacks TV Live therugbynetwork.com THURSDAY 22 JULY Summer Test Australia v Samoa Women (10.30am, Leichhardt Oval) SATURDAY 24 JULY Lions Tour South Africa v British & Irish Lions (5pm, Cape Town Stadium) TV Live on Sky Sports SUNDAY 25 JULY SAR Three Nations Uruguay v Highest ranked team from South America pre-qualifier MON 26-WED 28 JULY Olympic Sevens Men’s tournament (Tokyo) TV Live on BBC THU 29-SAT 31 JULY Olympic Sevens Women’s tournament (Tokyo) TV Live on BBC SATURDAY 31 JULY Lions Tour South Africa v British & Irish Lions (5pm, FNB Stadium) TV Live on Sky Sports SATURDAY 7 AUGUST Lions Tour South Africa v British & Irish Lions (5pm, FNB Stadium) TV Live on Sky Sports Bledisloe Cup Test New Zealand v Australia (8.05am, Eden Park) O All kick-offs UK & Ireland.

Fixtures subject to change. See rugbyworld.com/rugby-fixtures for the latest information. n

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DOWNTIME WITH… PAUL ‘BOBBY’ STRIDGEON

“I did the human flagpole on a lamppost and it snapped!”

The Lions head of strength and conditioning talks tours, tides and treats Interview Sarah Mockford // Pictures Getty Images

OW DID you get the nickname ‘Bobby’? On my first day at Wasps, 23 August 2002, I ran on with the water and Phil Greening said, “We’ve got our own waterboy”, like Bobby Boucher in the Adam Sandler film.

What do you love most about the Lions? Just being with the boys, the staff and players. It’s fantastic to meet people you’ve never met before as well as old faces. It’s four unions coming together with one goal, and this one is taking on the world champions in their backyard.

It’s a fantastic challenge for us.

So much camaraderie develops quickly.

You have to work hard to make people gel and my forte is getting people to talk to each other. I just love being on tour.

The funniest thing that’s happened on a Lions tour? In 2009, the boys did a recovery session in the pool. There was

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WHAT’S ON YOUR PHO NE

Last person you phoned Huw Bennett – my assistant with Wales and the Lions

a lamppost, so I did the flagpole (held his body perpendicular off the post). But it wasn’t made of metal, it was fibreglass I think, and it snapped. I ended up on the floor and the lads had a great laugh.

What about the best practical joke?

On the 2013 tour, players had to roll the dice if they did something wrong to get a forfeit. Simon Zebo had to call his Munster coach and ask to be captain.

The coach, Rod Penney, played it well.

Tell us about the history of the Bobby Cup… It started at Wasps in 2002. I found a little plastic cup at the training ground and said to Alex King, ‘I’m giving you this as my Player of the Day’. He told me to give it to him during training and I told a few jokes while I did. Then every time we won, I’d do the Bobby Cup and it became a video presentation.

Matt Dawson got me into A Question of Sport once so I filmed something with

Last person you texted Shaun Edwards – he was asking for drills for hamstring strengthening

Most important person in phone My parents, Angela and Keith, and my eldest daughter, Georgia 10

Sue Barker, and on tour I’ve dressed up as a big lion and done a day in the life of a lion. We include clips of people doing something wrong in training, coaches falling over. It’s a bit of fun.

We’ve started to get celebrities to be part of the announcement. We ask them to film a clip saying, “The winner of the Bobby Cup is…” Two royals have done it for us, David Beckham did our last one with Wales, we’ve had Tom Jones, the Gavin & Stacey guys…

What’s your favourite thing about South Africa? The steaks and the Shiraz.

The steaks are amazing – you don’t get that anywhere else in the world.

Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with? From rugby, James Haskell. He’s brilliant. You could be in there for a day and it would feel like 20 minutes. Outside rugby, Michael Jordan. I watched The Last Dance and he was the alpha male

Last photo you took My new baby, Tomas. He’s only a few weeks old

News app NewsNow.co.uk – you get a synopsis of everything

Mr Motivator Stridgeon has had roles with Wasps, Toulon, England, Wales and the Lions in the past 20 years

Screen time Is David Beckham filming his next Bobby Cup video? in that group. When you’re in team sports and understand team dynamics, you see how he drove everyone.

Do you have a karaoke song? Ice Ice Baby. The first single I ever bought.

Which player has posed the toughest challenge wrestling? I’ve beaten them all (he represented England at wrestling in the 2002 Commonwealth Games), but who was the toughest? Samson Lee a couple of years ago. It took me

Last app downloaded Revolut – so it’s easier to pay for things when I’m in South Africa

Last song you played I like terrible music! All This Time by Michelle McManus

“James Haskell is brilliant. If you were stuck in a lift with him for a day, it would feel like 20 minutes” a while to beat him. He’s got a low centre of gravity and a strong neck.

If you could be one of the Lions players or coaches, who would it be? Warren Gatland, because he gets paid the most.

What’s the most ridiculous fact you know? I asked Prav (Mathema, physio) this when we went to Jersey for a recce.

How long is there between two high tides? He said 12 hours, but then they would be at the same time every day.

It’s 12 hours, 24 minutes, 30 seconds.

Who would play you in a film of your life? That guy from I’m A Celebrity and Coronation Street… Andy Whyment. He sounds like me!

The best advice Favourite you’ve received?

WhatsApp group When I went to My family group Warrington (rugby – Lockdown. league), Ian Northerners have McGeechan said, good banter 11

“When you go to a new job, make sure you do things your way.” Sometimes you can get a lot of people telling you what you should be doing but you’ve got to remember to do it your way. Then if you fail, at least you failed doing it your way and you won’t regret it. I’ve followed that advice wherever I’ve gone.

If your house was on fire, what would you save (people and pets are safe)?

Photo albums. These days you don’t keep photos but I’ve got lots from when we were kids, my mum used to do photo books… You can’t get them back.

Your guilty pleasure? Fish and chips.

I live in France and you can’t get it here but my missus has learnt how to make it.

Any surprising hidden talents? I’m good at identifying different perfumes, male or female, just by smelling.

What three things would you put in Room 101? I don’t like haters – people who are mean for the sake of it – so I’d put them in there. Salad bars/shops – I don’t like salad! And lager and bitter – I only drink red wine or vodka. n

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AROUND THE WORLD IN TEN STORIES A round-up of news from all points of the globe

France The final three Olympic sevens qualifiers – two women’s teams, one men’s – will be determined on 19-20 June at the repêchage event in Monaco.

The women’s line-up is Argentina, Colombia, France, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Madagascar, Mexico, PNG, Russia (below), Samoa and Tunisia. The men’s sides involved are Chile, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Jamaica, Mexico, Samoa, Tonga, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

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South Africa Cape Town will host next year’s Sevens World Cup, with 24 men’s and 16 women’s teams, from 9-11 Sept.

The top eight men’s teams, including South Africa (below), and four women’s sides from the 2018 event automatically qualified for 2022. South Africa’s women are also involved as hosts.

The remaining slots will be filled by regional qualification tournaments rather than via the World Sevens Series.

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Brazil South American sides will take the first steps to qualifying for RWC 2023 over the coming weeks.

Brazil (above) host Paraguay on Saturday 26 June before Colombia visit Chile a week later. The winners of those matches play in a round-robin tournament, SAR Three Nations, with Uruguay from 11-25 July.

The winners of that, most likely Uruguay, will play the winners of the Canada-USA qualifiers over two legs in October to determine who joins Pool A – alongside New Zealand, France, Italy and Africa 1 – as Americas 1 in 2023.

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New Zealand The All Blacks (below) will host the Wallabies at Eden Park on Saturday 7 August in a Bledisloe Cup Test before the Rugby Championship kicks off.

South Africa return to the tournament while Argentina will be hoping to build on the impact they made in last year’s

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Tri-Nations, when they defeated New Zealand for the first time. However, the Pumas will play all their games away from home and the Boks will only face Argentina on South African soil.

The Rugby Championship runs from 14 August to 2 October, and the NZ-SA clash in Dunedin on 25 September will be the 100th Test between the nations.

LAST STOPS

8 Algeria Algeria (above) and Burundi are now full members of World Rugby having been associate members. Both countries are involved in this year’s Rugby Africa Cup, which is part of the RWC 2023 qualification pathway.

9 Georgia Georgia U20 will play in a four-team age-grade series in Stellenbosch, SA, from 18 June to 3 July.

The other U20 teams taking part are South Africa, Argentina and Uruguay.

The U20 Six Nations will take place at a similar time (19 June-13 July) in Cardiff.

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Argentina Tomás Cubilla scored a hat-trick as Jaguares XV beat Uruguayan side Peñarol 36-28 to win the first-ever Superliga Americana de Rugby final. All matches in the six-team South American tournament were played in Santiago and Montevideo as it was operated in a bubble due to Covid.

Australia Rugby Australia officially launched its bid to host the 2027 World Cup by lighting up the Sydney Opera House (above). Australia’s campaign is called ‘Game On’ – find more information at Australia2027.rugby

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USA Naya Tapper, Perry Baker and Carlin Isles are among the USA Sevens stars to have signed up to a new pro league in North America. Premier Rugby Sevens will feature six men’s and four women’s teams – on equal pay – and is scheduled to launch this autumn.

Tapper (left), who is set to compete for the USA at the Olympics next month, says: “I believe Premier Rugby Sevens will be a big reason the sport will take off in the United States and Canada. I want to be a part of that.”

Baker adds: “New fans will love the excitement and the non-stop action.”

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Japan Kenki Fukuoka (above) bowed out of rugby by scoring a try in Panasonic Wild Knights’ 31-26 victory over Suntory Sungoliath in the Top League final. The Japan wing has retired to pursue a career as a doctor.

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Sneaky substitutions Our former elite ref looks at the grey area around subbing players off and on ACK IN the day, you almost had to be on death’s door to be replaced on the field.

It wasn’t long ago that just one forward and one back sat on the bench. Graham Dawe, one of England’s finest hookers, only got five caps but sat on the bench 34 more times.

Over time, two stretched to eight and now can be used to tactically replace, not just for injury. Look at the language.

A temporary replacement is a player who goes onto the field to temporarily replace a player with an open/bleeding wound or one requiring a Head Injury

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Assessment. This player is limited to 15 or 12 minutes respectively of actual time (not playing time). If that elapses, they become a permanent replacement.

A permanent replacement comes on for an injury or is used tactically to replace a team-mate (Eddie Jones’s ‘finishers’).

Each time there is a substitution, the team manager gives the fourth official a card explaining the reason for it. If the player coming off is tactically replaced, they can go back on but only under very specific circumstances: in the front row or a blood/HIA injury. A player who leaves injured or fails an HIA cannot return.

Some competitions have permitted rolling tactical replacements or ‘interchanges’ where the players roll on and off the field, although this is limited to 12 occasions. This has been done to mitigate the amount of gamesmanship involved, with teams previously using underhand tactics to get a player back on when all their subs have been used.

There’s no doubt that many would like to go back to a smaller number of replacements and used only for an injury. But I feel it’s a sign of the modern game that a large bench and rolling changes are here to stay. n

Returned to the fray France prop Rose Bernadou came back on v England having been replaced

JA R G O N B U ST E R Students will achieve an SCHOOLS NCFE qualification, the same ROUND as they’d receive at a typical college of further education.

UP Courses will begin in September.

To apply, see www.wearescl.co.uk/ birmingham-rugby Barnard Castle sixth-former and flanker Guy Pepper had a double dose of good news as he was asked to join Newcastle Falcons’ senior academy and received an offer to read sport and exercise science at Durham University.

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Spiral bomb A towering kick that spins around its vertical axis. It falls less predictably than end-over-end kicks, making it much harder for defenders to catch.

PICS Getty Images & Inpho

WORCESTER are supporting Rugby Recycled, an initiative launched by scrum-half Gareth Simpson ten years ago to provide used rugby kit and equipment to underprivileged youngsters. He says: “What started as a small project to collect second-hand boots from school friends has turned into something bigger than I could ever have imagined.”

Birmingham Moseley’s academy has introduced football and women’s rugby courses for local teenagers aged 16-plus.

MZWANDILE STICK The Springboks assistant coach who is a former South Africa sevens captain

“We want to make the people of South Africa proud” European success Handré Pollard won the Challenge Cup with Montpellier

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E’RE VERY excited, not only as a team but as a nation. The chance to play the British & Irish Lions comes once in 12 years and some people don’t even get that opportunity.

It’s great for us, especially after the tough times we’ve been through with the pandemic. To now be able to get that opportunity to play against the British & Irish Lions, we as a nation are very, very excited by that challenge.

I was fortunate to play against them in a midweek game for the Southern Kings in 2009. It was an honour to play a great team, to play against Ronan O’Gara and those big names, so I know the feeling of how great it is to get that opportunity.

I remember the Springboks in 2009 winning the series and it was a great thing for the nation. We want to repeat that and make South Africa proud.

It’s so far, so good with preparations.

We’ve had our second alignment camp, getting all the local players together in Johannesburg. It’s a chance to share what we want to achieve and our goals for the season, how we want to play against the Lions. Players are excited.

It’s not really training like a normal camp; it’s all about sharing information with the players. The only activity we’ve done is walk through some things and that’s not even on the field, that’s in the hotel where we can find space.

We also have some players – guys like Cheslin Kolbe, Handré Pollard, Cobus

Reinach – playing overseas and that’s good for us because they’re match fit.

The staff have kept in touch with those players over the past year and we go through presentations with them.

Playing against the British & Irish Lions is a tough challenge. The northern hemisphere sides have physical forwards and special players; guys like Dan Biggar at fly-half, who is big and physical. We know the challenge coming – the physical side of the game; we’ll need to be at our best with the kicking game because up north the aerial contest is massive.

As a team, when we’ve played northern hemisphere sides it’s always a tough challenge. Playing against Wales, even in the World Cup, they were very, very close games. The final against England was tough. They’re strong as a team and have X-factor players – Maro Itoje, Mako Vunipola, Owen Farrell…

Players who have won a number of big games. We can’t underestimate a team like the British & Irish Lions; they’re a 15

special group of players and we must be prepared.

For us, the great thing is there’s continuity from the World Cup squad. Beast Mtawarira, Schalk Brits and Francois Louw have retired, but we’re in a great position to return most of those players.

There are a couple of exciting youngsters around the group too. If I was to mention names, Jaden Hendrikse, Aphelele Fassi and Sanele Nohamba.

The chance to play the British & Irish Lions comes once every 12 years, so even if we’ve got to bubble for four months we’d do it! We don’t take the opportunity for granted. It will be tough but the spirit amongst players is to take the opportunity. We’ve got to bubble, but the rest of the world is also facing a challenge with the pandemic, so we’re just grateful and excited for the opportunity we’ve been given.

It’s good for us to get those two games against Georgia before the Lions – any opportunity for us to get better.

Georgia are 12th in the world, they’re a very physical side, have a lot of pride and their set-piece is very, very strong.

It’s 19 months since we last played as a team, so to be able to get back on the field as the Springbok family is great.

Hopefully we can carry on where we left off and keep making people proud in South Africa. With everything going on, we need positive energy around the country and it’s an opportunity for us to do something to lift the experience. n

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Interviews Sarah Mockford // Pictures Inpho & Sedbergh School

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LOUIE JOHNSON

Age 17 (13 June 2003) Born Carlisle Position Fly-half Club Newcastle Falcons Country England hen did you first play Who was your childhood hero? rugby? I first started Everyone says it but Jonny Wilkinson. playing a year up. My I only really remember the tail-end of dad was coach of the his career, at Toulon, but I’ve read all his U8s at Penrith, but I books and can relate to his commitment started when I was about six with the and drive. More recently, I’ve looked at school year above and continued with someone like Beauden Barrett. that group all the way through to U18s, How excited are you to be joining although I didn’t play for the club much Newcastle full-time? It’s been my dream after moving to Sedbergh for sixth form. since I was a young boy. I remember Did you play any other sports? I did when I was about ten sitting on the athletics to a reasonably high standard. stairs wishing for time to move forward I went to QEGS Penrith and so I would be 18 and could went to the national finals, sign a professional contract. coming 12th in the UK over Your goals for the next year? the 800m. But rugby mostly.

To get into the England U20 Have you always been a squad. With the Falcons, I Johnson pays tribute want to progress into the first fly-half? When I first started to the influence of his team; there are a lot of young I was at nine. I then went to dad, Gary, as he links tens in the Premiership and if ten, like every coach’s son! up with the Falcons’ What are your strengths?

I play well hopefully I’ll get senior academy. And a couple of opportunities.

I think my ability to beat he has impressed for Are you going to study? I’ve defenders with pace and the club’s A team footwork. The amount of decided not to go to uni, so I already, with a solo time I’ve spent in the game can fully focus on rugby. But try against England means I’m quick in what I do I’m going to do a psychology U20. A name to look and I make good decisions degree with Open University out for next season. on kick, pass and run. because it’s more flexible.

And work-ons? Probably game management. In a professional environment defences are better, there’s more kicking, you’ve got to lead 15 players around the pitch to tactically win the game. I’m working on that.

When did you think rugby could be a career? I joined the Newcastle Falcons Academy at 13 and would see the coaches and first-team players. That clicked something in me to take it more seriously.

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JAC MORGAN

Age 21 (27 Jan 2000) Born Swansea Position Back-row Region Scarlets Country Wales t what age did you first play? About six, at my local club Cwmtwrch, and I was there for ten years. My whole family was involved in rugby; my father and uncles, grandfather… They all played.

What other sports did you play? A bit of football, rugby league for a few years. I swam when I was younger.

When did you link up with Scarlets?

I was doing an apprenticeship as a mechanical engineer – that was my main work and rugby was a hobby – then I was picked to play for Wales U18 and went on the South Africa tour in August 2018. After that, the Scarlets gave me an academy contract.

I carried on working until October 2019 and then joined the Scarlets full-time.

Even though I was in the academy, that first year I carried on working to get my apprenticeship and that’s something I might fall back on in the future.

What positions have you played?

I played a bit at centre and scrum-half when I was younger but it’s mainly been back-row. Openside is my favourite.

What are your strengths? Probably the contact area and defence, jackaling and getting over the ball. I’m always trying to improve everything. I’ve still got a lot to learn and I’m working on my attack.

Your childhood hero? Richie McCaw. When I was growing up he was the best openside, playing in an All Blacks team that won everything more or less.

Who has been the biggest influence on your career? My father, Rhodri, and my family. My father would take me down the field to play a bit of rugby, me and him; he’d take me to games and training. He and my family helped me Morgan plays down get where I am now. talk of a possible first What Wales honours Wales cap in July. But do you have? I’ve such has been his played U18 and form for Scarlets that two years at U20. he will be in Wayne What are your goals Pivac’s thoughts and for the next year? could arrive at the Just to keep Ospreys – he’s signed improving, enjoy for next season – as rugby and play as an international. much as I can.

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Will the 2021 tour be the toughest in Lions history?

DANIEL SCHOFIELD DAVID BARNES WHILE THIS tour to South Africa won’t involve a 46-day boat trip complete with 300 stoats and weasels for company, as the first 1888 Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand did, it’s an even bigger logistical and coaching nightmare.

We knew it would be in South Africa, having briefly looked like decamping to the British Isles or Australia, but we had to wait until mid-May for final sign-off on the tour itinerary. So close to departing, we still had no absolute certainty that the tour would go ahead given the constantly shifting picture created by Covid-19. As we have seen with the tragic images coming out of India, a new variant can wreak devastation in a country with low vaccination rates in next to no time.

We just hoped for the best but Warren Gatland and his coaches must plan for the worst, which will mean enforcing strict social distancing regulations.

No room sharing, all-night drinking sessions or safari park tours imperil the construction of bonds that are critical to successful Lions series. And this Lions team has had less preparation time than any of their predecessors, undermined by the eternal rugby politicking.

This is all before the Lions step onto the field to face the world champion Springboks, who have two years of pent-up frustration they have been waiting to unload. I don’t envy the class of 1888 but frankly I would rather hunker down with the stoats.

SIX WEEKS in South Africa, travelling by chartered jet, staying in five-star hotels, playing just eight games, including three against a Springboks team that has been in cold storage since winning the World Cup in November 2019? It will be The Telegraph’s Freelance writer a walk in the park compared to some of deputy rugby and founder of the rugby odysseys of yesteryear. correspondent The Offside Line Sure, Covid restrictions are a nuisance and the lack of travelling support is a disappointment. But these are mere trivialities compared to the challenges faced by the pioneers of 1888, travelling on a steamship to face the unknown, playing 35 games in New Zealand and Australia over the next six-and-a-half months, with no modern communications to contact loved ones back home and no generous tour fees to compensate for all that time away from the day job.

Even the first ‘modern’ tour in 1950 took 32 days to get to New Zealand on a ship normally used for livestock and the trip lasted Little respite six months (30 matches).

The 1950 Lions Through the amateur era, played 30 matches schedules were relentless, midweek games brutal, and the odds stacked against the tourists.

By comparison, this summer will be what amounts to a glorified business trip. Warren Gatland would like more prep time, as any coach would – but he’s still got the best part of a month to pull things together before the first Test.

Send your views to It will be fascinating to see how they rugbyworldletters get on, and we’re all looking forward to @futurenet.com a compelling series. But to suggest it is the biggest challenge yet is hyperbole.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

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WHAT GOES ON TOUR… [ Goes in Rugby World ] Y BEST years were those I spent at Toulon and if I had my career over again, I’d have left South Africa after the 2007 World Cup, writes former Springbok lock Bakkies Botha. When I did get over in 2011, it wasn’t plain sailing.

I was injured and they didn’t want to pay me, so I had to go to court.

My attorney said: “Just get on the plane and make sure you’re there on 1 November. If you’re late, you’ll be in breach of contract.”

I had to book my own ticket and apply for my own visa to make it to Toulon. The flight was delayed and I was at the airport thinking, ‘Maybe this is a sign. Maybe I’m not meant to go to France’.

Eventually I landed in Paris, this Afrikaans Boer who didn’t understand the language. Air France was on strike, so I had to take the train. It was a nightmare.

There was a long queue and the last train to Marseille was leaving in five minutes. If I didn’t get on it, I wouldn’t get to Toulon in time.

Thank goodness the guy at the ticket office recognised me and said, “Ah, le rugby player… Hurry.”

I was injured but I was running, with all my bags, as if I wasn’t. I piled into a compartment but I was in the wrong one. I had to be six carriages back because at some stage the train would separate. So at the next stop I grabbed my bags and ran as fast as I could, injury and all. I counted the carriages, got in the right one as the doors were closing and off we went.

Finally, I got to Marseille and I was so stressed that as soon as I got into my French agent’s car, I vomited. My welcome to France.

O From Our Blood Is Green by Gavin Rich, pub by Polaris, £17.99.

ILLUSTRATION David Lyttleton

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WE WON’T TE LL , PROMISE… We love hearing your stories and want to celebrate the characters of our great game in What Goes On Tour… If you have an amusing tale to tell, drop us a line.

Mark your email ‘Tour Tale’ and send it to rugbyworldletters@futurenet.com

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Words Alan Pearey // Photos Getty Images

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO… LIVE IN A CAVE Former Springbok Gcobani Bobo discusses a life-changing experience REMEMBER HAVING a discussion with my mates and saying that once we make this decision it comes with consequences. Are you willing to take the consequences?”

Gcobani Bobo, the former Springbok centre turned TV pundit, is addressing one of the most unusual questions Rugby World has posed at the start of an interview. Why did you live in a cave?

The mates Bobo refers to, twins Oginga and Samora Siwundla, had played rugby with him at Rondebosch Boys’ High School in Cape Town. Bobo, however, was the star; he had captained South

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Safely grounded A try for Bobo during the 2007 World Sevens Series

Africa U17 to France in 1996, had roomed with John Smit for SA Schools the same year, was being touted to lead the Springbok U19s at a Junior World Cup. This was all not long after South Africa’s first free elections and the rise to power of Nelson Mandela. The opportunities, the attention and adulation, all got a bit much for Bobo. He was leaving school and wanted to press the pause button.

“There was a lot of consciousness for youths trying to figure themselves out, now that we had opportunities to make sense of what we wanted to do with our lives. I started asking a lot about self, getting a lot of self-knowledge

and self-appreciation. I wanted to know who I was without the rugby.

“So I got into Rastafarianism, which helped me to find who I was. It’s a way of life more than religion, it’s about Africanism and origins of Utopia, the only place that was never conquered by colonial powers. Being Rastafarian spoke to me and spoke to my mind.

“I was not Gcobani Bobo, I was Gcobani Bobo the rugby player. I wanted to find who Gcobani was and that’s why I took on this journey. And it came with the knowledge that I was willing to lose it all to gain more. That was my mindset. It was about character, even if I played the

game people would take me for my character. Having basic values and principles would hold me in good stead.”

And so Bobo and the twins went into the mountain Shirt swap above Muizenberg, finding Ugo Monye a cave right at the top. They washed in waterfalls and used the water for cooking, they made fires to fend off the cold they felt in their sackcloth clothing. Bobo sometimes wore an all-brown defence force uniform. He went bare-footed, grew Memorable day a massive beard and dreadlocks that Bobo in action for Western resembled the shrub of a tree.

Province against the 2009 Lions Their diet was strictly vegetarian and for food they went down to the market.

Selling herbs or their remaining weight. Within four years he was making Lions played WP in 1997, and John possessions brought them money to his Springbok debut against Scotland at Bentley went up against James Small. buy bread or potatoes, and sometimes Ellis Park, an occasion that brought an So having the chance to play against people would be charitable. “You could emotional reunion with his father. the Lions was very special. say I was a bergie (vagrant),” says Bobo, He was at the infamous Kamp “It was very tribal, four home unions whose weight dropped to 72kg.

Staaldraad in 2003, which left several joining up to go and conquer Africa.

Bobo fell out with his family. Although Boks traumatised but which Bobo, as The warriors from the safari fronting up saddened by that, he was independent a former cave dweller and Xhosa man, for the pride of South Africa. I swapped in spirit. He went to boarding school took in his stride. He missed the 2003 a jersey with Ugo Monye, who had from the age of nine and in holidays World Cup through injury but was to win a brilliant tour for the Lions.” had lived with his grandparents in six caps, the last of them the year before Bobo played in the Premiership for Engcobo, in the old Transkei. They were the 2009 Lions toured his country.

Newcastle before retiring. He has methodist priests and his parents felt Bobo was playing for Western Province worked for SuperSport, in the studio he would benefit from their influence. by then and vividly recalls their clash and commentary box, for ten years, and Then, six months into his reclusive with the Lions. “I remember driving to is engaged to his life partner, Simoné. existence, Bobo had an epiphany after Newlands for a team meeting and seeing Their son, Osu, will be three this month. descending the mountain and passing a sea of red. Infiltrating, dominating the Bobo would have loved Maro Itoje to a store that sold television sets. whole of Cape Town. captain the tourists this summer – “Can “There was an advert playing for They were out in you imagine a Nigerian captain of the Super 12 rugby, with The Wild Boys droves. You could feel British & Irish Lions? That would have (Duran Duran) theme. And I saw the atmosphere. resonated with so many people.”

John Smit, who was now part of the “I’d been a schoolboy He adds: “It will be disappointing not Sharks team. And I knew this (rugby) when the British & Irish to see the Red Sea, or hear the chant of Bobo is a published was something that I needed to the Lions. For the author having written finish. It was my purpose in life. I first Test in 2009 a novel called The walked down to the SARU offices, I Durban went dry, Rise of the Dagger. was pretty close to Rian Oberholzer there was no Another sideline (managing director) at the time, and liquor to be sold! is coaching for the told him I was ready to play rugby.”

“South Africa is ShadowBall Academy.

To change his environment, SARU such a beautiful Business partner Gary packed him off to the Lions in country and you Crookes invented a Johannesburg, where Jake White want people to ball designed to had a gift for him. “He said, ‘There’s experience a rebound off a wall an opportunity for you to become safari, the nature, back to the passer to something quite special in South the people, to facilitate solo passing Africa but you have to show me live that South and catching. Bobo true commitment. Here’s 50 rand, African dream. It’s created a programme go and cut your hair’.” very unfortunate At full stretch for its use (see shadow Bobo smartened up and ditched but still the rivalry Defending for Newcastle, 2010 ballacademy.com). the veggie diet, regaining his lost is there. Every time we’ve been world champions, the British & Irish Lions have rocked up. We’ve lost one and won one, so this is the decider!”

And that time living in the cave… was it worth it? “Yeah, I’d do it again. With not even a flinch, not even a doubt.” n

DID YOU KNOW?

“ Ra s t a fa r ia nis m he lpe d m e to f i n d o ut w h o I wa s . I was will i ng t o l o se it a ll to g ain m o r e” 21

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THE RUGBY RANT The ‘captain’s challenge’ has been a dog’s dinner, says Courier rugby writer Steve Scott T’S FAR better to trial law variations with elite teams instead of students, if it can be done. The Rainbow Cup, hastily tacked onto the end of the Pro14 season for no good reason, was the ideal place to do it.

However, none of the three variations in play there has been an unqualified success. The goal-line drop-out for a ball-carrier held up in-goal or defenders grounding the ball clearly favours defences instead of attack, and there’s much too much of that in rugby already.

The 20-minute red card replacement has not led to a spate of cheap shots, as some feared. But neither have we seen a heinous incident that really merited losing a man for an entire game. The jury is still out on that one but if it doesn’t make much difference, why bother?

But the ‘captain’s challenge’ is a pure stinker.

The idea is to let the captains ask the officials to reconsider their decision for try-scoring and foul play incidents, or to challenge any refereeing call in the last five minutes of a match. There is an element of finger-pointing and telling tales about it. Can we not get away from the public schoolboy element in rugby?

Secondly, it messes with one of rugby’s crucial points of difference: the game is played on the edge of legality and it’s solely the officials’ job to sort it all out.

Thirdly, there’s already far too much of referees staring at screens. The first Rainbow meeting of Glasgow and

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“The game is played on the edge of legality and it’s solely the officials’ job to sort it all out”

SHORT PASS OUT THE DOOR England coaches Simon Amor (attack) and Jason Ryles (skills) have left their roles.

Eddie Jones will oversee the attack coaching for this summer’s Tests.

Edinburgh took 140 minutes of real time to play due to three challenges – two successful – but neither would have been missed by the TMO. Even Leo Cullen, coach of the league’s most dominant side, Leinster, describes it all as “challenging” and “distracting”.

In South Africa one week, according to Bulls boss Jake White, there was a collective 63 minutes of time added to Rainbow Cup matches because of it.

Away from the game in Europe, when it was decided that the referral system wouldn’t be used for Super Rugby Trans-Tasman, Hurricanes skipper Dane

Coles said he was glad about that decision.

A captain’s referral might be required if there had been a tsunami of missed or poor TMO decisions. I may be watching the wrong games but I haven’t noticed even a handful. It’s a solution to a problem that doesn’t actually exist.

We should trust in officials to spot foul play or groundings. We need to reduce the dead time caused by TMO consults, not increase it. And like our southern hemisphere counterparts, we should shelve the captain’s challenge. n

HAVE YOUR SAY What gets your goat? Let us know on Facebook or tweet @Rugbyworldmag

TREVISO STAGE Benetton’s Stadio di Monigo will host the Guinness Pro14 Rainbow Cup ‘North v South’ final on 19 June.

TAKING STOCK The WRU are holding a review of the women’s “performance rugby strategy”. It’s set to conclude by late June.

WEBB VOTED IN Ex-England full-back and knee surgeon Jon Webb has been elected to World Rugby’s Executive Committee.

PLAYER AWARD Toulouse’s Antoine Dupont (right) is the European Player of the Year after his club’s 22-17 Heineken Cup win over La Rochelle.

SAD FAREWELL Shujaa sevens fans are paying respects to former Kenya sevens head coach and player Benjamin Ayimba, who sadly passed away.

NEW VISION Eye-tracking tech, using virtual reality to detect brain injuries, is being used for the first time in this year’s Super Rugby Trans-Tasman.

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PICS Getty Images

Going upstairs Connacht and Munster argue the toss at a game’s end

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INSIDE THE MIND OF… JOSH BAYLISS Interview Alan Dymock // Picture Getty Images

The Bath back-row who was called up to train with Scotland in March “It would be nice to get away from sport when I’m finished playing. I’d love to do something with cars or classic cars.”

“My agent told me Gregor Townsend wanted to set up a call and I was like, ‘Wow!’ I expected him to say they’d watched a couple of my games and liked what I was doing but he said, ‘Look, there’s a couple of things that have happened and we want you to come in next week to train for the France game’.”

“I watched southern hemisphere stuff when I was younger.

There was Richie McCaw but Jerry Collins was the one that stuck out for me. It was unbelievable the stuff he did and he seemed like a great bloke.”

“My father’s mum, Frances, is from Aberdeen. She was one of my first calls after I spoke to Gregor. She was over the moon and said it was my call, but I knew which way she wanted me to go!”

“I grew up in Indonesia. My dad works in palm oil. We didn’t play much rugby. I moved to England around seven or eight and went to Wellington School. Then I was lucky to get a scholarship to Millfield.”

“I’ve done a project on a Series Three Land Rover. I bought one that was knackered and spent three years on it: rebuilt the engine, rewelded the chassis, did all sorts of “My stuff to it. It just got its grandmother MOT last week!” has a farm – but not a working one. As a kid I remember fiddling with stuff, running around on tractors.”

“When Gregor was in touch with Cameron Redpath, at the time I had no idea I’d get called up, but we’re pretty close mates and he came to talk with me. I thought Scotland would definitely suit his style. He came back from camp and said he loved it.”

“I lived with my team-mate Darren Atkins for three years – he was in the year above me at school. We’re fairly similar in personality, quite quiet, not too messy.”

“I’ve done a lot of breakdown work at Bath, as it doesn’t necessarily come natural to me.

There’s a long way to go but with Sam Underhill, Miles Reid and Toby Faletau, they have all got different styles I can pick bits and bobs from.”

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“I watch a lot of cricket. When I was a bit younger I loved going down to the County Ground in Taunton to watch the T20 stuff.

More recently I’ve got into the American sports, like the NFL and NBA. I don’t have a team but I love watching the New Orleans Saints.”

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BEWARE THE BOKS Five potential match-winners against the Lions, as selected by SA Rugby magazine’s Zelim Nel STEVEN KITSHOFF

Game changers Willie le Roux…

PICS Getty Images

Morné Steyn may have clinched the 2009 series with his penalty at Loftus Versfeld (see P86-89), but the more discerning rugby supporter would argue that the Lions were doomed by what Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira did to Phil Vickery in Durban a week earlier.

Twelve years later, Kitshoff is a 47-Test Springbok and, according to some, the best loosehead in the game. A one-man wrecking crew, he will be tasked with unhooking the anchor to the Lions scrum, which remains central to the contest for possession – and for physical and psychological dominance. The ginger juggernaut is primed to power into the Lions’ set-piece.

WILLIE LE ROUX CHESLIN KOLBE Kolbe needs no introduction in a piece about match-winners. He did a disappearing act on Owen Farrell in the World Cup final, and the magician doesn’t look like running out of tricks any time soon.

He is an escape artist who specialises in creating an exit when it appears there isn’t one, and it’s this reputation that may well be more of an asset to South Africa than what he actually does on the ball.

The mere threat of Kolbe will drive the Lions into the teeth of the Bok defence, where the world champions are at their most comfortable, as the tourists avoid sending unscripted kicks in his direction.

Le Roux was the key component …and Steven Kitshoff in SA’s attacking evolution. Handré Pollard’s penchant for flat attack often sees him deployed in the direct-assault corps, so le Roux steps in at first receiver.

Having started as a provincial fly-half before settling at 15, he’s able to draw on a valuable set of skills and experience. A savvy decision-maker, he recognises the front-line opportunities without losing sight of the field behind the wall.

SIYA KOLISI Tight Tests put a premium on composed leadership. Kolisi’s ability to think clearly will determine whether his team remain

in the assertive headspace of world champs or succumb to seeds of doubt.

This will manifest itself in the captain’s decision-making around penalties.

Ignoring easy shots at goal may lure the Boks into overconfidence; pointing to the posts could galvanise the Lions pack.

HANDRÉ POLLARD Test rugby’s narrow margins suggest that Pollard, the leading point-scorer at RWC 2019, will be decisive this year.

It’s not a foregone conclusion that he will be 100% combat-ready for the Lions – he’s not long back from a knee injury – but the 27-year-old is central to the Bok set-up. The plucky pivot has proven his mettle when it comes to nailing the biggest kicks on the biggest stage. n

W HE RE ARE THEY NOW? SHAUN PERRY Age 43 (4 May 1978) Position Scrum-half Teams Coventry, Bristol, Brive, Worcester & England “I RETIRED with a knee injury in 2013 and straight after I worked at Worcester Warriors on the corporate side of things, doing Q&As as a match-day host. I decided it wasn’t me so I coached at my junior club, Dudley Kingswinford, whilst doing my Level Three coaching badge.

“I set up my own coaching business on the side, shaunperry9.co.uk, to specialise in one-on-one scrum-half coaching.

“I’ve worked at Shrewsbury School, RGS Worcester and now I’m at Old 24

Swinford Hospital School, in Stourbridge.

A few boys are in Worcester’s EQP programme. If you can create a person who wants to thoroughly enjoy the sport, you’ve done your job.

“I dip in and out at Wasps. I coach and mentor on the academy pathway, scrum-half specific, and mentor the first-team scrum-halves, Dan Robson, Will Porter and Ben Vellacott. Some people might disagree but I think it’s the most technical position on the pitch.”

BENJAMIN KAYSER The former France hooker who now works as a television pundit

“The scrum battle with the Lions will be apocalyptic!”

Pressure point The Boks’ scrum was imperious at RWC 2019

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HE SPRINGBOKS are the most confrontational rugby team in the world. Rugby is a physical battle but South Africa’s commitment in every collision is second to none and they take the set-piece very seriously. The scrum battle with the British & Irish Lions will be apocalyptic!

So looking at what I like about the Lions selection, there’s Tadhg Furlong and Andrew Porter’s capacity to front up to the raw power of Steven Kitshoff. These two Irish giants are able to stay within the rules and to anchor the scrum thanks to their overwhelming leg strength and good technique.

There’s the experience and reliability of Ken Owens and Jamie George. A hooker’s number one responsibility is to deliver on the essentials: scrum, lineout and defence. Leading by being strong, reliable and finding solutions under a storm, these two are world class at it.

The Lions have the capacity to bring on physical, dynamic players like Luke Cowan-Dickie, Rory Sutherland or Wyn Jones. In particular the Exeter No 2, who isn’t as recognised internationally yet as the lethal weapon he can be.

Do I have any concerns? On his day and on top form, Mako Vunipola is the best loosehead prop in the world – I was on the receiving end of many of his top performances with Saracens. Yet I haven’t seen these performances since the 2019 World Cup and don’t see when he will be able to regain that form.

Zander Fagerson had a fantastic Six Nations, really showing a different dimension. But this is a beast of a challenge and tighthead is a ruthless position with no margin for error. For this reason, I would like to have seen Kyle Sinckler in as an experienced and dynamic replacement tighthead.

It’s also worth mentioning the relatively similar style of locks picked: Maro Itoje, Alun Wyn Jones, Iain Henderson and Courtney Lawes. Apart from Jonny Hill, all of these talented players don’t have the scrummaging power that, say, Eben Etzebeth can offer. The second row is the engine of the scrum and demands collective, extraordinary effort.

There is no need to look far for the reason for Springboks dominance. It’s a bit reductive on my part but you could say their success in Japan was based on the scrum, lineout mauls and some rapid finishers. However, the ‘Beast’, Tendai Mtawarira, hasn’t been replaced (and you could argue he never will).

Although Frans Malherbe is quality, his 25

power has a lot to do with the two sets of monster second-rowers behind him.

Lood de Jager could be missing and some others are fighting to be fit.

It will be interesting to see what the future of Boks scrummaging front-rowers looks like. Will a new head coach mean a change in priorities? Will we see some youngsters given a chance to play? Social media recently discovered the extraordinary pace and power of young Sharks prop Ntuthuko Mchunu, so look out!

Also, never forget that scrummaging is a massive strategic battle and Lions forwards coach Robin McBryde is a master at using the power available. I’m looking forward to seeing what tricks the Leinster assistant coach will have up his sleeves – after all, head coach Warren Gatland said one of McBryde’s strongest suits was his ingenuity.

Simply as a rugby fan, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that at least some South Africans will be allowed in the stands to cheer the home team on in the Test matches. This extra heart could be just what the Springboks scrum needs, particularly since they haven’t played together since the 2019 final.

I believe scrummaging is the heartbeat of a forward pack, of the team even.

Given the Springboks say they love to take opponents to the “pain arena”, I think they agree. I have also heard Anglo-Saxons use the phrase “No scrum, no win”. Time to walk the walk! n

Courtney Lawes

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ADAPTE D L AWE S England lock Courtney Lawes is renowned for big hits but it’s his ability to develop other facets of his game that has allowed him to stay a step ahead. The Northampton Saint tells us more

OW TO describe Courtney Lawes in three words?

“Relaxed, self-assured, father – I love being a dad,” comes the response from the man himself on the Zoom screen. When it’s put to him that none of those words would likely be used if opposition fly-halves were asked the same question, he chuckles.

The second-row, whether playing for Northampton Saints, England or the British & Irish Lions, is known for his relentless nature in defence, with those wearing the No 10 jersey often on the receiving end. There are YouTube videos dedicated to his tackles, collections of his greatest ‘hits’. These

H

29

Lasso approach Lawes tackles Highlander Tevita Li on the 2017 tour

few snippets of commentary highlight how big an impression Lawes can make as a tackler…

“What a tackle from Courtney Lawes.

He just lined him up and cut him in half.”

“That is a monstrous hit.”

“He’s the nemesis of every fly-half.”

“When you clash with Courtney Lawes, you’re going to come off second best.”

“Lawes doing what he does best.”

Owen Farrell, Charlie Hodgson, Ruaridh Jackson, Jules Plisson and Phil Godman are among those shown feeling the force of Lawes’s shoulder.

Even the more sizeable frame of former France centre Mathieu Bastareaud gets driven back.

These days Lawes is less likely to burst out of the line to make those types of spot tackles. He’s still putting that shoulder to work but more as part of the defensive line so as not to leave his team exposed to the running threat of modern stand-offs.

“The game has really changed now and it’s gone away from tens being distributors like Ronan O’Gara, (Charlie) Hodgson,” says Lawes. “Then you had the opportunity to go and get tens, to put pressure on them. Nowadays it’s very different. Most tens are pretty sharp, they snipe and stuff, so if you rush out of the line you could be putting your team in a difficult place. So I don’t really do that kind of stuff any more.

“How rugby is being played at the minute, you can still put pressure on but do it within the framework in defence.

I’m still really effective in that system; of course, I don’t get the highlight-reel hits that I used to but they’re good tackles.

I still get a lot of big hits, it just goes under the radar a bit because it’s not what people are used to seeing.

“I think one of the reasons I’ve been picked by Warren Gatland (for the Lions), one of the reasons Eddie Jones has me in the (England) team, and Saints as well, is that I make those good shots. They’re often on bigger men, too. They’re not as spectacular but they’re just as effective.”

The clampdown on head-high tackles has been a hot topic this season, with red cards becoming far more common.

be and it could be a red card – so you have to be extra careful. But I don’t see any benefit in changing my technique.”

For all the focus on his impact without the ball, it can be easy to overlook what he does with it. As well as being an effective lineout jumper – he won more lineouts (18) than any other Lions player on the 2017 tour and that includes four steals – he’s developed his carrying game and is dexterous too. Chris Boyd’s arrival at Franklin’s Gardens and the Kiwi coach’s focus on a more expansive style will have enhanced his mindset in attack too. So does Lawes think his creative skills are undervalued?

“Maybe a little. People expect that thing (tackling) from me, it’s what I’m known for, and the other things I do around the pitch are not highlighted as much. But as long as I bring what I can for the team in that side of things, if people appreciate it or not, Saints stalwart the ones who really need to know Lawes has been at are the ones who benefit from it.

Northampton for 14 years “Nowadays, there is more focus on ball-carrying and stuff like that. I want Lawes is known for tackling hard, not to get the team over the gain-line, to get high, but even so the zero-tolerance quick ball every time, and those are my approach from officials must have given jobs as part of the team. Getting little tips him pause for thought. Actually, no. away and moving the ball, I’m working “I don’t really worry about it too hard to improve that side of things. much. I’ve always been a good tackler “On the pitch, I want to improve every technique-wise. I’ve only committed one session, to work on what I’m not so high tackle in my whole career and that good at and to get better at strengths. was in my first game for Saints when I think that’s why I’ve stuck around I was 18. My body height is generally for such a long time internationally, really good, so I don’t worry about that because I want to continue to improve.” stuff too much. I have it in the back of Another reason for that longevity – my mind – if someone half trips, they he’s been playing for Saints since 2007 could end up somewhere they shouldn’t and England since 2009 – is that he’s 30

Courtney Lawes learnt how to manage his body. He knows what he needs to maintain his optimum weight, the calorie intake and gym work required. Here’s an example on that front: with Covid protocols meaning there was no room service available in England’s Six Nations camp, he took a small electric hob with him so he could make his own omelettes of an evening.

As for training, he recognises that he cannot go full-out in every session and still deliver on match day. In fact, he thinks rugby could benefit from time parameters on contact training as they have in the NFL, particularly given the growing focus on brain injuries and the head impacts outside of matches.

“Now I’m a bit older, I know myself and what I need. I know I have to be aware of what team-mates need from me in training – I can’t not train all week, then

LIONS’ SAINTS

that’s what she does.

My mum and dad live in Players who’ve gone on multiple Northampton so they can tours while at Northampton help and her mum and dad are very supportive, Blair Swannell so we’ll make it work.”

(1899, 1904) He says it’s easier now Jeff Butterfield the kids are older because (1955, 1959) they can keep themselves Dickie Jeeps entertained. Providing he (1955, 1959, 1962) has his laptop, he’ll be Matt Dawson able to do the same in (1997, 2001) South Africa, whether that be gaming, going on Courtney Lawes (2017, 2021) YouTube or watching shows on Netflix or Amazon Prime. One of South Africa. He’s looking forward to his current favourites is an animated seeing what the country is like, albeit superhero series called Invincible.

Any opponent unfortunate enough to with less scope to explore than on find himself in Lawes’s tackle sights will previous tours. The pandemic also means that his family won’t be able to fly soon realise he is not invincible – and the 32-year-old is focused on making a south to watch the matches. Lawes and big impression in the tour matches to wife Jessica have four children – Nell, put himself in the selection frame for the seven, Teddy, six, and three-year-old Test XV. For all his laid-back nature and twin boys Otto and Hugo – and the ready smile off the pitch, there’s a steely eldest two have started playing rugby drive in terms of his goals on it. at their local club, Long Buckby.

This season has been a frustrating one, with first an ankle injury and then a torn pectoral muscle keeping him on the sidelines for significant periods, but there is clearly credit in the bank as Gatland selected him on the back of just four 2020-21 games.

And Lawes is eager to prove that he not only deserves his place in the “Both are very athletic – my wife is squad but deserves a place in the Test athletic too. Nell is one of the quicker team, be that at lock or blindside. people on the team, playing with boys, “Last time the goal was to make it as a and Teddy is a bit taller than anybody Test starter and I still think I was unlucky else and fast. They’re only doing tag but not to get that considering the form I the main thing is they’re enjoying it.” was in and how I was playing, but that’s With such a busy household, were how it goes. I was on the bench (for two there any discussions over whether or Tests) and did what I could from there. not he should spend a couple of months “Whatever team I play for, whoever is away with the Lions? “Jessica is amazing. in front of me, I want to go for a start.

She’s given me no choice, ‘You’re going I’m not going to participate, I want to on tour’. She’ll get on with it because compete and want to be in the mix.” n

“I s t il l g et a lo t o f b ig hi ts .

Th ey ’ r e n ot a s sp e ct acul a r but th ey ’ r e j u s t as e f fec t iv e”

PICS Getty Images & Inpho

rock up on game day – but it’s about getting the balance between that and what I need to perform on the weekend.

“It’s tough enough to put your body on the line every weekend, you don’t need to do it all week as well. It’s a healthy balance; you do need reps and to know your role for the weekend, but you also have to be right to start come game day.

“I do think it could be a good idea to have some legislation around contact, to have a bit more value placed on players and their bodies, especially when you can pick up potential head knocks. There is a need to do contact in training but it would probably be a good idea to have a limit on it.”

There will undoubtedly be plenty of contact in the Lions’ matches against the South African franchises and the Springboks. Lawes is familiar with the Boks – he’s played them four times in his career, most recently in the 2019 World Cup final – and knows if the tourists’ pack cannot match the world champions’ physicality they will struggle to win a first series there since 1997.

Despite more than a decade on the Test stage, Lawes has never been to

Hard at work Taking on the Boks in the World Cup final (left) and with England coach Eddie Jones (right) 31

Jack Conan

“It was like an out-of-body experience” Ireland No 8 JACK CONAN reflects on his shock at being named in the Lions squad and looks ahead to the South Africa tour Words SARAH MOCKFORD

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Main Picture DAVID FITZGERALD/SPORTSFILE/GETTY IMAGES

ACK CONAN was at a set of traffic lights when it happened. He was making the short drive from the Dublin hotel where he and his Leinster team-mates were quarantining, following their Heineken Champions Cup semi-final against La Rochelle, to the province’s training facility at University College Dublin.

Then, with the lights on red, bam!

“I was convulsing, the shaking took over my whole body,” the 28-year-old Leinster and Ireland No 8 says. “It wasn’t a feeling I’ve ever had in my life. It was like an out-of-body experience.”

What sparked such a response?

Hearing Jason Leonard read out his name as part of the 2021 British & Irish Lions squad. He had been watching the announcement in the hotel car park.

He’d listened to the likes of Alun Wyn Jones and Sam Warburton answer questions, but as the presentation started to run behind schedule he realised he needed to head off to make his time slot for a rehab session. Hence how he came to be sitting at a red light when his name sandwiched that of Tadhg Beirne and Luke Cowan-Dickie.

“I should have been more patient!

I wasn’t expecting it at all, so when

J

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Jack Conan

Jack Conan

I heard my name being announced I was shaking. It was a surreal moment.”

He rang his girlfriend first to tell her the news but couldn’t get through as she was busy at work. His parents got a call next. He hadn’t told them he’d received the email saying he was in contention – he didn’t want to get their hopes up and then not get picked – so it came as a surprise to them too.

“I rang my dad and he didn’t have a clue! I was shouting down the phone, ‘Are you watching?’ but he had the radio on in the background. He was delighted when I told him. My mum was a bit more on the ball and she was in tears.”

The joy of Conan, Tadhg Furlong, Robbie Henshaw and Andrew Porter in being selected would have been a stark contrast to the acute disappointment felt by those Leinster team-mates who missed out, like Garry Ringrose, James Ryan and, of course, Johnny Sexton.

Yet Conan says they were some of the first to send messages of congratulations. “It says a lot about the character of those lads to get on the phone and wish you well when they’re hurting.”

Red rival Fellow No 8 Taulupe Faletau, of Wales

forward to getting acquainted with amongst the Lions squad?

“There are a lot of fantastic players…

Taulupe Faletau has been on Lions tours before and had success with Wales, so I’m looking forward to learning from him and seeing what he’s like around the place. Owen Farrell is a serial winner, he’s done it all with Saracens and England and been on previous tours.

“A ny t i me I g e t t he ba ll in sp ac e is v e r y e xc i t in g. I alw a ys wa n t to t ake pe o p l e o n u s in g fo otw ork” Conan was in his mid-teens when the Lions last toured South Africa. He has vivid memories of watching the matches, of seeing Ugo Monye racing away to score an intercept try in the third Test, of Tom Croft – scorer of two tries in the opening Test – playing a big role, of Brian O’Driscoll “leading from the front”.

Twelve years on, he is one of those chosen to represent the best of Britain and Ireland against the world champions.

He’s been to South Africa before, several times in fact, but this trip will be different. The Junior World Cup in 2012, the Guinness Pro14 fixtures against the Cheetahs and the Kings in 2017, even the holiday in early 2020… That was all pre-pandemic. This time there will be bubbles and Covid protocols, social distancing and no travelling fans.

Still, Conan believes the past 18 months have been “great practice” for a tour like no other and found the Ireland camp an enjoyable place during the Six Nations despite similar restrictions; there was time to get to know people better. So who is he most looking 34

The Leinster boys who’ve been before speak of his ability and rugby brain.”

Selection for the squad itself was hugely competitive; selection on the tour will be even more so, with only two or three matches for players to put themselves in the frame for the Tests.

Yet Conan is used to fighting for his place; he is not one of the tourists accustomed to being first choice, who could be unsettled in an environment where he’s not number one.

With Ireland, he’s had some serious competition to contend with – it was only when CJ Stander was on the last Lions tour and Jamie Heaslip was injured that he first got a run of Tests at No 8.

With Leinster, the depth of back-row talent available is well documented, and new arrivals come through the Dublin schools system each year. In 2020, while Conan was injured, Caelan Doris came to the fore in blue and green. When Doris was then sidelined with concussion symptoms, Conan came back into the Test mix – his performances in the latter part of the Six Nations no doubt enhanced his Lions claim. Being familiar with such competitive environments should stand him in good stead on tour.

“I’m very fortunate playing for Leinster that the standard of back-rowers is

Jack Conan

LEINSTER’S 2021 LIONS Jack Conan provides an insight into his provincial team-mates on the tour

Tadhg Furlong “He would say he’s not a talker but he hears everything and sees everything! He knows how to play everyone; he’ll play up to whoever he’s talking to.

He’s a very wise man and a funny character; he’s got a great sense of humour. He’s someone I imagine will be at his best in this series.”

Robbie Henshaw “He’s the quieter one of the four of us, but when you get to know him he opens up.

My missus calls him a true gentleman, which he is.

He’s someone who produces on the big stage and he’s in the form of his life at the moment, so I expect him to tear up trees in the next couple of months. My dog, Riley, and his dog are brother and sister so we go out and walk them together a lot.”

Andrew Porter

Line of duty Conan scores in Ireland’s Six Nations win over England

some serious units, especially in the pack. They’ll look to maul and lineout and scrum; it’s a massive challenge with physicality at the forefront.

“Just speaking on my own behalf, any time I get the ball in a bit of space, in wide channels, is very exciting. I always want to take people on using footwork.

Sam Simmonds, too, has had a fantastic year for Exeter, he just broke the record for tries (in a Premiership season).

“I definitely prefer more time on the ball so you can express yourself and that suits me. I’m excited by that challenge and that style of play.”

Whether tight battles or free-flowing affairs, over the past few months Conan has been enjoying rugby more full stop. His time at the 2019 World Cup was cut short by a foot injury, then a few matches into his return last autumn a neck injury ruled him out for another couple of months. It’s only since the turn of the year that he’s been able to get

“People always say to me he looks like a scary individual.

He might look terrifying but he’s the opposite. He’s one of the softer gentlemen in there.

He’s got a heart of gold, is a loveable character and one of his qualities is he’s incredibly easy to talk to.

He’s a lot of fun.”

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Happy memory Taking on SA U20 in 2012 decent game time under his belt and he has returned with a change in approach.

“Unfortunately for the guts of 18 months I had a few serious injuries, which I’ve bounced back from, but there were a few challenging times. I thought to myself while I was away from the game that I can spend too long worrying about it and that takes away from performances. I’m blessed and lucky to do what I do, to play rugby for a living, so I want to enjoy and appreciate it more.

“It didn’t come automatically; I put more pressure on myself to come back to the level I was at before I was injured, which was never happening, so I struggled with it. Now thankfully, a few months on, I know how to enjoy it more and take pressure off myself.

“When I’m at my best I’m relaxed, I enjoy playing with a smile on my face.

That’s my mindset. I know my detail and what I need to do, so I go out and enjoy it. It’s helped me in the last few months and I’ll bring that into this summer.”

He’s timed his run in 2021 perfectly, taking his form from blue to green and back to blue. Now he’ll want to carry that momentum into the red jersey. n

PICS Getty Images & Inpho

incredibly high. When everyone is fit, we have seven international back-rowers, so you know you have to be at your best every day, training well to get selected.

It drives you on and makes you better.”

Conan has never faced the Boks but he’s one of four Lions who were part of the Ireland U20 team to beat South Africa in South Africa at the Junior World Cup nine years ago – Tadhgs Furlong and Beirne as well as Iain Henderson were the others involved in a 23-19 win – so he is aware of the physicality that is an indelible hallmark of the game there.

Yet look at the No 8s Warren Gatland and his coaches have selected – Conan, Faletau and Sam Simmonds – and the sense is that the Lions will not simply be looking to match brute force with brute force. That trio have the ability to step opponents close to contact, to attack in wide channels, to be a midfield link man. The Lions look set to use forwards’ footwork to exploit weak shoulders and soft hands to put team-mates into space. It’s a game plan that appeals to Conan, although he recognises the need to marry a more expansive style with physicality and set-piece strength.

“You have to have the balance of both.

South Africa are World Cup champions; they’re a massively physical side, with

Seen and heard Cheer on the lads…

How dapper Anything green will do…

FOLLOW IREL AND TO FRANCE 2023 Bordeaux, Nantes and Paris await Ireland supporters heading to Rugby World Cup France 2023. Book up the trip of a lifetime with sportsbreaks.com TONEMENT COULD be the name of the game for Ireland at Rugby World Cup 2023. An enticing draw sees them return to Bordeaux and Paris, each the scene of unhappy memories during their Rugby World Cup 2007 campaign that ended in elimination at the pool stage.

The only other occasion that Ireland failed to make the quarter-finals followed a surprise defeat in Lens in 1999, so Andy Farrell’s team will be hoping it’s third time lucky in France at RWC 2023!

And what an experience it will be, with Ireland’s pool fixtures including a first

A

Rugby World Cup encounter with South Africa and a reprisal of the pool clash with Scotland from two years ago.

They kick off against a European qualifier in Bordeaux. Known as La Belle Endormie – The Sleeping Beauty – the city is world-renowned for its red wine, such as the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grape varieties. The Cité du Vin is a kind of wine theme park or you can explore some of the many vineyards and wine chateaux in the area.

The Water Mirror at Place de la Bourse is the most photographed attraction in Bordeaux while Europe’s largest sand dune, 110m high, is an easy drive away.

Iconic Paris Arc de Triomphe

Historic Bordeaux The Pont de Pierre

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Next, Ireland travel to scenic Nantes, situated on the Loire river and boasting a royal history. Galleries, museums and castles abound, and you can bring out your inner child at Les Machines de l’ile, a collection of animatronic creatures part inspired by the work of Jules Verne. The legendary author hailed from the city.

Ireland face another qualifier in Nantes before hitting the capital. Paris, home to the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and the most prestigious art museums on the planet, needs no introduction. Whether cruising the Seine, touring the Catacombs or taking in a show at Moulin Rouge, La Ville Lumière offers endless possibilities.

Elegant Nantes Passage Pommeraye

“T h ere i s no th i ng l ike a Ru g by Wo r ld C up dra w to g e t the jui c es fl owi n g.

I ’m s upe r e xc ite d”

Passionate Fans young and old will be there

Ireland’s games against South Africa and Scotland at Stade de France will be monumental. “There’s nothing like a Rugby World Cup draw to get the juices flowing, so I’m super excited,” said Farrell after the pools took shape. “We’ll have to play good rugby to get out of the group.”

Irish fans can play their part by cheering on the team. Enjoy the tournament with Sportsbreaks.com, an Official Travel Agent for Rugby World Cup France 2023, whose tailor-made travel packages not only include accommodation and tickets but official RWC 2023 merchandise too.

It’s going to be a stupendous competition, so don’t miss out! n

IRELAND RWC 2023 FIXTURES Sat 9 Sept Sat 16 Sept Sat 23 Sept Sat 7 Oct

Ireland v Europe 2, Bordeaux (2.30pm GMT) Ireland v Asia/Pacific 1 Nantes (8pm) Ireland v South Africa Paris (8pm) Ireland v Scotland Paris (8pm)

F I N D OU T MO R E Book a Sportsbreaks.com Match Break and you’ll get: O Official Rugby World Cup 2023 match tickets O A minimum of two nights’ accommodation at one of their great-value hotels O A special event pack containing essential RWC 2023 merchandise O 24-hour Sportsbreaks.com representation service And for a little bit extra, you can: O Upgrade your Official Rugby World Cup 2023 match tickets O Extend your stay at one of their great-value hotels O Enhance your RWC 2023 experience with any club (or match) specific packages/events that become available. They’ll let you know as and when any optional extras are available to book, offering information on how to add these to your trip Find out more details at https://www.sportsbreaks.com/Rugby/Rugby-World-Cup-2023

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Liam Williams

C ATC H I N G THE L I A M W IL L I A M S was one of t he st ar t ur ns on t he 20 17 Lions t our and now he’s r eady t o go again.

T he Wales f ull - back t alk s Sout h Af rica, social media and set t ling in t o a new home MOCK WORDS SARAH FORD

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Safe pair of hands Williams secures a high ball against NZ in 2017

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IAM WILLIAMS is a busy man. He and fiancée Sophie Harries have just bought a house and are in the middle of renovations. They are also searching for a wedding venue having got engaged last year. Then there is the Level Three coaching course the Scarlets and Wales full-back has undertaken in preparation for life after rugby.

Oh, and there’s the not so small matter of being part of the British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa. No wonder it’s taken a while to pin him down for a chat.

Let’s start with his off-field schedule. He has a few months left to complete his coaching qualification, which he’s doing with a number of fellow Wales players, including Gareth Anscombe, Rhys Patchell and Elinor Snowsill. “I’m so far behind,” he admits, as his involvement in Wales’ Six Nations-winning campaign meant he missed several of the webinars. Still, he is keen to finish the course with a view to moving into coaching post-rugby and there’s even the possibility of taking the first steps down that route by working with the Scarlets Academy while still playing.

He and Harries have also been scouting various venues in Wales and the South-West for their nuptials in summer 2022, but the wedding backlog created by Covid-19 lockdowns means it is proving hard to find somewhere that can accommodate the dates and guests they want.

On top of that, the couple recently moved into a new home in Cardiff, where they are planning an extension

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Liam Williams

Regional red Kicking for Scarlets (single storey so no need for the scaffolding skills Williams learnt in his late teens) and doing a lot of smaller home improvements themselves. They are even charting their progress on the Instagram account @ourcardiffcasa.

“We’re definitely not doing it all ourselves,” says Williams. “Any big jobs we’ll have people in to do them – the extension we’re putting in is pretty big as we want it to be open plan. Other stuff like painting, we’ll do. We’re not doing it all up, it just needs a bit of love.”

The hope is that work on the extension will happen while he’s in South Africa – decent timing given the noise and disruption those projects can bring. He had something of a nervous wait to find out if he was in Warren Gatland’s touring party, his name the last to be read out amongst the backs as it’s done in alphabetical order, but he’s now looking forward to being a Lion for a second time having worn the No 15 jersey in all three Tests in the

champions, but he’s still eager to get cracking.

“I can’t wait,” says the 30-year-old. “I know it’s going to be tough down there, being in a bubble for eight weeks, but we’ll have an environment to have a good time. I know guys from the last Lions tour and the guys from when I was playing in London with Saracens, so it will be good to catch up with them. Then the boys I’ve not played with, it will be good to get to know them having played against them.

“We go to Jersey on 13 June and I’m looking forward to spending time with the boys early on. That will be a tough trip with training but we’ll have a couple of good nights, have beers together. All those (Covid) processes are in place for the boys to get time off the pitch as well as on the pitch. There’s also not as much travelling as we did in 2017, so I think

“ We k n o w wh a t gam e So uth Af r ica wi l l c o m e w it h , th at a eri al t hr ea t, a n d I l o v e th e a er ia l c on test” memorable drawn series in New Zealand four years ago.

It will be a different trip this time around. One of the highlights for Williams in 2017, on top of the second-Test win – his first and so far only win against the All Blacks – was having his parents and Harries fly out to New Zealand, to have them at matches and be able to spend time with them on days off. The pandemic means there will be no family or friends, no fans at all in fact, heading south to see the Lions take on the world

we’ll have a couple more free days, play golf, whatever the boys want to do. I’ve played one round in eight months so need to get back out there!”

Williams is also organising a gaming laptop so he has a more travel-friendly set-up to play Call of Duty. He jokes that Harries thinks he’s “addicted” to the computer game while he views it as a way to socialise virtually with team-mates as they chat over headset mics while playing. Anthony Watson, who he formed a strong friendship with on the 2017 tour, even rang him the night before 40

this Rugby World interview to say “he was better than me on Call of Duty”.

Plenty of competition off the pitch, and it will be the same on it as Williams bids to retain the No 15 jersey for the Test series against the Springboks. He was something of a surprise pick at full-back in New Zealand, many expecting Gatland to opt for Leigh Halfpenny – Man of the Series on the victorious tour to Australia in 2013. However, any question marks over his selection turned to full stops in the first half of the first Test when he sparked the move that led to arguably the greatest Lions try of the professional era (see panel).

He went on to impress throughout the series, both with his solidity in defence and his counter-attacking instincts.

The Boks are renowned for their kicking game, be it Faf de Klerk’s box kicks or longer-range efforts from Willie le Roux and Handré Pollard, and self-proclaimed ‘bomb diffuser’ Williams would relish the challenge of facing that aerial bombardment in the backfield. He is, of course, adept on the wing too – he’s started a third of his Tests there – but he is hoping to have the ‘15’ on his back when the Lions line up against the Springboks in Cape Town on Saturday 24 July. That means a direct contest with Scotland captain Stuart Hogg (read his interview over the page).

“It’s always the thinking that you’d like to play in the three big ones towards the

Liam Williams

Work and play Williams hones his technique and, inset, attacks against France

REMEMBERING * T H AT * T R Y

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end,” says Williams.

“You could put ‘1’, ‘2’ or ‘3’ on my back and it wouldn’t really bother me, but I think there are enough good options on the wing, world-class players, that I’m thinking more of the 15 jersey. We know what game they (South Africa) will come with, that aerial threat, and I love the aerial contest.

“Hoggy is really good in the air too. He is a great player, a world-class player.

He was injured on the last Lions tour and I’m looking forward to being on the training pitch with him, and he’s a good bloke off the pitch as well.”

It’s seven years since Williams last faced the Boks in South Africa, a tour with far from happy memories. It was a shoulder charge from Williams on Cornal Hendricks in the closing minutes of the second Test that resulted in the Boks being awarded a penalty try. Wales lost that match 31-30 and lost the series 2-0. Soon after he was sent a malicious card blaming him for the defeat.

That’s not the only such message he has received over the years. The WRU used some of the posts targeting Williams on social media after Wales’ defeat by France in this year’s Six Nations to highlight the abuse players suffer. Williams says online trolls don’t affect him, but it does hurt his family and

15 Williams

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PICS Getty Images & Inpho. ILLUSTRATION Artlife

22 Cruden

15 Williams

15 Williams 15 Williams

22 Cruden

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12 Sonny Bill Williams

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he fears for the impact on others who are not able to shrug off such abuse.

That is why he would like to see social media regulated more vigorously.

“I don’t know the ins and outs or if it’s feasible, but I do think you should have a passport or driver’s licence or some form of ID linked to you. Then whatever you say online, it’s coming back to you.

“I’ve always been able to ignore that stuff, but it’s tough on my sister and my mum more than anyone. It does make them upset, which is not nice to see.

“I’m glad Wales put out a statement and screenshots from after the France game. Personally, I don’t dwell on it too much but I know people in my teams, Wales and Scarlets, that if they got abuse they wouldn’t take it as well; it would put a strain on that person and affect them long term. That’s what I don’t like about it, so I’m glad Wales put that post out and took a stand.

“We’re only trying to do our job to the best of our ability. Sometimes you make mistakes; you’re making split-second decisions on the pitch and sometimes they’re the wrong ones. That’s life.”

Does the possibility of online abuse ever enter his mind before a match, affect how he plays? “I don’t think about it; I just want to work hard for the team.

We spoke about it here at Scarlets, about what makes you want to play rugby. For me, it’s to make my family proud and to make myself proud, so it’s just about doing my best.”

That’s exactly what he’ll be doing over the coming weeks for the Lions. n

In the 36th minute of the first Test between the Lions and All Blacks at Eden Park in 2017, Liam Williams launched the attack (left) that led to a famous try for the tourists.

Receiving the ball from Anthony Watson deep in his 22, he burst through NZ’s defence and reached the halfway line, where he found Jonathan Davies in support. Davies released Elliot Daly on the wing and the ball came back to the centre, who popped it up to Sean O’Brien to power over from close range.

So what are Williams’s memories of it? “I remember getting passed the ball and shouts of, ‘He’s coming’, then instinct kicked in,” he says. “I stepped Kieran Read and from there it’s a blur to be honest. Of course, I’ve watched it back and it’s been called one of the greatest Lions tries of all time, which is nice to be a part of.”

Stuart Hogg

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BUSINESS W O R D S To m E n g l i s h MAIN PICTURE Dave Rogers/Getty Images

After touring as a youngster in 2013 and having his 2017 trip curtailed by injury, Scotland captain Stuart Hogg is hoping this is third time lucky in his bid to become a Test Lion

G

ILL KNOWS the signs only too well, she knows the body language and how to interpret it even without knowing how her husband has played and whether his team have won or lost. One look at his face as he walks through the door and she gets it. He’s not a lot of fun to be around when he’s performed poorly – and that’s by his own admission. He needs to sit quietly and stew for a while. “That’s just me,” says Stuart Hogg, “and I don’t think I’m going to change now, to be honest.”

Exeter Chiefs’ Champions Cup quarter-final defeat by Leinster would have been one of those days. In a recent spell that has brought massive success at his club and enormous progress as captain of his country, that was a bad one. Hogg talks about it as if getting it all out there is a cathartic experience. To say he beat himself up over the way he played – Exeter lost 34-22 – is putting it mildly. “I was

Stuart Hogg So that Lions squad announcement day was tense. Ask him who he was most pleased for, apart from himself, and he mentions his Exeter mates and the Scottish eight, but mostly he talks about Sam Simmonds. He was utterly thrilled for him. “Dickie (Luke Cowan-Dickie) has been one of the best hookers in world rugby, not to mind British or Irish rugby, for the last three years and Jonny Hill’s story has been incredible. A year ago he was sitting with ambitions to play for England. A year on, he’s won a league and European Cup double, he’s played for England and now he’s a Lion. That’s amazing.

Counter point Breaking v Wales

crap,” he says. “There’s no point in saying otherwise.”

He blamed himself for at least two of Leinster’s tries. “Defensively I was shocking. Shocking. I couldn’t wait until the following week to play again, not to make amends because I couldn’t because we were out, but to give myself a bit of confidence. We were reigning champions and got knocked out in the quarter-final and I was at fault for some of it and I can’t hide away from that.”

Afterwards, was he thinking what damage the loss might have done to his British & Irish Lions prospects? “I was, 100%. I wanted to make the squad so badly that I was genuinely worried.

“That was a game I felt I needed to perform in, but Hugo Keenan (the Leinster full-back) outplayed me. He was everywhere, doing loads of good things and meanwhile I was playing like an absolute clown.

“I’m a nightmare to be around after games like that. There are times I walk in the house after a game and Gill looks at me and I just shake my head and she gives me a hug and then leaves me alone until I come out of it. That was a moment to refocus. It was the kick up the backside I obviously needed.”

tackle, then he got up and disrupted the breakdown, then another tackle. I was like, ‘Fair play, Simmo. Fair play’. He’s a great defender. He doesn’t just hang about in the back-line stealing our tries, he does the hard stuff. People who don’t watch the Premiership are going to watch him on the Lions tour and they’re going to say, ‘Where the hell has this bloke come from?’ He’s on the world stage now. I’m so excited for him.”

The flip side of that, of course, is the despondency of other team-mates.

Henry Slade was a shock omission.

Jonny Gray didn’t get picked but his second-row partner, Hill, did. “And you can see how upset they were.

This is a very big deal to all of us. They dusted themselves down, though.

They said they couldn’t and wouldn’t allow themselves to get dejected even

“I was thi nki n g ab o ut n o t p l ay in g a gai n. Eve r y tim e I’ d c o m e ba c k I’ d ge t i nj u red. I w a s mi se ra bl e” “But Sam’s story is just fantastic. How he’s not been playing for England for the last number of years is beyond me.

I was really chuffed for him. He was lost for words after the announcement.

He’s a quiet bloke at the best of times, the type that just gets on with it. He’s never complained about not getting a look-in with England. Never, ever felt sorry for himself. He’s not bitter, he just drives on. And he’s quality.

“Everybody sees the line breaks and the tries but he does a s***-load of donkey work as well. When we played Bristol I watched him make a tackle, then he got up and made another

though you knew they were a bit heartbroken. The thing is, the way rugby is these days, there will be injuries and they could be in South Africa before they know it. It’s tough for them.

Everybody wants it so badly.”

As stories go, Hogg’s yarn is an interesting one. Asked if he feels he has unfinished business with the Lions after touring in 2013 as a kid and having his 2017 tour ended by injury, and he says that’s the exact expression he used when talking to his dad. That trip to New Zealand and some of the things that followed on after it hurt him more than any of us could have known.

PICS Getty Images & Inpho

Highs and lows Celebrating his 21st birthday with cake on the 2013 Lions tour (left) and going off with a facial injury that ended his trip four years later (right) 44

Stuart Hogg

Chiefs disappointment Hogg says he played like “an absolute clown” against Leinster

“In 2017 I was playing some of the best rugby I ever played. I’d actually been playing with a shoulder injury for six or seven months because I didn’t want to take time out to heal it. I managed it fine. The way the tour ended killed me, it absolutely killed me. (He fractured his cheekbone after colliding with Conor Murray in the win against Crusaders.)

“I thought if ever there was a time for me to play in a Test then that was it and it took me a while to get over it. I had my shoulder reconstructed afterwards and was out for four months, then I ripped a muscle in my gut, the muscle that goes from your back to your pelvis, and it pretty much felt like somebody had stabbed me. Out again. I came back and popped my shoulder. I couldn’t get a run of games. In two years I played 19 games for Glasgow. It was just s***.”

These were pretty bleak times for Hogg. Injuries, a lack of confidence, a self-destructive social media habit.

None of it was good. He said that the first thing he’d do after games was switch on his phone and search his name on Twitter to see what people had been saying about him. It wrecked his head. Eventually, he stopped – and he felt liberated in an instant.

“I was listening to all these external voices and trying to prove them wrong, I was trying too hard on the field, I was too focused on things, too uptight and it got worse and worse and the love of the

SCOTLAND’S T O P T R Y- S C O R E R S IAN SMITH TONY STANGER

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Joint top Tony Stanger STUART HOGG 22 C H R I S PAT E R S O N 2 2 TOMMY SEYMOUR 20

game was gone. It was really difficult.

I couldn’t get going. I was thinking about not playing again, for sure. I’d had enough. Every time I’d come back, I’d get injured. I was miserable.”

Then the World Cup happened. God almighty, what a shocker that was. A desperate performance against Ireland at the beginning and an exit to Japan at the end. Home early with so many 45

doubts in his head about whether he was ever going to be the player he once was. The one thing he hung onto was the fact that he was moving club.

Nothing against Glasgow – he loves the place and will always be grateful to them for making him the player he is – but he needed to get away, needed a new challenge to kick-start his career.

Exeter gave him the opportunity to “freshen up” as he puts it. “If I’d gone back to Glasgow it would have been difficult. I came down and it felt like I had to start from scratch again – and that was good. I needed to justify my position. Then I had a huge amount of confidence injected into me when Gregor (Townsend) gave me the captaincy. Lockdown helped as well.

It did me the world of good. Gave my body a rest and I was hungry for it when rugby resumed.”

As captain of Scotland he’s won six out of ten Six Nations games, a strike rate any Scottish captain of the past 30 years would have been delighted with. The wins in Wales, England and France made history. In 2020 and 2021, Scotland didn’t half exorcise some demons.

And yet, amid the tumult of winning at Twickenham and in Paris, there will always be a pang of what might have been. Three wins could have been four.

They were close to winning all five.

“We’re actually kicking ourselves. We lost to Wales by one point and lost to

Stuart Hogg

Parisian landmark Hogg celebrates Scotland’s first away win over France for 22 years

Ireland by three. The Wales one was the real sickener because we gave it away. At one point, we go from attacking in their 22 to defending – penalty, penalty, penalty, penalty advantage, Wales try. That happened to us in the autumn against France as well. What have we learnt? Then in the second half against Wales it happens again. We’re under their sticks and we go penalty, penalty, penalty, penalty advantage, Wales try. So that’s 14 points in a game we lose by one.

“We needed to learn and we did that against France and it was a brilliant way to end the season. I think we’ve grown up a lot. Finn (Russell) and Ali (Price) were outstanding, not just that night but all season. The way they drove us round the field, the way they led on and off the field, the responsibility they took. Just class. We’re building nicely. Stopping France from lifting the trophy was great because we’ve had plenty of trophies lifted in front of us and it’s not very nice.”

He’s played the Springboks four times and lost all four, the low point being the 55-6 mauling in Port Elizabeth in June 2014. He knows what’s coming. Box kick after box kick. Aerial battle after aerial battle. Savage collision after savage collision. He says he’s buzzing for it.

His critics – none harder on him than he is on himself, it has to be said – point

to a weakness in the air and in his defence, but he knows what he’s about and doesn’t need to listen to anybody bar his coaches and his team-mates.

“I’ve been told by pundits or whoever that I can’t defend, I’ve been told that I can’t catch a high ball. I wouldn’t be going on a Lions tour if I couldn’t do it. I’ve had that forever.

“But that’s the world we live in. People would rather concentrate on the negative than the positive. Am I the best under the high ball? Definitely not. Am

I the best defender? Definitely not.

Does it bother me? Absolutely, but it’s something I work on and I do it on a daily basis. The last four years have been a battle to get back to where I want to be and now I’m happy. I just want to be myself. I just want to put myself in the conversation to be starting full-back in the Tests. I’m going to work incredibly hard to get there. In 2013, I was a child and I was behind Leigh Halfpenny, who was Man of the Series. In 2017, I was in a good place and it was heartbreaking.”

Hogg will turn 29 in late June.

Realistically, this might be it. The last chance to be a Test Lion.

“That’s the way I’m looking at it.

I’m so up for it.

Of course there’s a mental challenge we’re all going to have to go through.

Because of Covid this won’t be a normal Lions tour and the restrictions on movement will be hard psychologically.

We’ll be tested in all sorts of ways.

“And for those of us with kids it’ll be harder again. I was away for seven weeks during the Six Nations, then came home and on the Monday I picked up my kit bag to go to Exeter and my daughter said, ‘Daddy, how long are you away for this time?’ That’s when it becomes really tough, but you just tell yourself that you’re doing it for them.

“Everything is for the family. I just want to make them proud.” n

“I ’ ve b een to ld I ca n’t def en d o r ca t c h a hig h ba ll . I woul dn’ t b e o n a L i o ns t ou r i f I co uldn’ t do i t”

“Quality” Sam Simmonds is in the Lions party 46

Picture Special

Celebrate the thrills and skills of rugby with this selection of shortlisted images from the WORLD SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS

LIONS IN THE MIST The British & Irish Lions pack down against the Maori All Blacks in Rotorua during the 2017 tour of New Zealand – the tourists won 32-10 PHOTO Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

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LOOK OF PRIDE Lions captain Sam Warburton stares down the All Blacks’ haka ahead of the third Test in 2017, which ended in a draw PHOTO Marc Aspland

AIR RAID Gabriel Ibitoye flies over to score in the corner as Harlequins beat Exeter 49-22 in last year’s Premiership Rugby Cup semi-finals PHOTO Michael Steele/Getty Images 48

Picture Special

CLEAR AS MUD Otley and Harrogate scrum down in trying conditions in 2015. It was so muddy that the teams changed kits at half-time so the ref could tell them apart!

PHOTO John Ashton

BEYOND GRASP Waisake Naholo evades the diving tackle of Willie Britz during New Zealand’s 31-22 victory over the Barbarians at Twickenham in 2017 PHOTO Justin Setterfield/Getty

ROAR FOR THE ROSES England winger Kelly Smith delights the crowd at Doncaster’s Castle Park by running in a try against France during the Red Roses’ 2019 Six Nations Grand Slam campaign PHOTO John Ashton

CHOKE HOLD Gavin Duffy, making his first Test start at centre, is on the end of a double tackle during Ireland’s victorious tour of Japan in 2005 PHOTO Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Picture Special

SMASH HIT

FLY PASS

Portia Woodman tackles South Africa’s Chané Stadler during New Zealand’s gold medal-winning campaign at the 2018 Commonwealth Games

Henry Speight offloads while in mid-air during the Reds’ 64-5 victory over Sunwolves in Super Rugby 2020 – before the season was cancelled

PHOTO Mike Egerton/PA

PHOTO Kevin Michael Nagle

RED SKY AT NIGHT A glorious sunset at Sixways as Worcester host Bristol in the Premiership on a Friday night last September. The Bears won 36-13 PHOTO David Davies/PA

THE AWARDS This is the second edition of the World Sports Photography Awards.

This year, because of the pandemic, photographers could enter images from the past 25 years.

The awards cover everything from athletics to winter sports and the images on these pages were shortlisted in the rugby category. Head to worldsportsphotography awards.com to see all the shortlisted images and find out the winners.

27-PAGE SPECIAL

Lions Squad 2021

YOUR LIONS 202 1 Words Alan Dymock, Tom English, Sarah Mockford, Geordan Murphy & Alan Pearey // Pictures Getty Images & Inpho // Odds Sporting Index

Turn over for profiles of all 37 players in Warren Gatland’s British & Irish Lions squad to tour South Africa

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ALUN W YN JONES C A P TA I N / LO C K

The world’s most-capped player has wane in his thirties and is consistently appeared in all nine Tests on his three one of Wales’ highest performers. He’s previous trips with the Lions. In South also developed his game; the hard graft Africa in 2009, he was dropped to the remains but he’s added deft passes as bench after the first Test, but well as a carrying ability in he’ll return with the nous to the wide channels. make a bigger impact because no one has more T EST PR OS PEC TS Odds for experience at the top level Even though he is captain, Test team 1-50 than the Lions captain.

Warren Gatland has given Age 35 (19 Sept 1985) no assurances that Jones Region Ospreys WH Y SE LE C T ED will play in the series. Yet Size 6ft 6in & 18st 8lb the second-row’s ability Experience is one factor, Wales caps 148 (9T) leadership another, but to dog it out in physical Lions caps Nine above all he is playing good contests, coupled with his Instagram rugby. He has defied those leadership, should see his @alun.wyn.jones who thought his star would run of Lions Tests continue.

THE FACTS

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D I D YO U K NOW? Jones has won Six Nations titles in three different decades. This year’s win added to Grand Slams in 2008, 2012 and 2019, as well as the 2013 championship.

GE O R DA N MU RP HY SAYS “The great thing about him, and why I love him, is early on people talked about him being too young and now ‘he’s too old’! But his form over the Six Nations was brilliant. He led that team to some unbelievable performances. Incredibly competitive, he scraps for every inch.

Couple that with the fact he’s a good human being and cares about people, it was a certainty he’d captain the team.”

Lions Squad 2021

“A lo t of p e op le t alk t he t a lk . H e d o es th at an d th e n h e w a lk s i t” Rhys Patchell

Wealth of experience Jones is the oldest Lions captain in the professional era

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JOSH ADAMS BACK THREE Switch it up Adams was a flanker before moving to wing

WH Y S EL E C T E D Want to know the way to the try-line?

Best ask the winger. Top try-scorer at the 2019 World Cup with seven, Adams also scored in each of the last three games of this year’s Six Nations having missed the first two due to suspension.

TE ST P R O SP E C TS Up against it, but if he scores bags of tries anything can happen.

DI D YO U K NOW ?

Adams will miss the birth of his and fiancée Georgia’s first child, due in mid-July, to tour. He said: “It has been difficult but she is fully behind this decision.”

THE FACTS What a relief it must have been for Adams to hear his name read out first at the Lions squad announcement, especially as his career may have started with him wondering if he would ever get going. However, after being released by Scarlets in those early days, he has soared. He made his

name at Worcester Warriors, being the Premiership’s leading try-scorer in the 2017-18 season, then made his Wales debut in 2018.

He has become a must-pick for his country as well as his latest club Cardiff.

Odds for Test team 6-5 Age 26 (21 Apr 1995) Region Cardiff Size 6ft & 15st 2lb Wales caps 32 Wales points 85 (17T) Instagram @joshadams951

G E OR DA N M U R P HY SAYS “I’ve obviously seen him come through the ranks at Worcester, and one of the things that impressed me the most is his hard running and his ability to finish a try – it is pretty impressive.”

STUART HOGG BACK THREE and, although known for his attacking edge, he’s rock-solid under the high ball.

Running man Hogg has made a record 3,289 metres in the Six Nations

TE ST P R O S P E C TS His performance levels are arguably surpassing 2016 and 2017, when he was Player of the Six Nations in successive years. Favourite to wear the 15 shirt.

DI D YO U K N OW ?

As a youngster, Hogg’s ambition was to be a professional jockey. Coming from Hawick, he dreamt of wearing the green coat of the Cornet (flag bearer) on the town’s Common Riding.

THE FACTS Hogg’s early days as a cocky upstart are a distant memory. Captain of a resurgent Scotland, his selection for a third tour was never in question. At 20, he was the youngest Lion in 2013 and four years ago his tour was cut short by a facial injury. A double winner with Exeter and nearing 100 caps, he’s in the prime of his life.

W H Y S EL E CT E D Few players execute skills as effortlessly as the full-back, who has blistering pace, a huge spiral kick and a knack of making the right decision.

His tactical appreciation and positioning is nigh-on perfect 56

GEO RDA N MUR P H Y SAYS Odds for “The outstanding player of Test team 2-5 the Six Nations. A shoo-in for Age 28 (24 Jun 1992) a starting spot for me. His Club Exeter Chiefs vision and creativity has Size 5ft 11in & 14st 6lb been amazing. His kicking Scotland caps 85 game is brilliant, as is his Scotland points 144 backfield coverage, but his (22T, 8C, 5P, 1DG) leadership has also grown Instagram and in theory he could @stuarthogg21 captain a side out there too.”

Lions Squad 2021

“ H e h a s p he no me na l p a c e b u t a r ug by b r ai n to g o w i t h it ” James Hook

LOUIS REES-ZAMMIT BACK THREE ‘Rees-Lightning’ has enjoyed a allowed him to maximise his natural breakthrough year, first excelling for talent and get faster. As well as his Gloucester (11 tries in 13 games in the speed, the winger has a decent kicking 2019-20 Premiership) and then Wales game – look up his second try against (four tries in a Six Nations-winning Scotland this year – and footwork. campaign). He’s certainly proved those who told him TE ST PR O S PE CTS he wouldn’t make it wrong There are more experienced – and it’s little wonder that players amongst the Odds for the 20-year-old caught back-three options. But if he Test team 2-1 Warren Gatland’s attention. proves he can deal with kicks Age 20 (2 Feb 2001) raining down on him – the Club Gloucester WHY S E LE C T E D Springboks are bound to Size 6ft 3in & 13st 12lb put boot to ball regularly LRZ has something you Wales caps Nine can’t coach – pace. Having – he is likely to come into the Wales points 25 (5T) selection discussion as his said that, coaching on the Instagram @lrzammit pace threatens any defence. specifics of sprinting have

THE FACTS

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DI D YO U K N OW ?

At 20 years 93 days old, Rees-Zammit was the youngest Lion on selection day since Ireland’s David Hewitt in 1959. As the baby of this year’s squad, he will be responsible for carrying around the team mascot, cuddly lion ‘BIL’, during the tour. Maro Itoje had the responsibility in 2017 and Stuart Hogg four years earlier.

G E O R DA N MUR P H Y SAYS “He’s blown up the scene and everyone is hugely excited about what he can do. He has taken to international rugby like a duck to water and he’ll push really hard for a Test spot.”

“ He h a s u n d o ub ted s tren g th s w i t h hi s p h y s i c a lity an d hi s a b i li ty to b r ea k t ac kl es” Gregor Townsend

DU H A N VA N D E R M E RWE BAC K T H R EE The strapping George-born winger can Pro14 is one thing; five tries and 31 expect a ‘warm’ welcome on the pitch defenders beaten in this year’s Six in South Africa, whom he represented Nations – eclipsing Brian O’Driscoll’s at schools and U20 level.

21-year record – is another. A try-scorer His subsequent whirlwind in Scotland’s wins in England rise via Montpellier and and France, his bruising Edinburgh to the Scotland physicality may force teams ranks, qualifying on to double mark him. He got Odds to make residency, has created the the nod ahead of proven Test team 6-4 fascinating prospect of an finisher Jonny May. Age 26 (4 June 1995) on-field duel with his brother Club Edinburgh Akker, a Springbok hooker.

T E ST P RO SP E CTS Size 6ft 4in & 16st 10lb Slim. Only ten games into his Scotland caps Ten WH Y SE LE C T E D Test career, van der Merwe Scotland pts 40 (8T) is still learning. A swerver He keeps delivering, no Instagram matter the level of rugby. rather than a stepper, he @duhanvandermerwe occasionally hangs on to the His stat-busting form in the

THE FACTS

58

ball when he should be finding a support runner. More significant are his defensive shortcomings and the Worcester-bound star looks destined for a midweek role.

DI D YO U K NOW? Van der Merwe’s family have said they might create a special jersey if Duhan and Akker are in opposition – one half Springboks and one half Lions!

GE OR DA N M U R P H Y SAYS “His finishing ability is hugely impressive.

His weaknesses in the aerial battle will probably cost him a Test spot. He knows how to score but the intricacies of the kicking and catching game may cost him.”

Lions Squad 2021

A NTH O N Y WAT S O N B AC K T H R EE chase, to counter and get to the breakdown early all mark him out.

And don’t be surprised if the Lions playmakers pick him out from crossfield.

TE ST P R O S P EC TS His Six Nations form and impressively athletic all-round game make him the favourite to wear the No 14 shirt.

D I D YO U K N OW? Watson is a big fan of the NFL and, although focused on his rugby, believes there are several transferable skills between the two sports.

Make a break for it Watson scored two tries v Italy in the Six Nations

The last time the Lions took the field, Watson braved an excruciating Achilles injury to play all three Tests in the drawn series with the All Blacks, saying: “It was the worst pain I’ve ever been in, in my life, for those eight weeks!” Four years later, the multifaceted Bath back feels he’s improved his approach to the game.

G E O RDA N M U R P H Y SAYS “His form has been good Odds for and his versatility is a Test team 1-3 strength. I see him as a Age 27 (26 Feb 1994) starter in the Tests on the Club Bath right wing. He’s another Size 6ft 2in & 14st 13lb full-back and a nice option England caps 51 (22T) is him, Hogg and Williams Lions caps Three or Rees-Zammit. Gatland Instagram knows him and likes him @anthonywatson – he just needs to be fit.”

THE FACTS

WH Y S EL E C TE D We know Warren Gatland is a fan, and the sometime full-back has become a senior player at his club and an ever-present for England.

He has so many weapons.

His ability to spring and

LIAM WILLIAMS BACK THREE and has continually proved himself at Test level. Plus, he’s a character who will come to the fore off the field in SA. T EST P R O S P EC TS A surprise pick at full-back for the 2017 series against the All Blacks, Williams excelled at 15. Competition is tough in the back three but his experience, spirit and versatility put him firmly in the mix.

D I D YOU K N OW? Williams won three trophies in three months in 2019. After helping Wales win a Six Nations Grand Slam, he was part of the Saracens side that won the Premiership and European Champions Cup.

Punch of delight Williams enjoys Wales’ win over England this year

A former scaffolder, Williams has built an impressive career since signing a first pro contract at 20. He has sandwiched two spells at Scarlets with a successful stint at Saracens and clocked up more than 70 Wales appearances, as well as three for the 2017 Lions, since his Test debut against the Barbarians in 2012.

THE FACTS W H Y S EL E C TE D Pinpoint accuracy under the high ball – check.

Running threat in broken field – check. Unrelenting in defence – check. Williams has the requisite skill-set to play across the back three 59

Odds for Test team 6-5 Age 30 (9 April 1991) Region Scarlets Size 6ft 2in & 13st 10lb Wales caps 71 (16T) Lions caps Three Instagram @sanjaywills

G EO R DA N M U RP H Y SAYS “A great player, hugely experienced at full-back and on the wing. I don’t think you lose anything with him on the wing – he’s hugely committed and just gets everything done efficiently.”

BUNDEE AKI CENTRE combination that did a number on England. Aki played forcefully but was sent off late on for a high tackle. He also got sent off against Samoa in the World Cup. Discipline has to be a concern.

TE ST P R O SP E C TS At his belligerent best he has a chance, especially given the Henshaw link.

Others ahead of him just now, though.

DI D YO U K NOW ?

He’s named Bundee after the doctor (Bundellu) who delivered him.

Giant in green Aki has won domestic titles in both hemispheres

G E OR DA N M U R P HY SAYS “You know what you’re going to get with him. Apparently Odds for a great tourist and a humble Test team 6-1 guy. His performance against Age 31 (7 Apr 1990) Springbok centre Damian Province Connacht de Allende for Connacht Size 5ft 10in & 15st 12lb against Munster is Ireland caps 31 something Gatland will have Ireland points 25 (5T) watched. He is that robust Instagram stopper in midfield and @bundeeaki gives you go-forward ball.”

THE FACTS

Aki was a bank teller until Tana Umaga invited him to train with Counties Manukau. He won a Super Rugby title with Chiefs in 2013, then moved north and won a Pro12 title with Connacht in 2016. His qualification for Ireland on residency was not without controversy but he won a Grand Slam in 2018.

W HY S EL E C T ED When Manu Tuilagi was ruled out, Aki was deemed the next best thing in terms of untrammelled power in the midfield. His selection was a surprise, but Warren Gatland liked the Aki-Robbie Henshaw

E L L I O T D A LY C E N T R E Rare achievement Daly has scored points for and against the Lions

precious asset on an arduous tour. And we have seen him perform for Gatland in red. Oh, and there is the prospect of him shelling the Springboks with his enormous boot on the highveld.

TE ST P R O S P E C TS After the Six Nations, most would say ‘no chance’. But if Gatland can harness the best of his abilities, he’s a very valuable player to have in reserve.

DI D YO U K N OW ?

Daly once had a pint poured over him at Gloucester after sliding into the barriers attempting to score a try for Wasps.

THE FACTS He started all three Lions Tests against New Zealand in 2017, on the wing. Since then he’s started seven England games on the wing and 31 at full-back, including the World Cup final in 2019. The former Wasp’s form in the latest Six Nations wasn’t sparkling and he’s been playing in the Championship with Saracens, but

a recent switch back to outside-centre offers an intriguing insight…

W H Y S EL E CT E D A Test-quality player who is comfortable on the wing, at 15 or in the centre? That is a 60

Odds for Test team 11-4 Age 28 (8 Oct 1992) Club Saracens Size 5ft 10in & 13st 1lb England caps 52 (17T, 1C, 7P, 1DG) Lions caps Three (1P) Instagram @elliotdaly

GEO RDA N MUR P H Y SAYS “He’s one of those guys picked on what he can do.

He’s not been on great form but he’s a quality player with a big left boot and can cover a lot of positions. I’d expect to see him around the Test bench, an ideal No 23.”

Lions Squad 2021

“D e fe n si ve l y t h e r e a re n’ t ma n y p la y e r s wh o le ad t he li n e a s we ll a s he do e s” George Skivington

CHRIS HARRIS CENTRE From Carlisle to Newcastle, Rotherham Gregor Townsend and Steve Tandy love and Gloucester… Harris is one of the his work-rate and intelligence in shutting Lions who has no league titles or cup down attacks. His performances against triumphs to his name, but as the proud England and France would have sealed people of Carlisle RFC said his spot. In defence, he was when he was named in the outstanding. He’s not a touring party: “From the slouch in attack but he has Elysian Fields of Warwick plenty to prove on that side.

Odds for Road to the South African Test team 11-4 savanna is some journey.”

TE ST PR O S PE CTS Age 30 (28 Dec 1990) This is not a vintage set of Club Gloucester WHY S E LE C T E D Lions centres, so it’s pretty Size 6ft 2in & 16st 5lb open. With his defensive One of the best defensive Scotland caps 28 outside-centres in the powers he’s got a big chance Scotland pts 15 (3T) business, a rock upon which of being the Test 13 as long Instagram Scotland’s improvement in as his form holds up. It’s a far @charris_13 that facet has been built. cry from his second cap, in

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Wales in 2018; he got ripped apart on the field and monstered in the media – but he used that disappointment well.

DI D YO U K N OW ?

He describes himself as a “coffee snob” and an aspiring chef. The Lions won’t be going far from camp for entertainment, so if there’s a braai on the go, bank on Harris to be running the show.

G E O R DA N MUR P H Y SAYS “A big unit in midfield who has done really well for Gloucester and over the course of the Six Nations. I see him as a midweek selection but with injuries we could well see him play in the series.”

ROBBIE HENSHAW CENTRE his try-saving tackle recently on Ulster’s Robert Baloucoune, although on the high side, typified his man-and-ball mentality.

TE ST P R OS P EC TS Much hinges on whether the Lions field a second ball-player at 12. Even if they do, he could still make the side at 13.

D I D YO U K N OW ?

His family is steeped in traditional Irish music heritage and Henshaw himself plays the button accordion and the fiddle. In 2018 the family joined forces with Irish musician Sharon Shannon to make a charity album.

Adaptable Henshaw has twice started a Test at full-back

THE FACTS

First selected by Ireland at 19, Henshaw won his 50th cap during this year’s Six Nations. His 65 carries – the most by a back – helped get him shortlisted for Player of the Tournament. The Athlone man has two Six Nations titles and two World Cups behind him, but his 2017 Lions tour ended early due to injury.

W H Y S E L E C TED Seen predominantly as a collision winner, he is a good passer and offloader, runs great lines, and stays alive in attack looking for a second touch. Light on his feet, he’s a terrific defensive reader –

Odds for Test team 1-8 Age 27 (12 June 1993) Province Leinster Size 6ft 3in & 15st 7lb Ireland caps 52 Ireland pts 40 (8T) Instagram @robhenshaw

G E OR DA N MU R P H Y SAYS “I was hugely impressed by what he brought in the Six Nations. He played with real hunger and every Ireland game put himself forward for Lions selection. Physical, smart, very good at chasing bombs and mini-bombs. For me, a Test starter at 12.”

D A N B I G G A R F LY- H A L F Welsh winner Biggar has bagged three Six Nations titles

rugby-by-numbers man with an edge, this season with Saints we’ve seen him play with far more brio. And as we saw in 2017, surround him with quality all over and he lifts his game even further.

TE ST P R O S P E C TS If he can stay fit, he’s the front-runner to start at ten for the Lions in South Africa.

D I D YO U K N OW ?

He won the 2015 BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year award, beating footballer Gareth Bale, cyclist Geraint Thomas and boxer Lee Selby.

THE FACTS So competitive is the Welsh No 10 that if someone told you he had a history of flipping tables out of frustration during family games of Monopoly, it would come as no surprise. The former Osprey toured with the Lions in 2017 but didn’t make the Test team. Since then he has moved to Northampton Saints and this

season stewarded Wales to another Six Nations triumph.

W HY S E L E C T ED We know he can do the basics to a high standard.

But while in years gone by he has been seen as a 62

Odds for Test team 4-9 Age 31 (16 Oct 1989) Club Northampton Size 6ft 2in & 14st 6lb Wales caps 92 Wales points 494 (7T, 81C, 92P, 7DG)

G EO R DA N M UR P H Y SAYS “He’s got a total game. If you look at him for Northampton, they want to throw it and run around, but he has a great kicking game too. One of the best in the world at putting the ball in the air, running after it and getting it himself – a brave player who has put his name on that skill.”

Lions Squad 2021

“H e h a s be en a l ea de r si n c e h e w as 1 4. H e is th e s or t o f pe rso n you w an t t o fo llo w” Jamie George

O W E N F A R R E L L F LY- H A L F “A competitor” is how Warren Gatland W H Y S EL ECT E D described Farrell on Lions selection It’s not been a vintage year for Farrell, or day. The fact he’s not yet 30 but is England, but he has a track record as a already closing in on 100 winner. He has lifted trophies Test caps illustrates what with Saracens, England and a quality player he is – the Lions, has a detailed and he’s been performing understanding of the game Odds for at the top level for more and a goalkicking success Test team 4-5 than a decade having rate of more than 80%.

Age 29 (24 Sept 1991) Gatland is backing England’s made his Saracens debut Club Saracens at just 17. What has set him skipper to rediscover his Size 5ft 11in & 14st 11lb form for the Lions. apart in more recent years England caps 93 has been his leadership; it (10T, 168C, 208P, 3DG) TE ST PR O S PE CTS may not come across in Lions caps Four interviews but team-mates Dan Biggar and Robbie (2C, 9P) talk of his ability to Henshaw may be the ten-12 Instagram @owenfaz combination of choice for inspire and motivate.

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many, but Farrell can’t be discounted.

That winning mentality and kicking ability could be crucial in a tight series.

DI D YO U K N OW ?

When Farrell is successful with a kick at goal, he links his index figures together in the Joining Jack salute to raise awareness for the Duchenne muscular dystrophy charity of the same name.

G E O R DA N MUR P H Y SAYS “We know what he’s about: a natural competitor. We didn’t see the best of him in the Six Nations but we know what quality he has, he plays ten or 12 and we could see him play a part in the Tests.”

F I N N R U S S E L L F LY- H A L F management. Without any of his usual fireworks and despite a late red card, it was one of his best all-round displays.

TE ST P R O SP E C TS He’s behind Dan Biggar and probably Owen Farrell, but he offers something completely different. A creative option off the bench if the Lions are trailing?

He could be a sensational impact man.

DI D YO U K NOW ?

He comes from a family of jugglers.

Check them out on social media. Mum, dad, siblings – they’re all at it.

Creative force Russell’s seven tries in 55 caps matches Biggar’s tally in 92

The former stonemason is one of the most naturally talented fly-halves in the world. He only has one trophy to his name, though. And that was six years ago when Glasgow beat Munster in the final of the Pro12. A big-money move to Racing has brought some delicious moments but no silverware. Yet.

THE FACTS W HY S EL E C T ED Whether it’s the vision in his passing or kicking, Russell can do things no other Lions ten can do. He’s a creative genius who, on the evidence of Scotland’s win in Paris, is now learning the art of game

Odds for Test team 6-4 Age 28 (23 Sep 1992) Club Racing 92 Size 6ft & 13st 9lb Scotland caps 55 Scotland points 182 (7T, 39C, 23P) Instagram @finnrussell92

G E OR DA N M U R P HY SAYS “Everyone knows how exciting Finn can be when he is good. If the Lions played a different style he could well be the starting ten, but he is more of a heads-up style player; one of the most skilful on tour but I’m not sure Warren Gatland will want to play that way.”

GARETH DAVIES SCRUM-HA LF defenders into biting when he’s at the base of the ruck and has a good understanding with Dan Biggar. The good outweighs the bad (remember his almost-disastrous grubber against Ireland this season and shudder!).

Familiar foe Davies is surrounded by Boks during the RWC 2019 semi-final

TE ST P R O S P E C TS As it stands, he faces a showdown with Ali Price to be the back-up nine.

DI D YO U K N OW ?

A canine lover, Davies has a bulldog called Pete, his partner has a Chihuahua, and his gaming handle is ‘Sheepdog’.

GEO RDA N MUR P H Y SAYS “If Dan Biggar starts at Odds for ten, he potentially gets Test team 5-4 a lean as the half-back Age 30 (18 Aug 1990) partner who knows him Region Scarlets a little better. Along with Size 5ft 10in & 13st 12lb the others, he is a great Wales caps 62 player but they all bring Wales points 75 (15T) a different skill-set. He Instagram had a good Six Nations @garethdavies90 Championship.”

THE FACTS A Scarlet who has reached the highest highs for club and country, yet such is Wales’ depth at scrum-half that the 30-year-old has had to operate as one of a number of nine options, without making the national jersey his own.

Still, Warren Gatland has seen him at his finest and wants him in the mix –

perhaps for his defensive work, when he could play with a similar approach to South Africa’s Faf de Klerk?

W H Y S EL E CT E D Has a sharp running game, specialises in enticing 64

Lions Squad 2021

“ He’s a w o r ld -c l as s p la ye r a n d i s a ma n f o r t he bi g g a me” Johann van Graan

C O N O R M U R R AY S C R U M - H A L F The one-province man – his entire W H Y S EL ECT E D professional career has been at Munster Murray looked below-par following RWC – has been Ireland’s first-choice 2019 and he was hampered by injury in half-back for a decade the Six Nations, but he timed and has played in three his return to form perfectly successive World Cups. with a superb performance in He was an integral figure the win over England. Of the Odds for in the Grand Slam-winning three nines, Murray is the one Test team 4-9 side of 2018, which was his known for his game control Age 32 (20 Apr 1989) and management, with his third Six Nations title after Province Munster championship wins in 2014 box-kicking excellence a Size 6ft 2in & 14st 9lb major factor on the 2017 tour. and 2015. And this will be Ireland caps 89 his third Lions tour, having (14T, 5C) been on the bench for two TE ST PR O S PE CTS Lions caps Five (1T) Tests in 2013 and started He’s the front-runner to wear Instagram all three matches against the No 9 shirt in the first Test @conormurray9 the All Blacks in 2017. given his all-round game, but

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scrum-half is quite an open position.

See Sean Holley’s analysis, page 114.

DI D YO U K N OW ?

Murray played 15 minutes at fly-half in Ireland’s Autumn Nations Cup victory over Wales last autumn after Johnny Sexton and Billy Burns were injured.

Ireland coach Andy Farrell said: “Conor steered the ship really well for us.”

G E O R DA N MUR P H Y SAYS “Hugely experienced, you’d expect him in and around the Test team. Unbelievable kicking game and gives you a physical presence, almost Mike Phillips-esque, to go with the polish of his game.”

At your service Only Antoine Dupont had more try assists than Price in this year’s Six Nations

ALI PRICE SCRUM-HALF Price hails from the East of England but right. As good as anyone at running the at 18, whilst at Bedford, he threw his lot classic nine cheat line, he has an eye for in with Scotland, for whom he qualifies a gap and relishes sniping around the via his mum Carol. Initially vying with fringes, often offloading to inflict a line Greig Laidlaw for the No 9 break. His chip kick to set up shirt, he has become a Darcy Graham for a try this mainstay for his country. He year against Wales showed maintains the tradition of his kicking skill and tactical Odds for Scotland nines making Lions appreciation. He needs to Test team 5-1 tours, following Andy Nicol, guard against being charged Age 28 (12 May 1993) down at rucks – a particular Chris Cusiter, Mike Blair and Club Glasgow Laidlaw in the pro era. problem against England.

Size 5ft 10in & 13st 12lb Scotland caps 42 WH Y SE L E CT E D TE ST P R OS P E CTS Scotland pts 20 (4T) His familiarity with Finn Price has played less than Instagram Russell helps but Price is 20 minutes of rugby against @ali_price93 a quality player in his own the Boks. He’s third in line at

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this stage but the selection of Russell at ten could change that thinking.

D I D YO U KN OW ?

Price played for the Barbarians as an uncapped player in 2015. He contributed to a 97-31 win over Heriot’s to mark the 125th anniversary of the Edinburgh club.

“It was a huge honour,” he says.

G EO R DA N M U RP HY SAYS “Warren Gatland has done a great job in the past blending teams together.

But with this tour, I think existing combinations are important and if Finn Russell plays midweek it makes sense to have Price partnering him.”

Lions Squad 2021

“ He j u s t m a ke s th ing s h ap p en a r o un d him .

H e a l wa y s b ri n g s m as si v e en er g y ” Rob Baxter

LUKE COWAN-DICKIE HOOKER Having finished the Six Nations as try-scorer. He wins a lot of turnovers at England’s No 2 ahead of Jamie George, the breakdown and, as a former England the Cornishman’s been given surprisingly U20 loosehead, his scrummaging has long Test odds by the bookies. Once always cut the mustard. His lineout work saddled with a reputation as a drinker has improved immensely – all of his 32 – a point reinforced when throws in the Six Nations Eddie Jones plonked a crate found the target. And his of beers in front of him work-rate? Just look at how during a one-to-one – he chased 50 metres after Odds for Cowan-Dickie is now fit as a Henry Slade and Alex Test team 7-1 butcher’s dog and a pillar of Cuthbert recently at London Age 27 (20 Jun 1993) Irish to make a crucial the champion Exeter team.

Club Exeter Chiefs clear-out for the Chiefs.

Size 6ft 1in & 17st 3lb WHY S E LE C T E D England caps 31 He’s a powerful ball-carrier TE ST PR O S PE CTS England pts 35 (7T) and mauler, a formidable Poor, if you believe the Instagram @1_dickie bookies. Yet Cowan-Dickie chop tackler and a regular

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has the form and the talent to make a mockery of their assessment.

DI D YO U K N OW ?

He’s a gaming fanatic. His favourite game is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and he got to No 1 in the world with the game mode ‘Search and Destroy’.

GE O R DA N M UR P H Y SAYS “He’s very highly thought of down in the South-West. He’s really combative and has had a great few seasons with Exeter. A stand-out and a nuisance around the park. He’s just ahead of Jamie George for England, so it will be interesting to see how that goes.”

JAMIE GEORGE HOOKER tight have always been his calling cards but there’s likely something else that appeals to Warren Gatland. A true squad player, the hooker is easy to get along with for long stretches.

On target George’s lineout success rate in the Six Nations is 91%

TE ST P R O SP E C TS George will need to rediscover his finest form if he is to reclaim his crown.

DI D YO U K NOW ?

The 30-year-old owns a rehabilitation and physiotherapy business with best friend and physio Rhys Carter. It’s called Carter & George Practice.

G E OR DA N M U R P HY SAYS “He’s very likeable and Odds for does the nuts and bolts Test team 13-8 well, while his lineout Age 30 (20 Oct 1990) throwing is among the best Club Saracens in the world. Which means Size 5ft 11in & 17st 11lb you don’t have to worry England caps 59 (7T) about that side of things.

Lions caps Three And, importantly, from Instagram what I’ve heard, he is @jamiegeorge2 a very good tourist.”

THE FACTS Good things come to those who wait, and George went from being the loveable understudy at Saracens and England to a nailed-on starter for his club and country in the big games. He started every Lions Test in 2017 too.

He’s since suffered a World Cup final defeat, club relegation and poor Test

form, dropping to the bench for Luke Cowan-Dickie with England, but he was always heading for South Africa.

W HY S EL E C T ED His lineout accuracy, running lines and persistence in the

KEN OWENS HOOKER On the run Owens’s nickname is ‘The Sheriff’

even been deployed at No 8 by the region. He’s known for his leadership too, and his social skills will arguably be just as important on this tour.

TE ST P R O S P E C TS Heads into the tour as favourite to wear the No 2 shirt given his consistency.

DI D YO U K N OW ?

Owens won the Try of the Season award for the 2009-10 Magners League. It came against Leinster, with Owens finishing in the corner. He says: “Rhys Priestland put in a chip kick, Andy Fenby picked up the ball, then there were a couple of offloads. I managed to get on David Lyons’s shoulder and I only Odds for had ten metres to run.”

Test team 8-15 Age 34 (3 Jan 1987) GEO RDA N Region Scarlets MUR P H Y SAYS Size 6ft & 17st 3lb “Gatland obviously knows Wales caps 82 (5T) him really well and I was very Lions caps Two impressed with him in the Instagram Six Nations. He’s got that bit @kenowens1088 of ‘wily old fox’ about him.”

THE FACTS There were 18 months between Owens’s first Wales call-up and his Test debut, but he’s now his country’s most-capped hooker. He’s played in three World Cups – that debut coming at RWC 2011 – and won four Six Nations titles, while he has been a stalwart at the Scarlets for a decade and a half.

W H Y S EL E CT E D As well as his set-piece excellence and physicality in the tight exchanges, he’s a strong jackler and ball-carrier who has been used in the wide channels by Wales and the Scarlets. In fact, he has 68

Lions Squad 2021

ZANDER FAGERSON PROP against France – the most by any prop in any Six Nations game this year.

Starting early Fagerson, 20 on debut, was the Scots’ youngest prop since 1948

TE ST P R O S P EC TS When red-carded against Wales, his prospects looked precisely zero. Came back strong and is in the mix for the 23.

D I D YO U K N OW? After his sending-off against Wales, his younger brother Matt said Wyn Jones milked the incident: “If he doesn’t roll around on the floor… That was pathetic.”

Might be a little awkward when Fagerson senior meets Jones in camp.

THE FACTS Born three days after Andrew Porter, the 25-year-old is the youngest of the props and yet it feels like he’s been around for an age. First capped in 2016, it’s really only been since 2020 that he’s started to fulfil his potential. The RWC 2019 failure and arrival of Pieter de Villiers as Scotland’s scrum coach in its wake

proved the turning point. He’s progressed massively since.

WH Y S EL E C TE D Very powerful, a strong scrummager and a carrier of burgeoning quality. He made 59 metres with ball in hand

Odds for Test team 7-1 Age 25 (19 Jan 1996) Club Glasgow Size 6ft 2in & 19st 11lb Scotland caps 38 Scotland pts Ten (2T) Instagram @zanderfagerson

G E O RDA N M U R P H Y SAYS “He played some good rugby, particularly against England, in the Six Nations.

There have been some big calls on this Lions selection, so I’m sure Zander will want to lay down a marker on tour for all of those who asked questions about him being in over Kyle Sinckler.”

TA D H G F U R LO N G P R O P wondered if he’d be back to his best, but in recent months he has underlined his world-class credentials. The Lions need him fit for the duration of the tour.

T EST P R O S P EC TS You may as well tattoo the number ‘3’ on Furlong’s back now.

D I D YOU K N OW? Wexford’s own Furlong is a big GAA fan and played for the Horeswood club.

Country boy Furlong hails from a farming family in Wexford

It was possibly the most unexpected moment of the Six Nations and one that fans ended up watching over and over again on a loop: a 19st-plus tighthead dancing away from tackles like Mikhail Baryshnikov as Furlong evaded Scottish defenders. The Leinster prop is one of the game’s premier front-rowers,

G E O R DA N MU R P H Y SAYS “For me the starting tighthead. He’s obviously been at the top table with Leinster for some time. Having come back after a while off with injury, Odds for we wondered what he’d do Test team 1-12 in the Six Nations and he Age 28 (14 Nov 1992) burst back on the scene. Not Province Leinster only is he doing all of the Size 6ft & 19st 2lb solid stuff you need against Ireland caps 49 (5T) a South Africa pack, he’s Lions caps Three sidestepping, he’s offloading Instagram and he’s adding another @tadhgfurlong dimension to the game.”

THE FACTS particularly in the scrum, and started all three Tests for the 2017 Lions in New Zealand.

W H Y S EL E C TE D Simply put, he is vital to the Lions’ chances. After a lengthy injury lay-off, we 69

2021 milestone Jones made his 100th Scarlets appearance on New Year’s Day

WYN JONES PROP Jones has taken the long road to the top, W H Y SE L EC T E D learning his trade through the trench Scrummaging and lifting have always warfare of the Welsh Premiership – he come naturally to Jones, in part played for Llandovery with fellow Lion because of his agricultural strength.

Tadhg Beirne. Remarkably, And his jackaling acumen this time two years ago he is reminiscent of his rugby had started just one Test for hero Gethin Jenkins. Yet Wales but, on the evidence lately there are signs, too, Odds for of the Six Nations, the of expansion in his game, Test team Evens former sheep farmer heads particularly as a ball-carrier – Age 29 (26 Feb 1992) he made the most carries (39) south as the form loosehead Region Scarlets from the Isles. Man of the of any prop in the Six Nations.

Size 6ft & 17st 13lb Match against Ireland, his Wales caps 35 breakdown work directly TE ST P R OS P E CTS Wales points Ten (2T) Yet to reach the heights of contributed to three Instagram opposition red cards Mako Vunipola, a Lion starter @wynjones3 in the championship! in 2017, but his performance

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levels over the past 12 months give him a great shot at the No 1 shirt for the three-match series in South Africa.

D I D YO U KN OW ?

Jones’s unusual nickname, Sausage, was given to him by former Scarlets and Wales hooker Emyr Phillips. “I respond better to Sausage these days than Wyn,” says the loosehead.

G EO R DA N M U RP HY SAYS “I didn’t know a lot about him before the Six Nations, but I liked the way he went about his business: solid scrum, got stuck in. I’m excited to see what he can do on tour, pushing Mako for a starting spot.”

Lions Squad 2021

“ He h a s s o met hin g a l o t of p r o p s d o n’ t, s h e er s t r e ng th a n d p o w e r” Rory Best

ANDREW PORTER PROP Porter’s professional rugby life started at W H Y S EL ECT E D loosehead but he first wore the green “Porter gives us that flexibility to be able of Ireland in a Test as a replacement to cover both sides,” said Warren Gatland tighthead on the 2017 summer tour, at the squad announcement. That ability when first-choice No 3 to play loosehead and Tadhg Furlong was starting tighthead is a clear bonus for for the Lions. He is known the coaches, while Furlong’s for his strength – he can long injury absence last year Odds for squat 325kg – but in more gave Porter the opportunity Test team 4-1 recent years it has been to prove his credentials for Age 25 (16 Jan 1996) Leinster and Ireland. technique and work-rate, Province Leinster rather than the gym, that Size 6ft & 17st 11lb has been his primary TE ST PR O S PE CTS Ireland caps 37 focus. He’s upped his Furlong looks nailed on to Ireland pts Five (1T) stats in terms of carrying, start at tighthead but the Instagram tackling and hitting rucks, bench spot is wide open. @andrewporter__ and it has paid off.

Given South Africa’s power,

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Porter’s strength could give him the edge over Scotland’s Zander Fagerson.

DI D YO U K N OW ?

Amongst his tattoos, Porter has a dove on his left forearm along with the word ‘Wendy’ in memory of his mother, who died from cancer when he was just 12.

G E O R DA N MUR P H Y SAYS “There’s a huge buzz in Ireland about this young man. He’s incredibly powerful, has a big, big body, and when he’s played instead of Furlong for Ireland and Leinster he has done an amazing job. And playing both sides means someone like him is valuable in a 23.”

RORY SUTHERLAND PROP as an ex-flanker – he converted to prop at 18 – his loose play is reminiscent of Scotland and Lions legend Tom Smith.

TE ST P R O SP E C TS Slender. But no one expected Smith to oust Graham Rowntree from the 1997 team and we all know what happened.

DI D YO U K NOW ?

He had a passion for motocross in his youth, and finished third in the Scotland & England Championships. He gave it up because of the expense. “You had guys turning up in fancy motorhomes with three bikes and a whole entourage, so we realised we were out of our depth.”

Bit of a bolter?

All but three of Sutherland’s caps have come since the start of 2020

‘Suzz’ watched the Lions announcement alone in his car and was left shaking as his name was read out. It completes a remarkable turn of fortunes for a player who suffered a career-threatening groin injury soon after his Test debut in 2016.

Such has been his form that he made the squad despite incurring a significant

THE FACTS shoulder injury in Paris at the end of the Six Nations.

W HY S EL E C T ED His scrum endurance has impressed over the past 18 months and he bosses most of his set-piece duels. And

Odds for Test team 5-2 Age 28 (24 Aug 1992) Club Edinburgh Size 6ft & 17st 11lb Scotland caps 16 Scotland pts None Instagram @rorysutherland24

G E OR DA N M U R P HY SAYS “I see him as a bit of a bolter but he was very good in the Six Nations. I see him as a midweeker but he could end up having a tour like Tom Smith did in 1997 and giving us a Scottish loosehead.”

MAKO VUNIPOLA PROP TE ST P R O S P E C TS Wyn Jones and Rory Sutherland, both first-time Lions, are his rivals. On the face of it, the Test spot is wide open, but would it be a surprise to see him steam through to make the team? Not really.

He did, however, have a torrid time the last time he played the Boks – the World Cup final in 2019. Eddie Jones said in his autobiography that he wished he’d started Joe Marler instead. Ouch.

DI D YO U K N OW ?

Mako’s mum, Reverend Iesinga Vunipola, has been appointed to the Players’ Committee for RWC 2023.

Family legacy Vunipola’s dad, Fe’ao, played in two World Cups for Tonga

One of the most decorated Lions with four Premiership titles, three European Cups, three Six Nations and six straight appearances in the last six Lions Tests.

W H Y S E L EC T E D Credit in the bank. Vunipola has been plying his trade in the second tier of

THE FACTS English rugby and didn’t look himself in the Six Nations.

He gave away too many penalties and his influence around the field was a shadow of what he’s capable of. Still, the thought of a firing Mako was too hard to resist.

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Odds for Test team 3-1 Age 30 (14 Jan 1991) Club Saracens Size 6ft & 19st 1lb England caps 67 (2T) Lions caps Six Instagram @mako_vunipola

GEO RDA N MUR P H Y SAYS “Like all of the Saracens, he’s had a quiet time, but he’s a shoo-in for that position. On his game, he will get you over the gain-line and he does the nuts and bolts. He just needs that ability to lock a scrum down.”

Lions Squad 2021

TA D H G B E I R N E LO C K Bouncing back Beirne almost quit rugby in 2016 after limited game time at Leinster

finished the tournament with the most turnovers (ten – four ahead of the next man on the list) and was third in the table for lineout takes all competition.

TE ST P R O S P EC TS Beirne is contending with a lot of heavyweights, but if Warren Gatland opts for a lock who can play at six, he has got to be in consideration.

D I D YO U K N OW? His sister, Alannah, is a TV personality who has competed in Britain’s Next Top Model and Dancing with the Stars.

THE FACTS Released by Leinster only to shine at Scarlets; a lock who has made a name for himself playing as a six who gobbles up turnovers. Munster’s Beirne has made his own luck. And as Ireland benefited from his rise, it became harder and harder for the Lions to ignore the crazy work-rate he brings to the field.

WH Y S EL E C TE D The all-rounder’s all-rounder.

According to Opta, in the first round of the 2021 Six Nations alone, Beirne made more carries than any other player in the competition (21) and hit more rucks (48). He

Odds for Test team 10-11 Age 29 (8 Jan 1992) Province Munster Size 6ft 6in & 17st 9lb Ireland caps 22 (9T) Ireland pts 25 (5T) Instagram @Beirney25

G E O R DA N M UR P H Y SAYS “His versatility is massive.

He is comfortable in the second or the back row, and his engine and ability to get over the ball to create turnovers is huge.

He is a smart rugby player.

I think he was always on the plane and I can see him in the starting XV.”

IAIN HENDERSON LOCK physical presence in the loose – Devin Toner has described him as a “monster” – and is adept at winning turnovers.

T EST P R O S P EC TS He missed out on a Test spot in 2017 and is an outside bet at this juncture.

His ability to cover the back five makes him an ideal bench candidate, but there are several players who can do the same.

D I D YOU K N OW? Henderson was due to study maths in Edinburgh when he was offered a place in Ulster’s academy. So he switched to Queen’s University in Belfast, then the Open University.

Blind spot Henderson made his first start for Ireland at six in 2013

“He has an authentic nature to the way he leads” is how Ulster coach Dan McFarland describes Henderson as a captain. He’s not one for the showy speeches but in a career involving more than 100 matches for the province and 60 Tests for Ireland, he’s learnt how to be an effective skipper, to be a calming

THE FACTS influence, and he seems to thrive with such responsibility.

W H Y S EL E C TE D A lineout guru who helped to turn around Irish fortunes at the set-piece this year when he took over the calls, he is a 73

Odds for Test team 15-8 Age 29 (21 Feb 1992) Province Ulster Size 6ft 6in & 18st 4lb Ireland caps 63 Ireland pts 25 (5T) Instagram @hendy_102

G EO R DA N M U RP H Y SAYS “Speaking to Rory Best about him, he is a natural leader. He captains Ulster and is apparently an incredibly good human being. Big, tough, athletic, ball-carrying: all the things you want on a tour.”

“J onn y l o l l op s ar o u n d in th e w ee k, th en y o u s ti ck a fi r s t -t e a m j ers e y on h i m a n d he lo oks l i ke a g ian t” Rob Hunter

JONNY HILL LOCK Seen as a surprise selection, having only open play, handling the ball and scoring made his Test debut this season. Yet this tries for Exeter, but also do the dirty paradox of a player – laid-back dude work in the Test arena where space is at meets bone-crunching nemesis – has a premium. Against Scotland this year shown exactly the no-holdshe made 20 tackles and hit barred physicality required 30 rucks – no wonder Eddie to match the big Springbok Jones said Hill works forwards. A former Hartpury “underneath the road”. A Odds for College star, Hill comes powerful scrummager, Hill Test team 7-1 from a farming background often smashes high and hard Age 27 (8 June 1994) in contact but will need to and once wanted to be an Club Exeter Chiefs auctioneer. Now he’s bidding stay the right side of legality.

Size 6ft 7in & 17st 7lb for a Lions Test place.

England caps Nine TE ST P R OS P E CTS England pts Five (1T) As a relative newcomer to WH Y SE L E CT E D Instagram Hill has everything in his international rugby, he’s seen @jonnyhill01 locker. He can maraud in as a long shot to play in the

THE FACTS

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series, particularly given the depth of second-row talent at the Lions’ disposal.

D I D YO U KN OW ?

Hill toured South Africa with England in 2018, sitting on the bench for the Cape Town Test. He suffered illness on tour and lost weight. “I spent three weeks on the toilet from some dodgy biltong.”

G EO R DA N M U RP HY SAYS “You see him do the nuts and bolts and physicality for Exeter on a weekly basis.

He’s a quality lineout operator and it will help his combination with Cowan-Dickie.

I thought Jonny Gray might have made it in and Hill is a big call to tour.”

Lions Squad 2021

MARO ITOJE LOCK that ability to be in their faces amid a ferocious battle. Intelligent on the field and off, you feel that Itoje has to tear it up if the Lions are to win the series.

Stretching the point Itoje was England’s top lineout winner in this year’s Six Nations

TE ST P RO SP E C TS A certainty. You’d need to go a long way to find somebody who’d say otherwise.

D I D YO U KN OW? When he was at school at Harrow, Itoje would tell his mates that his biggest dream was to play rugby for England.

“I thought he was deluded,” said his house-mate Dom Ivison. Not quite.

THE FACTS A colossus of English rugby and a serial winner who must have gone very close to being tour captain. Premiership titles, European Cups, Six Nations crowns, he’s packed a lot into 26 years. Perhaps it was poor discipline in the Six Nations that mitigated against him leading the tour. One of the great forwards of the

world game and a huge force in New Zealand in 2017.

W HY S EL E C TED It’s going to take a lot to live with all the behemoths in the Springbok pack and Itoje has that hardness, that presence,

Odds for Test team 1-14 Age 26 (28 Oct 1994) Club Saracens Size 6ft 6in & 17st 4lb England caps 48 (3T) Lions caps Three Instagram @maroitoje

GEO R DA N MUR P H Y SAYS “When you talk about powerful and athletic men, he is up there with the best I’ve seen. I was disappointed with his Six Nations; he was rusty and gave away too many penalties. But he is just hungry to be part of a successful team and his selection is a no-brainer.”

COURTNEY L AWES LOCK Chest pain Lawes’s Six Nations was cut short by a pectoral injury

Carrying, hitting rucks and in particular blowing out of the defensive line, a monster. He just needs to recapture his best with almost no rugby (and a fair bit of surgery) this season.

T EST P R O SP EC TS Likely to be a bridge too far. But his ability to play in the second-row or at six, and be more than reliable in the lineout, could make him a midweek king.

D I D YOU KN OW ?

In Lawes’s two Lions Test appearances in 2017, he came on to replace Alun Wyn Jones. And his only Test try to date was scored against South Africa in 2016.

THE FACTS What a way to make it. The 37th man in the squad – an extra name on the original list of 36, adding some £100k to the tour bill – Lawes had only played four games of rugby this season before the call-up. And he didn’t get an email telling him he was in the running due to a clerical error! But with 87 England

caps, two Lions Tests and a 14-year career with the Saints, we all know what Lawes’s game is about.

WH Y S EL EC TED At his best, Lawes is an earth-shuddering force.

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Odds for Test team 2-1 Age 32 (23 Feb 1989) Club Northampton Size 6ft 7in & 18st 2lb England caps 87 (1T) Lions caps Two Instagram @bigcourts89

G EO R DA N M U R P H Y SAYS “He’s there for his potential for destruction. I didn’t see his selection coming because of injury, but that is a selection based on what he can do and has done for Gatland in the past.”

“Jac k h a s go t o o dle s o f s k i ll. F o r a b ig m an , h e’s l ike a b a l le rin a o n h i s f ee t” Jamie Heaslip

J AC K C O N A N B AC K- R O W Twenty caps in six years is not a huge WH Y SEL E C TE D return but injuries have not helped The Lions coaches have spoken about Conan’s cause – and when he does get going round, not through, the Boks and a shot he makes an impact. Take this the No 8 selection is the epitome of that, year’s Ireland v England with Conan, Taulupe Faletau match, when he set up one and Sam Simmonds all try and scored another in known for their softer skills. the first half. Throw in a The Leinsterman may not be Odds for 100% tackle rate and more as big as a Billy Vunipola or Test team 7-1 metres than some of the Duane Vermeulen, but he Age 28 (29 Jul 1992) can change his angle close backs, and it was an Province Leinster impressive showing at the to contact to break tackles.

Size 6ft 4in & 17st 11lb end of the Six Nations. Then Ireland caps 20 the following week he was T EST P ROS P EC TS Ireland pts 35 (7T) Man of the Match as Leinster He’s arguably going in as the Instagram beat Munster to wrap up third-choice No 8 and the @jack.conan yet another Pro14 title.

Lions may position more bulk

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on the bench, so the chances of a cap look remote at present.

DI D YO U K NOW? Gaelic Football was Conan’s first love and he says: “When I hang up my rugby boots I’ll probably go back and play with Kilmac (Kilmacanogue). I started when I was six or seven and played until 17.”

GE O R DA N M UR P H Y SAYS “He is very, very impressive. You watch him play and he is so athletic. He gets over the gain-line and does so much very, very well. There is a plethora of back-row talent at Leinster but I never doubted his squad selection.”

Lions Squad 2021

T O M C U R RY B AC K- R O W making tackles, but he’s become a more prominent ball-carrier and is a lineout option too. Plus, Eddie Jones has talked of him becoming “a real leader”.

TE ST P R O SP E C TS A strong contender. The back row is about balance and while many feel it’s a shootout between Curry’s physicality and the more silky skills of Justin Tipuric at seven, the Lions could field both.

D ID YO U KNOW ?

Not only does Curry’s twin brother Ben play with him at Sale but former England hooker John Olver is their uncle and ex-Northampton Saint Sam Olver their cousin.

Run of form Curry was arguably England’s best player in the Six Nations

Curry got his big break four years ago, while the Lions were in NZ. He won his first cap against Argentina five days before his 19th birthday, making him England’s youngest forward since 1912.

He is now a mainstay in England’s back row, playing at six, seven and eight, was a standout in their RWC 2019 run and

THE FACTS was one of the few wearing white to emerge from the recent Six Nations in credit.

W H Y S E LE CT E D Curry is known for his relentlessness in defence, disrupting breakdowns and

Odds for Test team 8-15 Age 22 (15 Jun 1998) Club Sale Sharks Size 6ft 1in & 17st 4lb England caps 33 England pts 20 (4T) Instagram @thomascurry_7

G EO R DA N M U RP H Y SAYS “The big question is who starts at seven? Tom’s been exceptional for England for the last few years, and his physicality and ability to get around the park makes that fight really interesting.”

TA U LU P E FA L E TA U B AC K- R O W and at his best – using footwork, tying play together and popping up in the right place at the right time, constantly – he can be the best in the business.

Big hitter Faletau made the most tackles (76) on the 2017 Lions tour

TE ST P R O S P EC TS He is the red-hot favourite to start at No 8 against the Boks, and he could always shift over to six if needs be.

D ID YO U KNOW? In Wales’ recent win against England, Faletau made more ball-carries than anyone else, with 18 (for 122m). He was also third in both the carries (66) and tackle (77) charts for the Six Nations as a whole.

THE FACTS He was there for the series clincher against Australia in 2013, displacing Jamie Heaslip, and was undroppable against New Zealand in 2017: Faletau has thrived on Lions tours. His fitness has been patchy in recent years, but he is a player team-mates rave about, from the Dragons to Wales to Bath.

WH Y S E L EC TE D Experience is a hell of a commodity, particularly with a tour so distorted by a pandemic, when team harmony may be harder to forge with restrictions.

Faletau has that in spades 77

Odds for Test team 1-12 Age 30 (12 Nov 1990) Club Bath Size 6ft 2in & 19st 1lb Wales caps 86 (8T) Lions caps Four (1T) Instagram @tobyfaletau

G EO R DA N MU R P H Y SAYS “He had a solid Six Nations and his form for Bath has been very good. His ability to run at soft shoulders and keep the ball alive is hugely impressive. He’s likely to get a starting Test spot at No 8 for me.”

“ Sa m’s in f lu en ce o n the ga m e o v er a nu m ber o f yea r s h a s bee n o ff t h e c ha r t ” Ugo Monye

S A M S I M M O N D S B AC K- R O W The headline-making selection due to many talents. A phenomenal runner in his long absence from the England team the open spaces, his leg drive and – his last cap was in March 2018. Since upper-body strength make him a mighty then Simmonds has added both weight weapon in the maul and from short-range and physicality to his game drives. He’s strong over the without any loss of speed. ball and his tackle numbers The 2019-20 European show he is just as effective Player of the Year, he surfed defensively as in attack. And Odds for into the squad on a wave of his try-scoring is ridiculous.

Test team 2-1 global support – Dan Carter, Age 26 (10 Nov 1994) T EST P ROS P EC TS Ardie Savea and Jerome Club Exeter Chiefs Kaino were among those Denied the benefit of a Six Size 6ft & 16st 9lb to send congratulations.

Nations platform, Simmonds England caps Seven concedes that he’s a bolter.

England pts Ten (2T) But plenty of those down the W HY S E LE C T E D Instagram He’s overcome a ruptured years have played a major @samsimmonds7 ACL to become a man of role come the Test series.

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DI D YO U K NOW? His hat-trick at London Irish broke some Premiership records: the most tries in a season (19) and fastest to score 50 – he did it in 66 games, 12 fewer than Christian Wade. Simmonds took 4,244 minutes to net his 50 tries, more than 1,000 minutes quicker than next-best Tom Varndell.

GE O R DA N M UR P H Y SAYS “You don’t score so many tries without being quality. For pure power and explosiveness, there aren’t many in the game who can compete. If he came off the bench for the last 30 minutes of a Test match, you’d expect him to get over the try-line. Such an exciting player.”

Lions Squad 2021

J U S T I N T I P U R I C B AC K- R O W Test openside in 2017, once called Tipuric the “complete player”.

TE ST P R O SP E C TS Many predict a back row of Tom Curry, Tadhg Beirne and Taulupe Faletau.

The competition is savage but a flying Tipuric will surely see some Test action.

D ID YO U KNOW ?

He hails from Croatian stock. Grandfather Dragotin Tipuric was a prisoner of war and ended up in Trebanos. Dragotin was a mighty man, it seems, a coalminer who used to wrestle young Justin.

Racing certainty Tipuric on his way to a try against England

A Grand Slam winner in 2019 and a Six Nations title winner in 2021, Tipuric is now a three-time Lion having played under Warren Gatland in Australia (one cap off the bench) and New Zealand.

W H Y SE LE C T ED The Ospreys captain is one of the fastest

THE FACTS and most skilful flankers out there. A lithe lineout jumper, his breakdown work, support play and defence is of a very high order – he made a chart-topping 82 tackles in the 2021 Six Nations, missing only one. Sean O’Brien, the

Odds for Test team 2-1 Age 31 (6 Aug 1989) Region Ospreys Size 6ft 2in & 16st Wales caps 85 Wales pts 50 (10T) Lions caps One

G EO R DA N M U RP H Y SAYS “I know Sam Warburton rates him as a midfielder! He has the ability to do anything with ball in hand. I always think of his amazing line breaks and chipping the ball to chase himself. It will be interesting to see how he gets on in the midweek games, as I didn’t see him in the Test team.”

H A M I S H WAT S O N B AC K- R O W 22-minute cameo. A supreme jackler, he didn’t concede a penalty in the 2021 Six Nations. John Barclay said: “I don’t think you can say enough good about him.”

TE ST P R O S P EC TS Currently behind Tom Curry in the pecking order but he could easily turn those preconceptions upside down.

D ID YO U KNOW? Watson co-founded sports headwear company Rex Club with his brother Gus after a trip to New York in 2013.

They were struck by how much team merchandise the New York Giants fans wore.

Glutton for punishment Watson made 67 carries for Scotland during the Six Nations

One of the unluckiest omissions in 2017, Watson removed all trace of doubt over this year’s squad selection by storming to the Guinness Player of the Six Nations accolade. The England-born flanker thus finally gets a fitting stage for his talents having only started one World Cup match because of injury.

THE FACTS WH Y S E L EC TE D Watson has had to brush off daft talk that he’s too small to square up to the Boks. He’s a bruising tackler and often powers through contact as a ball-carrier – in 2019, he beat ten Welsh defenders in a 79

Odds for Test team 2-1 Age 29 (15 Oct 1991) Club Edinburgh Size 6ft 1in & 16st 6lb Scotland caps 41 Scotland pts 25 (5T) Instagram @hamishwatson07

G EO R DA N MU R P H Y SAYS “The form forward of the Six Nations. People have spoken about his size but he’s not exactly small! His work-rate is key and he’s added carrying ability. A good tackler and gets over the ball well. Will it be him or Curry at seven?” n

Interview Alan Pearey // Pictures Getty Images

SPOTLIGHT ON

HARRY R ANDALL The Bristol No 9 talks belief, box kicking and mad Bears ahead of the play-offs

Age 23 (18 Dec 1997) Born Slough, Berkshire Club Bristol Bears Position Scrum-half Height 5ft 7in Weight 11st 7lb Twitter @hazrandall9

Dart charge Randall rips through the Wasps defence

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HE EXCITEMENT is tangible at Bristol as they aim to become English champions for the first time. Harry Randall, their electric scrum-half, talks through his journey from grass-roots Welsh rugby to the cusp of an England cap…

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tries, it’s the hard work up front that gives the backs their chance.

I was gutted to leave England’s Six Nations camp. I was there for two-and-a-half weeks, then picked up an injury in training. It was massively beneficial to be around the best players in England and learn from them. I had some good conversations with Ben Youngs, enjoyed learning from someone who’s been there and done it all.

I was out six weeks with a torn ankle ligament. I recovered well and played about ten minutes in Bordeaux. But I fell awkwardly on my shoulder, tearing two ligaments, which put me out again.

I’m a ChallengeAid ambassador.

My old (Llandovery) coach Iestyn Thomas heads it up. It’s a good charity (that encourages schools to fundraise via sport to provide Schools of Hope in East Africa) and something I’m ambitious about.

I coach a local side in Bristol, St Brendan’s. I’m really enjoying that, they’re a great bunch of lads.

You can’t predict your future, so it’s good to have that experience in coaching for life after rugby.

Antoine Dupont has taken the No 9 benchmark to a new level.

Then you’ve got Faf de Klerk, who’s an unbelievable player, a ferocious little nine. He plays a different way to Dupont. They’re players who I learn off. And Aaron Smith is vocal on social media, he posts videos on how he’s training, so I can steal some ideas off him.

The way I play naturally leans towards smaller players like Faf de Klerk. But I learn off other nines as well. During lockdown, I looked at the way Conor Murray kicks because he rarely gets charged down, he gets back quite far. It’s something I’ve worked on.

Faf defensively is one of the best nines in the world, so it’s nice to watch how he reads the game and his decisions in defence. He’s a ball of energy and that’s what all good nines bring, that buzz.

I’d love the opportunity to play for England this summer. But my priority is knuckling down and getting back to what I was before my injuries. I need to play a string of games and hopefully get back into form and build my fitness up going into the back end of the season. The priority for the Bears is putting our best foot forward to try to win the Premiership. n

M Y TOP 3S

We’re not short of rugby in my family. My dad, Joby, played for Wasps Colts and Slough. My older brothers, Jake and Charlie, played Wales age grade, and my sister

Bethany played. We have our own family business, J Randall Roofing.

We moved to Wales when I was four. From five years old, I had a ball in my hands, it was always a dream to play. Tycroes RFC was where it all started. I played a tiny bit on the wing but once I got in at scrum-half I never changed.

Will Genia and Aaron Smith were an inspiration to me through my teen years. They were the main two I loved watching. And I really enjoyed watching Ben Youngs and Danny Care as well.

At 15 and 16, I played for Scarlets age groups. I was at Llandovery College, I loved my time there.

Then I decided to go to Hartpury College, to change things up a bit, and it worked out for the best.

I loved every minute at Hartpury.

You had that freedom to play what’s on and it’s similar at Bristol.

We’ve got our systems in place to play what’s on and it gives us that freedom to go and stress teams.

Teams look at us and think what on earth are we doing? To them it’s madness but we think there is a method to the madness. We know what we’re trying to do out there. Sometimes you adapt, you might slow it down. It’s about the leaders on the pitch controlling the tempo to our advantage.

Box kicking has been a massive work-on for me. I’m constantly working on technique and putting myself under pressure to get the best outcome I can. Premiership rugby demands accurate kicking, passing, reading of the game – everything. It makes you consider what areas to keep improving to take your game to the next level.

We believe we have the ability and game plan to beat any team in the world. That’s the belief we have. It’s just about executing on the day. We’ve lost games where we didn’t execute the game plan to the best of our ability, like that Champions Cup last-16 game in Bordeaux. But the belief is there.

We’ve got the ability to win the Premiership, it’s about preparing well and having the right mindset.

I love playing with Stevie Luatua.

Each time he rocks up he’s a great captain. I could say he’s our Player of the Year every year because what he brings is unbelievable.

Dave Attwood has been excellent this year too. It’s not necessarily the players who score the fancy

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STEPHEN JONES Ru gby’s most ou t s p o ke n an d inf luent ial journalist

“The A games are the missing part of the Euro jigsaw” A feast of international rugby is being served up this summer.

Stephen Jones looks ahead to the July Tests and explains why he particularly welcomes the return of the A team fixture…

HE LAST weekend of June should be an absolute cracker.

Not only are there three games of weighty significance but, barring a late comeback from the pandemic, there will be fans present in decent numbers. We know already since fans returned that even 5,000 can make the noise of 20,000 in the sheer exultations of relief at being back at the altars of the sport.

On Saturday 26 June, the British & Irish Lions come out for the first

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time for four years to play Japan at BT Murrayfield. On the same day, the two combatants in the Gallagher Premiership final – the favourites to reach that are Exeter Chiefs and Bristol Bears, although with plenty of chance of upsets in the semi-finals. And then on the Sunday, England A play Scotland A at Welford Road.

And do you know what? I would put that A game right up there in significance. The A games have been the missing part of the Euro jigsaw; they have been the 82

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forgotten aid to selection and preparation for the top teams, and an unheeded chance to bring in revenue ever since the Six Nations for A teams petered out.

We will get back to that shortly.

The rugby flows on into high summer. Pre-Covid, all sorts of sacred promises were made by Tier One nations to play Tier Two nations; hardly any of the promises were ever kept, and the Tier Two teams therefore entered World Cups way below their best simply because they had not

Raising their game 2021 Lions Jack Conan and Maro Itoje in a Wolfhounds v Saxons game in 2015

Stephen Jones played enough (or indeed any) tough games. But look what has happened now the major unions have time to fill while the Lions are away – Japan, Canada, USA, Fiji, Tonga, Romania and Georgia will all be in action against Tier One opposition in the coming weeks.

Granted, as usual, it is the Tier One teams who will be playing at home and coining it. We can forgive them should they share the gates in reasonable percentage with their visitors and also because many of the potential away venues are in countries struck by Covid.

So what a treat. Japan, after they have played the Lions, will take on Ireland.

The USA will be playing England and Ireland. Canada will play Wales and England. Georgia will be playing a two-match series against South Africa to warm up the Springboks for the Lions. And Argentina will play in Cardiff against Wales.

Good for bonnie old Scotland. They’re actually playing away against Romania and Georgia, which is courageous and quite right. Although they will be weakened by their relatively massive Lions contingent, they’re beating a path and not just sitting smugly in Edinburgh waiting for opponents to turn up.

Again, you hope that the matches are treated properly, that a bunch of non-shaving youngsters are not simply bunged in for the sake of it. The calls

for Marcus Smith of Harlequins to be given the No 10 jersey for the England games will no doubt become deafening and in part with good reason because, as a front-foot attacking player, he has definite strengths.

However, if anyone has taken in the really major club games over the past three years, they might decide that the more relevant choice is Joe Simmonds, of Exeter, who has a maturity way beyond his years and a durability and tenacity that is more in keeping with a looming international career than his rivals. Yet Eddie Jones hasn’t been very keen to choose anyone from the Simmonds family; how embarrassing to

time together to get sorted, and they will also have some of the fruits of what has been a remarkably successful season in Major League Rugby, in defiance of the pandemic and of the sheer size of America.

There is something that might be deemed typically American about the whole thing – bold, pioneering, a little brash and courageous. They deserve all the success that the competition has had and significantly there have been an incredible number of close games.

A galaxy of potential Eagles has come through, Gold is now bringing players in who are battled-hardened, whereas far too many Eagles before have been palpably unused to harsh level-one competition.

It will also be marvellous to welcome back Rob Howley to our rugby in Europe in his role as assistant coach of Canada. Howley, who went through mental torture at the sad loss of his sister and then a resultant rash of betting on rugby, is a wonderfully decent human being and an excellent coach, well deserving of the second chance he has been granted by the rugby world.

Canada have been one of the casualties of Test rugby in the past ten to 12 years. Their players aren’t coming through at anything remotely like the required rate; Howley is up against it and needs to rediscover that old Canadian

“ We’ l l un ders tan d f ar m or e a bo u t t he s ta te o f the Tie r T wo na t i o ns”

Gathering momentum Scotland’s Blair Kinghorn en route to a try against Georgia last year

see Sam Simmonds playing so gloriously for Exeter and going on the Lions tour.

The opposition will also be fascinating.

Fiji and Tonga both play the All Blacks in New Zealand, and it will be fascinating to see if they can gather their best players around them, especially up front, to do themselves justice.

However, for me, the most fascinating team of all will be the USA. They are always as undercooked as a blue steak when they come to the World Cup but under the splendid coaching of Gary Gold, they could be in business this time. They have two fixtures and some

Stephen Jones Flying Eagle USA centre Bryce Campbell crosses England’s line at RWC 2019

MAIN IMAGE James Crombie/Inpho. PICS Getty Images

spirit of the days of Norm Hadley, Gordon McKinnon, Gareth Rees and the rest. They play Wales and England – not easy, but what an opportunity.

To be fair to the individual unions and World Rugby, who have worked together on drawing up the summer fixture list, they have managed to create a network of games to draw back some of the lost finances, and also some of the lost opportunities to play this type of match.

The fact that the Lions are away will not be a drawback, because that might even up the stakes just a little. The hard grounds may be a worry, because while we want to see tries and attacking play, what we do not want to see is basketball played on surfaces of the texture of a motorway.

We shall see. We will understand at the end of the summer far more about the state of rugby in the Tier Two nations, the teams Vocal range we have always Argentina play two treasured. We may Tests against Wales know a little more about the home nations teams – that will depend on whether the opposition can be deemed of sufficient quality to judge.

And we will also see an A fixture.

No barmy labels. But just a concept really worth bringing back into the mainstream. You don’t have to be particularly old to remember those great days when A fixtures provided the final selection push for so many players.

Generations of players throughout the home nations proved their worth in A games – they used to be played on the Friday afternoon before Tests in Dublin, Cardiff and Twickenham; or on the Friday evenings in Edinburgh and the Saturday mornings of Paris Internationals. They were always played within reach of the main game so that followers could pour into the city, take in a light Friday lunch – or a heavy Friday lunch – and watch top-quality sport as a prelude to the big event the next day.

Wonderful. You can also remember large crowds, money-spinners.

Without A games, selection in many ways has become a morass and you feel that England, for example, with so many professional players available, would have made a far better fist of things had they employed a sifting process through the A team.

Before we move on, let us define an A team. It is not a bunch of misfit rugby

preposterous reason that it might hint at some kind of latent racism. If that is your view then you are welcome to it, but what is to be truly celebrated is the lack of a label bunged on by the marketeers which is useless and embarrassing and meaningless.

England Bulldogs? England Winstons?

England Fishnchips? I don’t think so. infants just out of their short trousers. It Scotland have also resisted the is not a vehicle for random selection or temptation of a label – the Claymores, speculation. It should, once you have the Kilts, the Whisky-Guzzlers? None. deducted the first-team squad and If both teams are true to the real replacements, be strictly the next player concept of A games, they will learn in line for the national team, aged 20 an awful lot on that Sunday afternoon or 38, a full-blooded second team. in Leicester later this month.

In so many countries – England in That will be a prelude, surely, to particular – they discussions for make the foolish a full Six Nations error of bigging up of A games – and the U20 team as an again, don’t bother aid to selection; they spreading them have made more bad out across the selections through country just to that policy than the pay some sort of The home nations’ fixtures average game of bogus homage to Sun 27 June Russian Roulette. outposts. Keep England A v Scotland A The moment that them where the Sat 3 July you start messing fans will be. Bring Ireland v Japan around with the sanity to selection.

Wales v Canada concept is the This is the season Sun 4 July moment you leave that never ends.

England v USA behind fans and When the 2021-22 Sat 10 July television and likely campaign begins, England v Canada sponsors. Stage it as we can all settle Ireland v USA a genuine second down again. Until Romania v Scotland Six Nations and then, everyone is Wales v Argentina then you land it. flying by the seat Sat 17 July England have also, of their pants and Georgia v Scotland thank goodness, for the next few Wales v Argentina dumped the Saxons months it should label. Apparently, be a pleasurable See The Directory on P8-9 for all July Test details. this was done for the experience. n

SUMMER SCHEDULE

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2009 Tour

BOK IN TIME Words Albert Heenop // Main Picture Duif du Toit/Gallo Images/Getty Images

The last time the Lions visited South Africa, it was the hosts celebrating.

Three key figures in that series win share their memories

Spring in their step Morné Steyn is mobbed after his late match-winner 86

2009 Tour

DESPERATE TRY in the corner, a conversion from the touchline and a 52m penalty. That is what decided the 2009 British & Irish Lions series in South Africa.

The final score in the second Test at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria was 28-25 to the Springboks, giving them an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series. The aggregate points tally was actually 74-63 in the Lions’ favour after they comfortably won the final fixture, but that could not alter the result of the series itself.

That middle Test was brutal and intense, dramatic and controversial.

Turn over for the memories of three members of the South Africa set-up who played a significant role in conquering the men in red…

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2009 Tour

Fine margins Fourie scores in the corner

THE COACH

PICS Getty Images & PA

Before looking at the second Test of that Lions series specifically, it’s worth setting the scene of South African rugby at that time. Peter de Villiers was appointed in 2008, becoming the Springboks’ first black coach. He was taking over from Jake White, who had guided the Boks to a World Cup win the previous year.

After finishing bottom of the log in the 2008 Tri-Nations, the Springboks were able to steady the ship on their tour of the UK at the end of the year when a comprehensive 42-6 defeat of England at Twickenham followed consecutive wins against Wales and Scotland.

“Our poor performances in the Tri-Nations were due to a variety of

Yellow fellow Burger is sin-binned

factors,” de Villiers says. “First of all, a World Cup-winning coach had to be replaced. That, in itself, was a tall order.

In addition, Oregan Hoskins (then SA Rugby president) publicly stated that my appointment as Bok coach ‘did not take into account only rugby reasons’. Those words would haunt me for a long time.

“Naturally, there were established players who believed I would radically transform the team into a predominantly black one. These were external factors that, initially at least, caused a distinct lack of trust between players and coach.

“To make matters worse, I enjoyed hardly any support from the local media in the way that they wrote about me; there was a level of racism involved.

I was convinced that a certain segment of the media wanted me to fail.

“So we were up against all sorts of odds, and it required a bit of patching and stitching to eventually establish some relationship and a level of trust within the squad. This meant that we were able to embark on the end-of-year tour with a fresh mindset, and that was terrific for the morale of the team.”

De Villiers recognised that the Lions would present a very different challenge 88

to those the Boks had faced the previous November. The Lions had won only two series in South Africa over the previous century, but they had beaten the Boks on their most recent visit in 1997.

“The Lions are an upgrade of the four home unions. The shortcomings of one team are supplemented by the strengths of another. The entire (South Africa) squad, from physiotherapist to player No 33, shared the same goal. It makes a massive difference when everyone is fighting for the same goal. It’s something I learnt during the apartheid years; if there is one common goal, everybody has to stand together, everyone has to pull in the same direction.”

They achieved that goal, yet even after South Africa had clinched the series by winning the second Test in Pretoria, there was controversy. Schalk Burger had been sin-binned in the first minute of the match for gouging Lions wing Luke Fitzgerald and was subsequently banned for eight weeks. De Villiers publicly backed the flanker and copped heavy flak for doing so, his comments about buying tutus and taking up ballet if people didn’t like rugby’s physicality making headlines around the world.

2009 Tour series triumph. Yet he had found himself in an unfamiliar position in the team.

Having established himself as South Africa’s first-choice outside-centre for the 2007 World Cup, Fourie was among the replacements for the Lions series.

“Following the World Cup in 2007, I had to undergo a procedure on both my groins,” Fourie explains. “I had sustained ‘Gilmore’s Groin’ and the operation sidelined me for six months.

“It was tough having to start off the bench; Peter had taken over as coach and he obviously had his personal preferences. Since I had returned from injury, though, I accepted I had to prove myself from the bench, and Adrian Jacobs started the first two Tests against the Lions in the No 13 jersey.”

Fourie made his entrance into the cauldron that was Loftus Versfeld around the hour mark, with South Africa trailing 22-18. Barely 20 minutes later, he scored the vital try in the corner.

“Everything happened so quickly,” he says. “From a lineout, Morné (Steyn) and I attempted a scissors movement, but in the process I got an opponent’s finger stuck in my eye. I was still rubbing my blurred eye when the ball came back

“The ultimate challenge” Morné Steyn kicks the winning penalty as Frans Steyn looks on “I was aware I couldn’t bank on the support of either the SA Rugby Union or local media,” says de Villiers. “However, I felt I had to defend Schalk; if the players saw that, they would stand up for each other too. Besides, I knew the character of my players; aggression was one of Schalk’s trademarks, but to deliberately poke his finger into an opponent’s eye…

That was too cheap for Schalk.”

THE TRY-SCORER Moving on to the match itself, it was Jaque Fourie’s try in the 74th minute of that second Test that paved the way for the Boks’

my way. JP Pietersen handled and Heinrich Brüssow flung the final pass to me, right on touch. Fortunately, (Ronan) O’Gara had just got off the ground from making a previous tackle, so I simply smashed across him to score.”

THE MATCH-WINNER Morné Steyn was earning only his second cap when he came on as a substitute in Pretoria, but he sniped like a seasoned marksman.

First came the conversion of Fourie’s try from the touchline. “Jaque’s try was simply incredible; very few guys would have been able to score that try, with 89

virtually no space to work with,” Steyn says. “Since the try was basically scored right on the corner flag, the angle of the kick was extremely difficult. The fact that there were still five minutes left added even more pressure; missing wasn’t exactly an option.

“Fortunately it was at my home ground, Loftus, so I was used to the surroundings, and I managed to convert.”

Stephen Jones subsequently knocked over his fifth penalty of the match to lock the scores at 25-25 going into the final moments. Then came the penalty award at the death after Ronan O’Gara tackled Fourie du Preez in the air. What precisely went through Steyn’s mind when the decisive penalty was given to his team, two metres inside their own half and with no time left on the clock?

“That’s the type of moment that any kicker worth his salt lives for,” Steyn says. “It’s the ultimate challenge.”

Interestingly enough, it was not a foregone conclusion that he would take that last-ditch, long-distance kick.

Another Steyn, full-back Frans, was renowned for possessing a boot that could bang over kicks from well beyond the halfway line and skipper John Smit was still agonising over the decision of who should take the kick when the rookie, Morné Steyn, simply took the ball from him and started placing it.

“The thing is, when I replaced Ruan Pienaar in the second half I also assumed the kicking responsibilities,” he explains. “And I knew that kick was within my range. I had practised so often, I was fully aware of my limits on the field. Besides, with all the adrenaline pumping, distance would never have posed a problem.

“Folks ask me whether I’m aware of the noise of the crowd, and the massive east stand was painted red on the day with thousands of British supporters.

Yes, one is aware of the crowd, yet you simply focus on what you’ve practised for hours on end, day in, day out. You practise it a thousand times and, like riding a bike, it reaches a stage where you can almost do it with your eyes shut. All the repetition creates a rhythm.

“The thrilling thing about kicking is that one instantly knows whether it is a good kick or not, and Andries Bekker hoisted me in the air long before the ball had cleared the crossbar!

“Someone who has never played rugby or participated in sport will not know the feeling; it’s something that one can’t describe to someone who hasn’t been in that moment.”

Will there be such drama in the 2021 Lions series? We shall soon find out! n

Fly-halves

WORDS JACOB WHITEHEAD MAIN PICTURE TOM JENKINS/GETTY IMAGES

Is fly-half still rugby’s most important position?

No 10s have long been hailed, like Jonny Wilkinson here, but the modern stand-off’s role is changing. Rugby World reports

T’S REMARKABLE how much a line and a circle on a player’s back can signify. For decades, the fly-half has been a tactical, attacking and emotional focal point, carving the unshaped clay of their team-mates into a sculpture made in their own image. Successful teams are remembered by their ten. Sit back and listen to the roll call: Kyle, John, Bennett, Porta, Fox, Lynagh, Stransky, Larkham, Wilkinson, Carter…

They inspired a generation of modern fly-halves, as Toulouse’s Zack Holmes remembers: “Larkham, Wilkinson and Carter, they were the big fly-halves when I was growing up. They were the talisman of the team. They touched the ball a lot, probably the most of anyone, and their involvement drew me to the position, the responsibility of it. You just got involved in the game all the time.”

Yet the power of the all-controlling fly-half didn’t necessarily always lead to the greatest spectacle. Wasps fly-half/ centre Jimmy Gopperth says: “We used to see ten-man rugby, especially

I

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Fly-halves

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Fly-halves when the weather was poor, and we had to do that a bit when I was at Newcastle. It was forwards and then give it to the ten – he’ll kick it down and then the forwards will go again. Back in the day, you got scores of 6-3, 9-6, and it was a grind. It was ten-man rugby.”

It’s a far cry from the current iteration of the Premiership, which is shaping up to be one of the highest-scoring seasons in history – and is demonstrating why the fly-half may no longer be crucial.

Take Bristol Bears, who possess one of the most swaggering attacks to have graced the competition in recent years.

Attack coach Conor McPhillips, who played throughout the Noughties, believes teams now need to avoid such a dependency on a single position.

“Defences are now much better,” McPhillips explains. “I think that’s the influence of the mid-to-early 2000s, when a lot of rugby league defence

coaches came in, meaning line speed and collisions became much quicker and harder. Some teams have been really reliant on their tens, but for us we don’t want the Bears to be reliant on one player. All it takes is for that one player to be injured for six months and then the walls come tumbling down.”

Instead, a wealth of teams now play with second receivers in their back-line.

England favour a ten-12 axis of George Ford and Owen Farrell; New Zealand boast Richie Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett in a ten-15 combination. Fewer and fewer international sides play solely through ten. This isn’t just a story of fly-halves but of full-backs and centres.

Will Hooley plays full-back for Saracens and the USA but began his rugby life as a fly-half. For him, moving to the backfield isn’t a shift away from the playmaking role but merely allows him to see things from a different perspective.

Zack attack Holmes, here in kicking mode, talks of Toulouse playing with “chaos”

“I always had this image in my head that I should be like Jason Robinson, stepping people for fun,” he tells Rugby World. “But after speaking to (Saracens backs coach) Kevin Sorrell, I realised the natural attributes of a fly-half – seeing space, being able to communicate – sit brilliantly at full-back. I can see even more space, give even more communication to fly-halves.

“How can you come up with a plan to rip teams apart? Ultimately, I believe that it’s by having two playmakers on the pitch. I think you’d struggle to find any team now who doesn’t have that.

“At Saracens, you see the likes of Alex Goode or Max Malins step into ten while Owen Farrell is on the other side of the field. When you have two playmakers on the pitch, it’s another general, another set of eyes, taking pressure off the fly-half.”

Bath stand-off Tian Schoeman agrees, saying: “The fly-half is still obviously important because he needs to direct the team around the pitch. It just helps if he has a few cannons, not just the one.”

One castle full of cannons is Toulouse, where Holmes shares the ten jersey with Romain Ntamack and Thomas Ramos.

Holmes and Ntamack are adept at centre, with Ntamack winning two U20 World Cups from 12, while Ramos has started for France at full-back. Fly-half is possibly no longer a specialist position.

“When you look at traditionally attacking off ten, attacking off the forwards, it can be somewhat predictable,” says Holmes. “We prefer to play with more chaos, more disorder, to make it harder for the defence. You want to look at it in terms of lessening the burden on the ten and allowing multiple decision-makers opportunities to play in the shape, not just put all the decision-making process on the ten.”

In England fly-half Helena Rowland’s experience, the women’s game is going through an identical transition. “For the three teams I’ve played for – Saracens, Loughborough and England – we’ve tried to implement that ten-12 dual playmaker system,” she says. “Centres

“Decisive voice” Helena Rowland clears

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Double threat Jimmy Gopperth with Jacob Umaga in support are starting to think and play more like a fly-half but just wider out, splitting the pitch so you have a playmaker each side. A lot of the load has been taken off from a communication point of view, and coaches see value in having more than one person that can direct the game and step up in that first-receiver role.”

For Holmes, this could be permanent: “In my opinion, the way to make attack more dominant will diminish the role of the fly-half. A fly-half who touches the ball lots when other players don’t makes

Simmonds and Jacob Umaga, led their team to the big dance. So, is the age of the fly-half dead? Perhaps not quite yet.

Schoeman considers how expectations have changed, saying: “You sign a big fly-half for a lot of money and you expect magic, you know? You expect him to make the breaks, to be the pillar of the team. But if you come to the UK, it’s a chess match. It’s a strategic game where you try to outsmart the other guys.”

This perhaps reaches the heart of how the fly-half has evolved. Analyst Robbie

“ Th e w a y t o m a ke a tt ack m o r e do mi n an t w i l l di m i nis h th e r ole o f th e f l y - ha l f. Tea m s will l oo k t o ch a n g e t h e po in t o f at t ac k, to m ake t h e de fe nc e l e ss st abi lis ed ” Owen, better known as Squidge Rugby, has attracted a legion of fans on YouTube for his innovative interpretation of the current game and has puzzled over the exact role of the modern ten.

“Increasingly, the fly-half can be viewed as just one of the other backs, because so many teams are so system-led,” he says. “However, the ten is still making a lot of decisions, it’s just far less obvious.

Although they’re still an extremely important cog, it’s more to do with what they do when they don’t have the ball.

“They have a kind of vision which is incredibly important and are constantly involved in managing their team’s shape.

They’re almost a coach on the field a lot of the time and that’s crucial, not them providing flashy passes or little kicks.”

Owen picks out Ford, Simmonds and Bristol’s Callum Sheedy as particularly adept at fulfilling this new role, and McPhillips, Sheedy’s coach at Bristol, is in agreement. He considers the fly-half 93

PICS Getty Images

it easier to defend. Teams will look to change the point of attack, to make the defence less stabilised. That’s how I see rugby going forward.”

No longer the sole conduit of their side’s attacking games, other positions could easily be considered more crucial.

While at Leicester, Richard Cockerill said the highest-paid player should be the tighthead and the second highest his replacement. The importance of the set-piece means that lineout-calling locks might be most highly prized, or even a ball-winning openside.

According to Esportif Intelligence data, fly-half is no longer the highest-paid position in the Pro14 – locks now have the biggest salaries. And while tens are still the top earners in the Premiership and Top 14, those big-money signings at stand-off in the English league have traditionally struggled to fire their teams up the table. If you look at last season’s final, two homegrown fly-halves, Joe

the quarterback of the team, the player who needs to manipulate structures to ensure the attack is firing.

“I think it’s evolved for us,” says McPhillips. “Tens for us are in charge of the overall structure, but they’re listening to players around them in the game and using information given to them by the coaches in the week.

“Callum knows he isn’t the biggest, fastest, best kicker or passer, but through his alignment with the coaches and understanding of playing the Bears way, we talk about him being like that coach on the pitch.”

Modern attacks still place a heavy burden on the fly-half, but rather than being the system, in the mode of a Larkham, Wilkinson or Carter, it is their job to execute the system. They are less the builder of the back-line and more the architect, which comes with a unique set of mental challenges.

“Forgive us arrogant fly-halves,” Hooley says, “but fly-half is still one of, if not the hardest position on the pitch. I believe that fly-half is one of the most strenuous mental challenges in the game.”

While perhaps they are no longer specialists in terms of skill-set, with some props now capable of throwing flat 30m passes, fly-half remains a unique psychological challenge, as Rowland explains. “Although there might be a lot of people who can make a pass or make a decision, I don’t know how comfortable they are to do that phase-in, phase-out,” she says. “You’re meant to be a fly-half for a reason; it’s because you can step up in those situations and make the right decision. I’ve maybe struggled a bit with being that decisive voice, saying this is what we’re doing and why. I’m still learning now, and I think that’s where most of the pressure comes from.”

Modern rugby has seen the fly-half evolve a crucial skill. No longer do they have to touch the ball every phase, call every move or be the sole voice. Think of them instead as analysts with a killer pass or a coach with a deft boot. They’re an architect, designing structures. It’s not about putting the team on their back. That age has gone. It’s now about bringing the team inside their brain. n

Teamwork Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo’unga

Words Gavin Mortimer // Pictures Getty Images & Inpho

SPOTLIGHT ON

JULIEN MARCHAND The hooker has overcome setbacks to thrive for Toulouse and France

Age 26 (10 May 1995) Born Loures-Barousse Position Hooker Club Toulouse Height 5ft 11in Weight 17st France caps 14 Instagram handle @jumarchand_

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Making strides Marchand on the attack v England

Instead, the Toulouse hooker watched the World Cup at home, rebuilding the strength in his knee and dreaming of the day when he would win a third cap.

The opportunity came against England in February 2020. This time not only did Marchand start but he won, les Bleus producing their best performance for years.

Since then Marchand has been Fabien Galthié’s first-choice hooker, relegating Camille Chat to the understudy’s role.

Marchand says he’s “progressed little by little” since his debut.

After his knee injury he built back up better, adding muscle power to his 5ft 11in and 17st frame. He’s got a low centre of gravity and this season he’s been a jackal at the breakdown, getting his paws on opposition ball time and again.

“I haven’t worked especially on this area,” he says. “I’m working to improve all facets and don’t devote more time to one area over another. There are matches when I can’t steal any ball and others when I pinch two or three.”

Marchand is effusive in his praise of Galthié, the coach who has made him his No 1 hooker.

“He’s a brilliant technician who knows his rugby inside out, so it’s been very beneficial to work under him and all the staff.”

As for defence coach Shaun Edwards, Marchand says: “We’re lucky to have him. He’s brought a great work ethic to the squad.

He’s highly motivated and technically he’s a superb coach.

He’s also a great guy whose spirit and commitment are infectious.”

And his French? “He speaks very good French… in some words,” says Marchand, with a laugh. “At first he had a real accent and it was hard to understand but now it’s fine.”

The Six Nations was a mixed bag for France but the 26-year-old says: “We’re a young team so we must keep the positives, remember the spirit that we had during the weeks together. There are areas to work on, small details that need improving, and we must be demanding of each other.”

France’s resurgence has coincided with the re-emergence of Toulouse as a European force.

When Marchand made his debut in the Heineken Cup in 2014, the club was on the wane; rock-bottom 95

was reached in 2016-17 when they narrowly avoided relegation from the Top 14. Ugo Mola had replaced long-serving Guy Novès as coach and was undertaking a root-and-branch reform of the playing structure. The result of the quiet revolution is there to see.

Toulouse won the Top 14 title in 2018-19 and lifted a record fifth European Cup this year, although a ban for a dangerous tackle meant Marchand missed the final.

“I arrived at the club when I was 15, and there were players like (William) Servat, (Clément) Poitrenaud and (Thierry) Dusautoir in the squad,” says Marchand. “I’d watched them on TV and now had the opportunity to play alongside them. It was awe-inspiring and enriching. There was a great camaraderie and there still is with a new generation. We’re happy in each other’s company, whether at the club or away from rugby.”

As club captain Marchand has been taking English lessons in order to better communicate with referees during European games.

“I need to keep taking them.

My English isn’t great. During matches I understand (referees) but when you’re tired it’s hard to express clearly what I’m thinking.”

He’s also invested in a Toulouse restaurant with a couple of friends, a venture that has experienced challenging times of late with Covid lockdowns. Marchand will tough it out, however, as he did the setbacks in his early career.

He played his junior rugby at Montréjeau, a small town at the gateway to the Pyrenees. He joined the club aged eight, a shy but energetic boy whose first sporting love was football.

In 2009 the then 14-year-old was recruited by Toulouse but he broke his knee in his first season.

Four years later, having moved from No 8 to hooker, he was playing for France U20.

When Marchand arrived as a youngster at Toulouse, Servat wore the No 2 jersey and when he was selected in the French squad Guilhem Guirado was top dog, with Chat expected to be his successor. Marchand has since made the shirt his own and he is on his way to becoming one of the world’s best hookers.

France will hope he peaks at the 2023 World Cup. n

M Y T OP 3

ULIEN MARCHAND did not enjoy the most auspicious start to his Test career. His debut was off the bench against Fiji in November 2018.

France suffered an historic defeat.

His second cap came against Wales in the 2019 Six Nations.

France were 16 points to the good at half-time but lost 24-19, and Marchand was carried off on a stretcher after tearing his knee ligaments. Bang went his chances of enjoying the autumn in Japan.

P L AY E R S FRÉDÉRIC MICHALAK “He was the big name when I was a kid, the Jonny Wilkinson for us French” LUKE McALISTER “I liked the way Luke played the game, always good to watch” THIERRY DUSAUTOIR “A great professional and role model”

England

WORDS ALAN DYMOCK // PICTURES GETTY IMAGES

W

E’LL NEVER know if Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could have made it in rugby. But we can pinpoint the moment the Liverpool midfielder’s chance of being a London Irish great evaporated. “I never went to the trial!” he tells Rugby World. “We didn’t play football at my school (St John’s College) until sixth form, so it was all rugby and cricket.

“I played rugby until I was 15. That’s when football got more serious… And the size of the rugby boys got more serious too! Southampton (FC) weren’t too keen on me playing rugby at that point. But I came back for the Hampshire Cup final. I got Man of the Match from full-back!”

Football was destined to win. Still, a scrum-half who could also play full-back, Oxlade-Chamberlain knew how to put a shift in. Today, in front of the famous Kop, it is part of his job description to wear a deep furrow between the boxes.

Yet if we accept that high work-rate is a necessity in all major sports, we must also appreciate that in 2021, with the very

As statistics become ever more prevalent in elite sport, are we seeing our favourite pastimes clearer? We asked England wing ANTHONY WATSON and Liverpool’s ALEX OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN

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elite of these games monitored and rated through every training session and competitive outing, top athletes do more than just run around hoping it works out.

Today, between the opinions, work the analysts. Our understanding of statistics is becoming more sophisticated, while technology continues to improve. And if we take the red pill and suddenly wake up to a world of numbers chittering down the screen, being able to decipher the code is vital.

So we asked Bath, England and Lions back-three star Anthony Watson and OxladeChamberlain about this. Giving a glimpse into the Matrix of sporting stats, they reveal a world that may run away from us fans.

Sure, obsessing over the numbers can be a dry way of analysing such beautiful games, but appreciation of the figures is shaping real-world decisions – it made headlines across sport earlier this year when metronomic Man City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne signed a new deal with the Premier League champions, after a data analyst provided him a detailed report on his influence for the club and the likeliness of success in the future.

In the silos of these specific sports, it’s clear there are ways stars can make the numbers (and video analysis) work for them. From rugby, Watson knows what he values on the spreadsheet.

“There are a few metrics that are important, irrelevant of performance,” the Lion says. “So high-speed metres is very important, and top speed is very important. Keeping those as high as possible, consistently, is massive for me. It’s something I keep an eye on.

“But within that there’s obviously context as well. So when you play

full-back as opposed to on the wing, you could expect to have a bit more volume, less high-speed metres, And your top speed might be reduced because you don’t have the opportunity to kick-chase, to get up to speed. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is the word you use, and you have to look at those, but you also have to apply context. If there’s a massive drop-off from full-back to wing

“T h e p hy sic a l st uf f is e a s ie r t o qua n ti fy. Am I r u n n in g en ou gh, ho w many sprints, how qu i ck?” then there’s an issue, but if there’s a little one then that’s to be accounted for in terms of the positional change.

“Just from a performance perspective, ‘defenders beaten’ is a stat that I always pride myself in. And whoever does stats for defenders beaten (at the moment) needs to rejig their way of doing them because to me it doesn’t make sense!

“But for example, Stuart Hogg and Charles Piutau probably make more line breaks than I do from phase play. So I need to look at how I can be better, so that I can make more line breaks – make more, it’s more effective for the team. So I guess somewhere there’s a little bit of self-awareness but it’s also an appreciation of other’s strengths.”

Does our footballer feel the same?

There is definitely a parallel when it comes to the value we give some stats in isolation. He agrees with Watson that some numbers belie the true flow of the match action – for him, the big one is chances created – but looking at the physical side, what a picture you can paint with numbers over a year.

Oxlade-Chamberlain says: “The physical stuff is easier to quantify in terms of am I running enough, how many sprints are there and how quick am I going? The technical side is a bit more of a broad span and you can’t trust that data over five games, but you can probably get a clear picture of where you’re at, how you’re performing, over the course of the season.

Assessing his future Man City’s Kevin De Bruyne

O N T H E RUN HMLD Max Speed HSR Total Distance Distance Per Min

ALEX OXLADECHAMBERLAIN

RAHEEM STERLING

PHIL FODEN

STEPH HOUGHTON

ELLIOT DALY

ANTHONY WATSON

3,216m 35.98km/h 967m 11.97km 132m

2,411m 36.97km/h 1,498m 11.22km 123m

2,782m 37.12km/h 1,129m 11.82km 129m

2,273m 31.82km/h 575m 10.12km 106m

1,931m 34.99km/h 1,994m 9.09km 122m

1,314m 36.6km/h 1,473m 7.64km 105m

England

“I’ve never based a massive decision nines, top wingers should be over nine on them like Kevin (De Bruyne), but the and edging more towards ten metres way he plays is similar to how I want to per second, so getting closer to 100 play. He always looks for end-product metres in ten seconds, all being well. and creating things, making positive “Therefore we want to be a little bit impacts on the team. I can understand more prescriptive in what we give in how we could look at those numbers those bands there. You’re going to get and the way he’s playing, and base his real fast players in the Premiership. And future chances of success and also we were privy to some numbers from improving as a player around that. We football and (former Chelsea midfielder) try to take the information and the data Eden Hazard would be a player that that we get to ultimately improve us.” accumulates loads of distance, then If you look at our On The Run cruises. He gets a lot of those five panel below, you can see a direct comparison of ‘personal best’ running numbers in competitive matches, collected by STATSports, between some of England’s top men and women footballers and rugby’s Elliot Daly and Watson. Covered amongst the obvious hits is High Metabolic Load Distance (HMLD), a metric for the amount of high-speed running an athlete does, coupled with the total distance of accelerations and decelerations (a higher score means more intensity), plus High Speed Running (HSR) distance.

“We will use HMLD,” explains England rugby sports scientist Nathan Beardsley. In a previous life he worked with Nottingham Forest FC. “But those two O Read more from obviously split into HSR England sports and explosive distance – scientist Nathan looking at the accelerations Beardsley at and the decelerations – metres per second as well, rugbyworld.com and we will look at that but he’s obviously high closely as well. calibre. And you imagine “So in terms of ‘scoring’ players, that’s someone like Mo Salah might be the a really good marker for rugby, because kind of player that makes those darting of the contrast of the players. You might runs in behind for Liverpool but not a lot have a Mako Vunipola, and he actually else, a lot of the time. Lionel Messi is gets really high accels because of the prime example of this.” breaking the line constantly, but then But individual stats must marry with Ant (Watson) accels in a completely the team’s. And running further away different way, while still accumulating from amateurism, tactics play a part. them, so it’s a good way to compare.

The time of just heading out and “Obviously HSR is really important and throwing the ball around are over. we’d split guys into bands of five metres “Teams now use that data to recruit per second, and seven. It translates into players,” Beardsley adds. “Certain football, so you are looking at a cruising teams will look at the physical distance. But characteristics, and if they can’t get we’ve actually players from that band of technical had to take stars, they’ll say, ‘Okay, at least that threshold he can do X, Y and Z physically, HARRY even higher so he’ll fit into what we need KANE than seven (in within our formation’.” rugby) because Oxlade-Chamberlain will talk the boys are with old pals about rugby 2,522m getting faster and draw comparisons, 36.42km/h and faster. particularly in the gym.

1,511m “As we look Watson struck up a 10.89km 123m at eights and friendship with Aston O Figures courtesy of STATSports

99

Villa defender Tyrone Mings after meeting in Vegas and does likewise. All these pros live with real-time analysis.

Beardsley considers good contextual stats bleeding into our consciousness, saying: “I saw two defensive midfielders being compared on TV, and they were looking at assists, goals scored or passes in and around the opposition box. I was thinking, ‘That’s not really relevant for a defensive midfielder!’

“It’s about adding the right context for that player. They may not have to do so Lion on the prowl Watson in New Zealand, 2017

much high-speed running in a game, but their tactical awareness within the line of defence meant they didn’t have to.

“It’s being selective. There are so many measurements. Goal-line clearances are huge in football or there might be a try-saving tackle on the wing and their worth is huge. You can’t generalise with the same ten metrics (for each player).”

For Watson, seeing the whole picture was not always natural. After becoming a senior player at Bath, he says: “I never really looked at the context of the team’s performance and where we needed to change in an immediate fashion. Now at half-time I can know exactly what we’ve done wrong, what we need to fix up.”

Oxlade-Chamberlain discussed with Watson how methodologies can cross sports, and is interested in rugby training approaches that translate. Though he adds, “I’ve no interest in being smashed by forwards anymore!”

As our understanding of elite sports advances, let us see how far the rabbit hole goes. n

Rugby Transfers

MECHANICS OF A RUGBY SIGNING Words Sam Larner // Main Picture Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Transfer rumours are always swirling but how are deals actually done? Rugby World spoke to three people who make it all happen – a director of rugby, an agent and a head of recruitment

F YOUR childhood was anything like mine, you will have spent a lot of it playing Football Manager.

A large element of the game was wheeling and dealing as you made transfers and completed contract discussions. It gave kids experience of the business of football.

Recently, though, I was asked by a football-loving friend how signings work in rugby.

Despite being a fan for more than 20 years I realised I had no idea, so I asked a coach, a head of recruitment and an agent about the mechanics of a signing.

Rugby is still somewhat different to football in that the vast majority of moves happen when a player is out of contact, so there aren’t the transfer fees involved in the round-ball game. But there are still plenty of complexities, such as visa requirements and reference checks…

All in the planning “As a player you will enter the last year of a contract and be thinking that you need one big season to keep your job.

Actually, it’s likely that your replacement has already been found.” Those are the words of a former professional player turned agent, who spoke to Rugby World on the condition of anonymity.

Nowadays we’ll most likely hear about a player signing over Twitter, but that is just the last step in a process which might have taken more than a season.

Pat Lam is the director of rugby at Bristol Bears. Like all clubs in the Gallagher Premiership, the Bears need to keep within the salary cap. That requires planning because once the money is spent, it’s gone for good.

Lam says: “My aim is to have a squad which has 15 world-class players, those are players which any team in the world would be interested in if they became available. Then I want 15 elite

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High-profile transfer Bristol’s Semi Radradra in action against his old club Bordeaux-Bègles

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Rugby Transfers

players who can play week in, week out. Finally, I want 15 talents to push those other 30 players for playing time.”

Planning for the next campaign features plenty of unknowns but teams can’t afford to think just one season ahead. We can all remember clubs who sacrificed long-term ambitions for short-term success. Usually that involves spending a lot of money to hoard talent at the peak of their careers. It might look good in the first season but quickly you end up with a squad who are all going to be past their peak at the same time and a rebuilding job will be required.

As Lam says: “The age profile of a position is really important. The last thing you want is three 30-year-olds playing in the same position because where is the development or the succession plan?”

That planning process is replicated in the Greene King IPA Championship but there are key differences, as Ealing Trailfinders head of recruitment Alex Shaw explains. “There is a lot more turnover at Championship level so I’ll go into a season scouting for every position.

We know which of our players will be out of contract at the end of the season so that helps guide us, but it won’t be until February that we have a solid idea about which positions we need to strengthen.”

Finding talent Once you have decided how to allocate your finite resources for the next few seasons you have to find a player for the task. Even before you start looking there are some hoops that need to be leapt through.

“We look at Super Rugby, Mitre 10 Cup, Currie Cup and the NRC in Australia,” says Shaw. “The problem you have is that those players don’t necessarily qualify for a UK sports visa. If you play 75% of Super Rugby games, you qualify for a visa, but not in the lower competitions. The only way you’ll qualify from those leagues generally is if you have English ancestry. If you can find those players, it will also help with your EQP quotas (clubs need to average 15 English Qualified Players in match-day 23s across a season). Otherwise you will be left to sign already established Super Rugby players at a premium.”

Brexit has hampered European signings. French and Italian players now need to play 75% of matches in the Top 14 or Pro14 respectively. International honours can help secure visas, though, like one cap for a Tier One country,

build up relationships with coaches and recruitment managers and they will come to us when they are looking to fill a hole in their squad,” explains our agent. “Obviously, it is important to know what position they are looking at but we also want to know what type of player they are looking Plenty of movement for. Are they looking for a young Ealing take on Doncaster EQP development prospect, a good Premiership-standard three for a Tier Two or ten for a Tier player to fill in during the International Three in the preceding 24 months. The window or a world-class ten to build a intricacies of employment law are not team around? I will then send through usually something we consider when the players I have on my books who fit planning our dream teams. that requirement.”

Visa rules limit your pool of players but There is no central location that lists then you reduce it further by looking for out-of-contract players, so relationships players who fit your style. No matter how with agents are critical for knowing good a player is, if they don’t fit into your exactly who is available. “We probably system you would be better off avoiding find about 75% of our signings by them. Lam states that recruitment and scouting the players we’ve been told retention is about how you intend to are available by agents and 25% by play the game but also softer skills, such scouting leagues and finding potentially as leadership, character and culture. untapped talent,” says Shaw.

“The wrong person coming in can rip Once you’ve identified the player you a team apart, so it is crucial that you get want, then comes the job of completing the right people,” he says. the signing. That involves meetings, It’s generally at this stage that an agent discussions, offers and counter-offers will get involved in the process. “We and, surprisingly, reference checks.

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Rugby Transfers Heading north Manu Tuilagi swapped Leicester for Sale last summer

Show me the money “The key is the meeting,” says Lam of the first step once a potential signing has been found. “I won’t sign anyone unless I have that interaction. That interview is crucial because I want to get to know the player and I also want to outline our journey. I always say, ‘You don’t have to come to Bristol, but if you do this is how we do things’. I don’t like anyone having surprises.”

you first speak to them makes them feel valued and demonstrates that you’ve done your homework, says our agent.

I’m sure we’ve all worked with people who have interviewed well but struggled to do the job day-to-day. That risk can be reduced by contacting people who know and have worked with the player – the reference check. “It is key to build up that network of coaches and players around the world that you can speak with when you are thinking of signing a player,” says Shaw. “You can see how good a player is by watching videos but you won’t know, without a reference, how they react in a squad environment.”

Finally, after all the scouting, meetings and reference checks, the time comes to put your hand in your pocket and agree a salary. The price is dependent on the principles of supply and demand.

“The availability of player groups will change the price. If you have a season where you are short of English-qualified back-rowers, then the price for that player will skyrocket,” Shaw explains.

Our agent says: “When coming to a figure, I always look at who the club currently has. If they only have an academy player in the position, then that will push up the price. Equally, I need to know who else is available in that position. If you have that good relationship with coaches, they will usually give that information away. If there aren’t many players on the market in that position, then you can stand your ground more firmly in the negotiations.

“Some clubs will say they have £300k for a first-choice ten, for example, but then it becomes like a game. Do you believe they only have that budget?

I then try to work out how desperate the team are for that player. They might

TRANSFER TA L E S Va’aiga Tuigamala In 1997, with rugby union having turned professional, Tuigamala became the game’s first £1m player when he joined Newcastle Falcons from league club Wigan Warriors.

The All Blacks winger signed a five-year deal while the Falcons had to pay a £500k transfer fee as well as compensation to Wigan.

Jonny May & Ed Slater In the summer of 2017, Leicester and Gloucester agreed a player swap that also involved a transfer fee. May moved to Leicester and Slater headed to Gloucester, with Tigers also paying to buy May out of the final year of his contract.

May is now back at Gloucester and playing alongside Slater.

Rohan Janse van Rensburg The centre was fined £32,500 and banned for two matches in 2020 after signing for two clubs. He agreed a deal with Gloucester from 2018-19 onwards (and was paid £25,000, which formed part of the fine), then signed a contract with Sale and joined the Sharks, who were fined for breaching regulations regarding playing approaches.

“I won’ t si gn an y on e un les s I ha ve th a t in t er a c ti o n , t ha t inte rvie w.

I w a n t t o ge t t o k now t he p lay e r” say they only have £300k but they’re phoning me six times a week.”

The player is yours and has signed on the dotted line. It’s still not job done, though. Lam explains how the Bears have a team manager and also a couple of long-term injured players who have taken it upon themselves to help new signings with things like finding a house. The difference between a good signing and a bad one might be how well they settle in, so that additional support can be key.

So that’s how a rugby signing works. n 103

Fine mess Janse van Rensburg

PICS Getty Images

Our agent explains that those meetings will usually involve the head coach and either the backs or forwards coach, depending on the player’s position. Some of the questions will be typical interview questions that any of us will be asked – what appealed to you about the role, where do you see yourself in five years, etc.

Increasingly, teams will use video to check a player’s understanding of the game but also to show the player some of their own play. Showing a player a package of their best moments when

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Carl - - - , former Exeter prop who is head coach of Bridgwater & Albion (6) 4 beIN - - - , broadcaster that televised this season’s Champions Cup (6) 9 See 11 Across 10 Up and - - - , contestable kick (5) 11 And 9 Across. Energetically wash in Bali? A 2001 Test Lion emerges (4,7) 12 - - - Stafford, No 8 and the first captain of Premier 15s club Sale Sharks… (4) 13 …while - - - Kuwai was the first Japan player to score a try at the Olympics (3) 15 Pete - - - , Wallaby No 8 who played for Cornish club St Ives as a teenager (4) 16 Ex-Wasp and Dragon Ed Jackson, a recovering quadriplegic, hopes to climb in this mountain range (4) 19 England wing Lydia Thompson returned to the - - - after Covid struck to work as a therapist (1,1,1) 21 - - - Aviators, US team (4) 22 Country where 23 Down was born (4) 24 Former British prime minister who attended the Scotland-England Centenary match in 1971 (5) 25 Tommy Seymour scored 48 tries in 150 games for them before retiring (7) 26 Dave - - - , Newcastle’s head coach (6)

27 Frank - - - , boxing promoter who owned Bedford Blues (6) DOWN 1 Leinster and Ireland centre selected in the 2021 Lions squad (6,7) 2 Nick - - - , BT rugby commentator… (7) 3 …one of his first jobs was working for the Loughborough - - - (4) 5 Gallagher Premiership forward knocks over Hull pail (4,4) 6 Izack - - - , Wallaby lock returning to Australia after a spell with Lyon (5) 7 World Cup-winning All Black knighted for his services to mental health (3,4,6) 8 British Airways apologised after sending one that expressed support for England against Wales (5) 14 James Rodwell’s top breakfast - - contains blueberries and banana (8) 17 Rugby injury, usually fleeting, affecting the nerve supply of the upper arm (7) 18 Porcine nickname of Saints legend David Powell, the only English forward on the 1966 Lions tour (5) 20 Andrew - - - , Kiwi working as the RFU’s Match Official Development Officer (5) 23 Rouen Normandy lock Nemani - - tragically died of cancer in April (4)

THE WINNER OF THE MAY CROSSWORD IS BEN GIBSON FROM BEXHILL, EAST SUSSEX ACROSS 1. Harry Wells 8. Bruce 9. Alapati 10. Nowhere 11. Naked 12. Innard 14. Kremer 17. Burns 19. Mongrel 21. Bellini 22. China 23. Sunderland.

DOWN 2. Alun Wyn 3. Reece 4. Weaver 5. Learner 6. Slack 7. Cinderella 8. Benoit Baby 13. Russian 15. Marmion 16. Empire 18. Rules 20. Nicol.

The crossword winner will receive £20. You may wish to use it for new rugby kit, a book or a Rugby World subscription – see P26-27 for the latest offer. Closing date for entries is Tuesday 12 July and the result will appear in our September 2021 issue. One entry permitted per household; the editor’s decision is final. Send your entry, name & address and an email address to: Alan Pearey, Wellside Cottage, Cranes Lane, Kelvedon, Essex, CO5 9AX. The competition is open to all ages. Compiled by Alan Pearey.

DON’T MISS NEXT MONTH

THE LIONS LEGACY Rugby World’s next issue takes an in-depth look at the British & Irish Lions through the ages – past, present and future. What’s next for the iconic tourists?

PLUS Alan Tait on winning a Lions series in South Africa

PIC Getty Images

The greatest-ever Lions XV The Lion who was also an SAS war hero

ON SALE TUESDAY 13 JULY

FOCUS ON… CLUB RUGBY Strong finish Jerome Awesu scores against Old Haberdashers

THE PANDEMIC is unprecedented, and so too is our decision not to select a Team of the Year for our final grass-roots section of the season. Without matches being played, it felt inappropriate.

Instead, in a nod to new beginnings, we’ve anointed Colchester as our Team of the Month. A decade after their local council opened negotiations to buy their ground for housing development, the Essex club last month completed their move to the shiny-new, £29m Northern

Modern look The new clubhouse

Gateway Sports Park. Colchester now have an all-mod-cons clubhouse and primary use of seven grass and two all-weather pitches. There are capacious changing rooms and function rooms, all set in a beautifully landscaped area.

“It’s the Twickenham of Colchester!” says Maggie Whiteman, the club’s first female president. “When people first see it, they’re gobsmacked at how brilliant it is. Our chairman, Karl O’Brien, has been the driving force behind the move.”

The only jarring note for the club is the name. The ground address is Cuckoo Farm Way and they’re debating whether to change that to Raven Park to reflect the animal on their crest.

Colchester were co-founded in 1925 by Kiwi doctor Alfred Nolan-Fell, hence the all-black strip. Their teams include five senior XVs and a vast minis & junior section. A lockdown challenge for the youngsters 105

was to ‘walk to’ the Six Nations grounds and the U12s completed 1,273,750 steps. They’ll form a tunnel of honour for the first XV when they run out for their first game at the ground in September.

The firsts, denied a play-off last season due to Covid, lie just outside the national leagues in London One North and are led by the president’s son, flanker Daniel.

On 17 July the club stage a tens event in memory of Tom Miller, a former player who died in an accident last December.

He was 24 and had just signed his first pro contract with Nottingham. Proceeds will go to the Oddballs Foundation.

We wish you well, Colchester. Join us again next season. n

GET I N TOU CH Got any stories or pictures you want us to feature in the close season?

Email Clubs Editor Michael Austin at aus231@aol.com or call 01400 282189

WORDS Alan Pearey. PICS Richard Parker

Team of the Month Colchester

LIONS 2021

Tandy’s adventures will nourish the Lions The Scotland and Lions defence coach tells RW’s Alan Dymock about his coaching evolution ITHOUT PAUSING Steve Tandy says, “I’m definitely not very adventurous!”

Straight out the gate, he is self-deprecating.

And yet this coach will be embarking on a trip like no other with the British & Irish Lions this summer. His capers roll on.

You see, the reason we ask Scotland’s defence coach about his stomach for the unknown is because to arrive here he had to take a leap of faith first. After so many years with the Ospreys, as a flanker all the way up to head coach, he was let go in 2018. And before he ended up in Scotland assisting Gregor Townsend, he threw caution to the wind and went out to Australia to spend some time with the Waratahs in Super Rugby.

At first it was just a chance to see something different for a few weeks, maybe swing round to New Zealand’s ITM Cup after. But he ended up staying.

“Maybe I come across as (adventurous) because I’d gone to the other end of the world,” Tandy explains. “Then, I hadn’t really gone outside of Wales, apart from with tours and holidays. But in coaching you always want to test yourself.

“It is easy to stay in your bubble and a (chance abroad) did come quicker than I thought, and I was really lucky to get that opportunity. My wife (Karen) is also very supportive. So when I mentioned that I could go to Australia, she was like, ‘Just go, you’ve got to scratch that itch.’

So I went and I absolutely loved it.”

Being uncomfortable in a coaching sense helped him grow, Tandy says.

And he got to do one of his favourite things: meeting up with new people.

At the Tahs, Tandy became more than a training ground voyeur, doing more than just laying out tackle bags. After bonding with then-boss Daryl Gibson – even moving into a ‘granny flat’ of his and becoming a surrogate family member – they lost hours to talking rugby.

Tandy would mastermind a defensive approach that transformed the Tahs.

W

QUICK-FIRE PROFILE Name Steve Tandy Age 41 (16 Jan 1980) Role Defence coach Last book read Think Again by Adam Grant.

It challenges you to be more flexible with more curiosity Best film Gladiator Favourite holiday Sardinia Childhood hero Scott Gibbs Home in Scotland We’re in North Berwick. I’m not a golf man – everyone asks that! – but the kids love the beach Toughest opponent Alan Quinlan. He gave me a lesson on the dark arts at the Gnoll one year when we played Munster!

Person I’d like to meet José Mourinho.

I’d like to know what drives him in his pursuit of trophies

The stage is set At the announcement of the Lions squad

As the coach explains, key was introducing zonal defence – marshalling your own area instead of taking ownership of tackling one offensive player you’re tracking – which is a notion he picked up from fellow coach Brad Davies.

Gibson picked the idea apart, prodding over and over, so that after workshopping it was ready to sell to the players.

Kurtley Beale was with the New South Wales side then. He explains: “When that 106

was introduced, a lot of guys weren’t really understanding it! But once we understood the ramifications of it, we believed in it. And I think that’s another thing Steve’s good at – how he can get everyone believing in the system.”

Which brings us to the idea of Tandy the evangelical; converting players to his way of thinking with his enthusiasm.

Beale says salesmanship and genuine warmth is what makes Tandy one of the premier defence coaches on the planet.

Scotland players would agree. After helping the Tahs into play-off rugby, the Welshman was brought in as an assistant by Townsend. And in his first season the Scots were created anew. In

FOCUS ON… LIONS 2021

NEWS ROUND-UP Capital fellow Scotland wing Darcy Graham, 23, will stay at Edinburgh for “several” years after signing a new deal. He has scored 17 tries in 39 games for the Pro14 side and nine times in 19 Tests.

Dublin dates Ireland will host Japan (3 July) and the US Eagles (10 July) at the Aviva Stadium next month as part of a reshuffled summer schedule. Their plans to play a three-Test series in Fiji were

coaching – and it’s far from perfect, I’m still a baby, still learning stuff. It means I’m not trying to give players too much.

“When you’re younger you think you know all the answers. But actually you don’t know what the players are seeing or feeling at certain points of the game.”

In lockdown, Scotland coaches talked with names from outside rugby. Voices from the world of ‘storytelling’ proved a hit. But Tandy’s story is just as impressive.

Lions boss Warren Gatland has spoken of his delight at Tandy’s reaction to being asked to assist him for the South Africa tour; Tandy shook with disbelief.

More importantly, players all over vouch for the power of Tandy’s message. n 107

PICS Getty Images & Inpho

year one, Scotland conceded the fewest points in the Six Nations and shipped their lowest total for 14 years. In 2020, they only let in 59 points.

Tandy jokes that his coaching arsenal isn’t that vast, but the Scots are well aware that if they want, they can talk to Tandy for hours on rugby theory. One player tells us that as well as the zonal D – which made an impact in just one session – Tandy is big on honouring the overall system and avoiding dog-legs.

Everything else is about empowering players and filling them with confidence.

On the art of decluttering minds, Tandy says: “I 100% love seeing players figure it out. That’s the evolution of my

scrapped as Covid cases in the Pacific island nation rose.

Great work Members of Rhiwbina RFC have raised large sums for charity from their 100KForHobbsy campaign, run in the name of club hero Dave Hobbs, who is fighting cancer. The Welsh club presented cheques to Cardiff Mind (£29,214), School of Hard Knocks (£18,890) and City Hospice (£11,848). To donate, visit justgiving.com/team/ 100kforhobbsy4headway

WOMEN’S RUGBY

Ward prepares to lead rise of Bears Former Quins hooker Dave Ward tells RW’s Sarah Mockford about his plans for Bristol HE 2021-22 season will mark the first time in nearly 20 years that Dave Ward is not preparing for a campaign as a professional player.

Instead, after a career that has taken in Bath, Northampton, Sale, Cornish Pirates, Harlequins and currently Ampthill, he will embark on a new role as head coach of Allianz Premier 15s side Bristol Bears.

Coaching has long been on Ward’s agenda. He did a Level Two course while at Cornish Pirates a decade ago and “loved it”. He’s coached St Just, Guildford and Surrey alongside his playing duties and for the past couple of years has been a player-coach at Ampthill in the Greene King IPA Championship.

So what does he enjoy most about coaching? “Inspiring the next generation of rugby players,” says Ward. “Rugby’s a huge part of my life, I love the sport.

Then to work with guys and girls, to work with the next generation and share success with them… I’ve got more out of coaching than playing in the last year.”

He says he’s better at reacting to defeats as a coach; he can’t dwell on them as he would as a player because it’s all about assessing the implications of that loss and working out the next steps. What is harder as a coach is the multifaceted nature of the job.

“I’ve always been a thinker as a player; the biggest difference as a coach is you have to think about everything. As a player you can concentrate on certain aspects – as a hooker that could be the scrum and lineout – but as a coach you have to worry about everything. In a squad of 40 girls, (each week) 15 will be happy, eight okay and 17 not happy!

“It’s about balancing time and trying to motivate. The great thing is I’ve been on every side of it in my playing career.

I’ve captained Quins and also been in the wilderness at Northampton – complete opposite spectrums.”

The biggest lesson he’s learnt so far as a coach is “to be honest, but not too

T

QUICK-FIRE PROFILE Name Dave Ward Age 36 (21 May 1985) Personality Energetic, motivated, resourceful Last book read Speed Trap by Charlie Francis. It’s about the sprinter Ben Johnson Favourite film Catch Me If You Can TV show Lovejoy and Sharpe – British acting at its best Dish you like to cook Jambalaya Toughest opponent Sébastien Bruno, in my early days. In terms of what they did on the pitch, Brian O’Driscoll was a different class Team-mate you’d like to be Mike Tindall. I’m a royalist Rugby highlight Definitely playing for the Barbarians. Also, captaining Quins for Big Game Ten was pretty special

Bear flair Bristol’s Courtney Keight runs in a try against Saracens

honest”. It’s about being constructive when critiquing performances.

“Solutions, not problems,” says Ward. “As a player the biggest thing you want from a coach is honest feedback. When giving feedback, instead of ‘Dave, that’s not very good’, ‘Dave, you let us down’, it’s how you can do it better next time. ‘This is why it didn’t help the team in this scenario, this is how you can do it next time’.”

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The Bristol Bears job became available following Kim Oliver’s departure in January and it appealed to Ward not only as a chance to return to his home city but because of the team’s potential.

The Bears finished eighth in the Premier 15s but were hit hard by injuries and Ward believes they can compete higher up the table given their squad. As well as England stars Amber Reed and Sarah Bern, there’s a wealth of Welsh internationals, including Siwan Lillicrap, Jasmine Joyce and Elinor Snowsill.

So how do they climb the table?

Ward’s role will include working with the men’s squad and there will be a real sharing of ideas between the two.

FOCUS ON… WOMEN’S RUGBY

NEWS ROUND-UP Islanders visit Australia will play a two-Test series against Samoa in July. The first Test will form part of a double header at Suncorp Stadium on 17 July, when the Wallabies play France, then the Wallaroos will also host Samoa at Leichhardt Oval in Sydney on Thursday 22 July.

New dates The 2021 World Cup in New Zealand will be played from 8 October to 12 November 2022. The women’s tournament

Ward reels off a long list of names of players he’s looking forward to working with, from Simi Pam in the front row to Kayleigh Powell at full-back, but will he also be working with his wife, Quins and England lock Abbie Ward? “We’ll have a coach-player conversation and a husband-wife conversation. She’s the most professional athlete going and at the end of the day it’s her choice.”

Whatever happens, Bristol have a big 12 months ahead. “Next season is huge.

I know what my expectations are, what my standards are. We want to win the league. I’m not saying it will happen next season, but it’s about how fast we move to get to where we’re going.” n 109

PICS Getty Images & Inpho

“I’ll get a bit of learning from working with the men, then I can integrate that with the women. It means that if a coach comes across they know what we’re doing and the way we’re working, and if one of the women’s coaches goes to the men they can pick it up seamlessly.

“It’s about stealing the best ideas from the men – I love the way Bristol men play – but being more pragmatic potentially and playing to our strengths. It goes back to the fundamentals of a good set-piece and then looking at using the backs.

“Kyle Sinckler is one of my best mates.

I’ll ask him what the men do and he’ll says, ‘ABCDEF’. We might take B and E, customise it and get the best of both.”

was postponed due to Covid-19 and will now take place over an extended tournament window of 43 days (up from 35) to allow a minimum five days’ rest between matches. There will also be no overlap of fixtures.

League plans Both London Irish and Bath intend to launch women’s teams and apply for spots in the Allianz Premier 15s from 2023.

London Irish CEO Mark Bensted said: “It’s a logical next step for us.”

FOCUS ON… SEVENS

“I probably had unrealistic expectations of myself” Referee Amy Perrett has found her groove and is off to Tokyo HE PLAN for referee Amy Perrett was to prioritise the Olympic Games in Tokyo, and not spread herself too thin trying to be at the top of her game in XVs too. Then Covid blew all Sevens Series plans to smithereens.

But while life was handing out lemons, Australia got the meringues and Perrett enjoyed an unexpected boost as elite rugby powered on Down Under.

“I’ve been given opportunities that I probably wouldn’t have had otherwise,

T

with Super Rugby in Australia,” Perrett says. With cross-border competitions off, she was able to referee in the men’s Super Rugby AU. She continues: “I’m really grateful and I guess one of the mantras I’ve been living with is, ‘Take whatever opportunities are available’.

“Leading into Tokyo, I made the decision that I should just focus on sevens, hopefully to do one of the medal matches. I found with going between the two (codes) at the last Olympics, I wasn’t happy I was hitting

In the thick of it Perrett refereeing in Super Rugby AU

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where I wanted to be. And I probably had unrealistic expectations of myself.”

Perrett brings lessons to bear when she makes decisions on her future. She talks candidly of coming out of the Rio Games in 2016, from focusing on that event with “tunnel vision”. After it, she couldn’t foresee any opportunities refereeing in men’s XVs. She had some time off to have a child, and realised being open-minded about next steps was a worthy trait. And seeing others blaze trails strengthened her resolve.

“I put a bit of a different perspective on things,” Perrett says. “About not having that tunnel vision or to just achieve one thing but broaden my horizons, to say just because I haven’t seen someone else do it before, doesn’t mean I can’t. And then when I had my time off, seeing (fellow ref) Joy Neville do so many amazing things in the men’s game, it was like, ‘This could work if we’ve got the right people in place’.”

“It’s just about enjoying myself – that’s when I referee the best” Perrett and Neville have spoken of the pressures that come with being female referees in the men’s game, and the Australian is certain a byproduct of their success could be changed perceptions.

In the world of Trans-Tasman Super Rugby, Perrett is clearly enthused by the prospect of whistling Kiwi men’s teams. Then there’s a busy schedule, with the Sevens Series restarting and then a World Cup in the future.

But the Olympics is the big one.

Should the Aussie women repeat their success of 2016, Perrett won’t get the chance to oversee a gold medal match – with a textbook answer, she says the last gold was such a boost for the sport in a country where rugby has so many market competitors. But hey, it would be incredible to oversee that match.

And amid the talk of pressure, she lets slip the approach she has discovered, while focusing on one version of rugby at a time: “It’s just about enjoying myself – because that’s when I referee the best.” n

SEVENS GALLERY These teams and referees have been keeping themselves busy

Air force Brazil’s women return to training

Local clash Aussie men face NSW Sevens

All for one Brazil’s women in Sao Paulo

Helping out Ref Sara Cox at England XVs training Big game Ref Hollie Davidson in the men’s Pro14 Chilling out World Series trophies on display in NZ

DID YOU KNOW? SEVENS NEWS All Blacks sensation Caleb Clarke has returned to his sevens roots in a bid to make New Zealand’s team for the Tokyo Olympics. The 22-year-old wing (right) made his international sevens debut in Sydney in 2018.

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PICS Getty Images & Inpho

Perrett’s first sevens event was in Dubai in 2012, on the inaugural official Women’s World Series. She took charge of the final between South Africa and New Zealand.

CLUB RUGBY

GRASS ROOTS GREYS MATTER Salute Irishman Ian Cunningham, one of the oldest players in the UK! A stalwart of Kendal Auld Greys walking rugby club, he recently celebrated his 80th birthday and recalls, in the distant past, playing for Coleraine against the legendary Lion Willie John McBride, of Ballymena.

Educated at The Royal School Dungannon, Cunningham was a flanker when the side reached the Ulster Schools Challenge Cup final in 1959.

Fast-forward and he’s now revelling in a version of a game designed for all shapes, sizes, ages and abilities.

Racing away Wing Alex Wilson outflanks Oundle

WEST BRIDGFORD

PLAN OF ACTION Keresley, based at Corley near Coventry, play at Level Ten at the foot of the RFU pyramid but are thriving, despite Covid-19 et al. Founded in 1953, a former water pumping station is what they call home, and in the 1980s and 1990s the club played hard rugby based on a mining community.

Known as the ‘Ks’, they went into the past year with sound preparation.

Secretary Gareth Whitehead said: “We looked at every way to get backing, received the initial Covid support grant and added bits here and there, alongside a GoFundMe page with members.”

The Ks opted not to collect mini-junior membership fees that generate £5,000 annually but generous sponsorship from Travis Perkins enabled them to prepare for the restart of outdoor sports, of which there are several on their site.

Whitehead added: “When things did resume, it felt pretty emotional and made us all hugely proud.”

BRADY BOOST Players in Pontefract’s junior elite programme were inspired by Leeds Tykes captain and lock Jake Brady, who attended a training session at the Yorkshire One club. Brady helped to coach the youngsters and gave a talk about his own rugby journey from Pontefract U14 to his leadership of the Tykes, of National One. EVENTS BUSINESS Chiswick and Abingdon are among the clubs staging tournaments this summer, heralding the return to rugby. A total of 32 teams in the

SHORT PASS London Welsh, buoyed by three straight promotions into London One North, are launching a colts academy next season. Blake Mingay, ex-Sharks Academy in South Africa, will lead the programme with former Exiles player Andy Evans coaching the U16s.

There’s a feel-good factor at Stamford Road on the outskirts of Nottingham.

Not just because this vibrant club with an adventurous style achieved their highest league status when coming fourth in One East 14 months ago.

Welshman Dilwyn Evans, chairman for more than ten years, said: “We’ve not been sitting back during Covid-19. We’ve had a huge drive to enhance our facilities and the next step is improving the floodlights. We’ve already staged some first-team matches on Friday nights that had a great atmosphere but want to repeat that with colts and second-team games.”

Bridgford field three regular men’s sides and have appointed Jennifer Mustoe-Castle as their first DoR of women’s rugby. What next? Evans added: “We’ve raised £30,000 for a covered terrace in memory of stalwart Dan Sutton.

On the field, I reckon we could climb one or maybe even two more levels.”

open and social sections are scheduled to compete in the Chiswick Sevens on 19 June, with expanded 15-man squads catering for new players. Men’s and women’s competitions feature in the 65th annual Abingdon Sevens, one of the oldest in England, on 24 July.

Old Cryptians and Widden Old Boys are jointly holding a tens competition at three levels at the Memorial Ground at Tuffley, Gloucester on 7 August. Their clubhouses and pitches are only a few yards apart and when these rivals play each other it’s known as the ‘car park’ derby, which is all that separates them.

WALK THE WALK Spalding treasurer Peter Jullien showed his fundraising acumen in a practical way. He walked ten laps around the 22-acre perimeter of the Midlands Three East (South) club’s new ground at Drain Bank North on ten consecutive days, amounting to 100km, to accrue cash for changing rooms.

STEPPING UP Midlands Two West (North) club Walsall have been on the sponsorship march in the build-up to their centenary next year. They initially challenged members to walk a cumulative total of 10,000,000 steps with a target of £3,000 to keep the club going through hard times. It increased to 50,000,000 and at the last count 112

they had accumulated an incredible 91,101,075 steps to raise £6,802.

Halifax, from Yorkshire Four (North-West), have also achieved their objective by installing energy-efficient LED floodlights at Ovenden Park.

PIECE OF THE PIE Who’s eating all the pies – or at least some of them? The answer is Leicestershire club Birstall, who’ve had a mouth-watering wait to play in Midlands Three East (South) since their champion season in 2019-20.

They’ve now secured a new and tasty sponsor in Brockleby’s Pies, of Melton Mowbray, who were highly commended by judge, celebrated chef and rugby fan Raymond Blanc at the 2020 Great British Food awards.

REGIONAL ROUTE Bedford Athletic will be back in their spiritual home, the Midlands Leagues, next autumn. Before the 2020-21 season was cancelled, they had been due to return to One East after being relegated from London Premier in which they played for two seasons.

Overall, Athletic have spent a quirky time in the 33 years of leagues, going either up or down six times in the past eight campaigns and spending five years out of their own regional area.

Former Athletic lock Mouritz Botha has become DoR at Bedford-based

FOCUS ON… CLUB RUGBY

Queens, of Midlands Three East (South).

SA-born Botha played ten times for England having switched from Athletic to Bedford Blues before excelling for Saracens. Queens spokesman Tom Clarke said: “We share grounds with Bedford Athletic, so Mouritz has a connection with some of our players.”

Josh Ovey will combine his role in Dorchester’s front row with extra status as the club’s head coach as they approach their 150th season that coincides with promotion to Southern Counties South. He learnt the game at Barnstaple and has been a Dorchester first-team player for three seasons.

CRAMB IN Former fly-half Richard Cramb, 57, who won four Scotland caps in 1987-88, is the new chair of rugby at Tynedale, of National Two North. Cramb played for six clubs, ranging from Durham City to Harlequins, Aspen (USA), London Scottish, Wellington College Old Boys (NZ) and Newcastle Gosforth, before finishing his career in 2000 after 95 games for Tynedale.

CHANGE AT THE TOP Former England scrum-half Steve Smith has stepped down after 15 years as chairman of Sale FC and 48 seasons since making his club debut at nine. Smith, who played in 28 Tests from 1973-83, earned a glowing tribute from Sale’s executive committee.

Their statement said: “No one can understate how much time, support and leadership he has given to the club.”

PICK-AND-MIX New appointments abound. Lee Pickles, head of rugby at Lymm High School, was previously lead coach at Leek RFC and has taken the DoR and senior coach roles at Cheshire club Congleton.

Former National League club Barking, relegated from London Three Essex last year, have recruited Tony Knowles as head coach, with West Calverley stepping up as his assistant.

SHORT PASS North Premier club Preston Grasshoppers showed their familiar community spirit by raising £640 for Brain Tumour Research Care from a collection by their mini-juniors.

It was in memory of Charlie Robinson, a member of the club who died aged five.

TIME’S UP Nuneaton head coach Geraint Davies has taken a similar step at the Midlands Premier club because of time restraints. He said: “I loved my spell at Liberty Way. It was sad that Covid-19 ended our campaign even before it began because it was my most enjoyable pre-season anywhere.”

Robin Edwards has ended his six years as chairman of Stourbridge’s executive committee because of health issues.

Interim chairman Miles Edge said: “We’ll strive to emulate his high standards.”

Go-getter Flanker Luke Stack takes on Bedford Athletic

WORTHY CAUSE Castleford’s new women’s side are partnering The Smear Campaign to raise awareness of cervical cancer and to stress the importance of precautionary tests. Team manager Oliver Arundel said: “We’ll be fundraising to support a great cause that will help bind the players together.”

SPAIN GAIN Chard have appointed Laura Delgado, the Spain captain and Exeter Chiefs prop, as their women’s XV coach. DoR Jon Hendy said: “Laura’s role demonstrates our commitment to develop an already thriving team.”

Kings Cross Steelers are teaming up with the East London Vixens women’s side. They will assist each other through joint recruitment and ‘Try Rugby’ events for potential newcomers.

SECONDS ATTEMPT Cornwall-Devon club North Tawton are looking ahead.

Ambitions to run a regular second team were interrupted by Covid but the scheme is back on track not only to ensure the club’s longevity but to boost social activities. A promotional video is planned to highlight their senior side, juniors and what is available at the club.

HILL HONOUR Luctonians are taking pride in lock Jonny Hill, one of their former players, being chosen for the British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa.

Lucs, of National Two North, have strong support and have already been selling out pre-match lunch tables for next season for games that are not yet even on the fixture calendar.

CHINGFORD

PICS Michael Austin

ROBERTS ROLE It’s farewell to Esher backs coach and former fly-half Paul Roberts, who is taking charge of rugby at Trinity School, Croydon and assisting with Saracens’ academy. He said: “I’ll always consider Esher my home club.”

Hooker Ryan Jackson will be missed

by Tonbridge Juddians after helping the club to promotion from National Two South. He made the decision because of increased work commitments and the additional demands at National One.

An all-too-brief taste of the high life in London Premier has whetted Chingford’s appetite for more.

They reached their league peak by beating Medway in a play-off in 2018. After a single season in that league, in which they won eight of 26 games, Chingford returned to London One North.

Founded in 1928 by members of the local congregational church, they have a rich and colourful history. They originally played on a ground adjacent to a reservoir, loaned by a milkman called Mr Soper, and had a double-decker bus for spectators. In 1945, the club was reformed, using an old army hut and later the Rendezvous Café became their changing facilities.

Notable players passed through the club, including Barbarians Simon Dear and Ciaran Bird, and London Scottish duo Jan Bonney and Nick Grecian. The new generation aim to emulate that success.

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SAD LOSS Harrogate, of National Two North, are mourning Les Nattrass, 80, their groundsman from 1986-2006.

A real character, Nattrass protected ‘Gate’s former pitch at Claro Road with an eagle eye. When the first XV were going through a rough patch, he spotted players crossing his sacred turf after training and shouted: “If you can’t win on it, don’t walk on it!” n

T H E

A N A LYS T

WHO WILL CLAIM THE LIONS No 9 TEST JERSEY? Sean Holley assesses scrum-halves Conor Murray, Gareth Davies and Ali Price

WHEN IT came to Lions selection, scrum-half was a tough position to call.

And not just because of the withdrawal of Ben Youngs, one of the few England players to find form in the Six Nations.

With some solid kicking displays, there is a sense that Conor Murray is getting back to his consistent best.

Gareth Davies lost his Wales place to the young pretender Kieran Hardy before the latter was injured. And the presence of Gregor Townsend on the Lions coaching team meant it came as no surprise that Ali Price made the cut.

In the end the selections are about right. Had 2017 tourist Rhys Webb been fully fit and firing for Ospreys he may have staked a claim. Dan Robson might have been considered, so too Hardy,

but Tomos Williams is now back playing and could be the next cab off the rank if one of the selected trio gets injured.

For me, Murray should get the nod at nine in the Tests, partnering Dan Biggar, because of his experience, kicking and

1

defensive qualities. It’s up to Davies and Price to prove a point of difference to the coaches. All three Lions nines do the fundamentals very well, but I’ve taken a look at the finer points that make them stand out individually…

Murray fizzes passes off either hand, and kicks well for both distance and contestable box kicks – which will be essential in South Africa.

Defensively, he assists in hold-up tackles to win mauls and has the size to stand in the front-line or patrol the 5m channels from lineouts.

He also has big moments in big games, as with his try against New Zealand in Chicago in 2016 (below). At the ruck, he’s aware that CJ Stander has blocked Owen Franks from stepping into the guard position and that Aaron Smith’s eyes are averted in anticipation of the pass. Murray shoots through the gap to score. These moments are instinctive for him. He’s not a nine who tries to make a lot of breaks.

He bides his time, waits for defenders to tire or switch off – and then he pounces.

CONOR MURRAY

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2

Davies can be a little slow to get the ball away from the base or inconsistent with the boot. However, his acceleration off the mark is amazing. He’s supremely fit, runs excellent support lines, and ball in hand is one of the best, making him an ideal game changer off the bench for the Lions. He also has a trademark ambush quality, as illustrated here.

Davies is used by Wales to shoot out of the defensive line, about third or fourth defender from the ruck. His searing pace puts the first receiver under serious pressure or even enables him to intercept a pass from the No 9. A notable example came at RWC 2019, with his try-scoring interception against Australia (below).

GARETH DAVIES

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A look at the tries Price scores tells you he’s a quality operator. He can change direction quickly and leave big defenders flat-footed close to rucks. His arcing runs from the base can fixate the first few defenders before he brings on forward runners or hits his fly-half behind them. His clever chips from the base are another point of difference.

Like Davies, Price’s support lines are his main asset. He picks up numerous tries from an inside pass or offload due to his anticipation of where play will develop.

Once there, his turn of speed and running lines into space get him over the line.

ALI PRICE

THE INSIDE LINE Acquire a little bit of Lions stardust, says Sean Holley

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Learn the language You can manufacture situations in training to help scrum-halves replicate what might or might not happen in games. Get defenders who are close to rucks to sometimes hold and sometimes push off, leaving gaps close to the rucks during a multi-phase play activity. Your scrum-halves can thus start to look for defenders’ body language and when the right time to ‘go’ might be.

This can be done in more closed practice using gates and working on the dummy, ‘show and go’ or the arc run around poles or defenders to develop acceleration and deception.

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Risk and reward Shooting out of the line is risky. The coach has to give the player free licence to read the situation and make the call.

Getting this tactic wrong can lead to offside if overzealous, a deliberate knock-on if the timing is out, or a dog-leg if the defender is outdone by the pass.

If the Lions adopt the ploy with Davies, those around him need to know so they can close ranks behind him as he bolts forward.

3

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ILLUSTRATIONS Artlife

Striking a balance For young players learning their trade at nine, the ‘positive’ support line is a difficult one to master. Get too ahead of yourself and you’re running backwards to rucks.

Pass and move too laterally and you’re covering more ground in a game than necessary and will never get on the end of those breaks as you’re too far behind.

It comes with experience and knowing your team-mates.

Price knows the running threats in his team. He understands where to be to take a soft offload or a wide inside pass.

B O O T C A M P

WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING THIS MONTH…

TRAIN TO PLAY AT ALTITUDE

Flying high Will Dan Biggar face the Boks in a Lions Test?

IN JOHANNESBURG, where the British & Irish Lions play two Tests this summer, the rugby grounds are 1,880m above sea level, writes high-performance coach Adam Beard. Many great teams have fallen to the altitude-adapted Boks there – between 1928 and 2004, the All Blacks only won three Tests in 11 there.

As you increase elevation, barometric pressure decreases, making it harder for the body to utilise oxygen. Fatigue, and the rate of fatigue, increases at altitude, which shows in players not acclimatised.

“ Fa t ig u e, a nd the ra te o f f a t i g u e, i nc re a se s a t al tit ude”

Players can kick a long way at altitude, but does it really make such a difference to athletic performance?

Altitude and hypoxic training methods came to light with those preparing to compete at the Mexico Olympics of 1968, writes Adam Beard. Those Games were held at an altitude of 2,340m above sea level. The dominance then of athletes who were acclimatised, especially in the endurance events, highlighted the potential in altitude training.

Traditionally endurance sports like running and cycling have used the method of training up the mountain, termed Live-High Train-High (LHTH). Aussie Rules teams have also slept in altitude tents while European football teams have lived on the mountain.

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WORDS Alan Dymock. PICS Getty Images

And because the ball travels further and faster due to reduced air resistance, a very hard Test arena just got harder.

Hypoxia training (reducing O₂ through increased nitrogen) is used to enhance performance at either altitude or sea level. In the 1990s a Live-High Train-Low (LHTL) approach to training allowed for the physiological adaptations – increased red blood cell mass and count – and the ability to train at higher intensities at low altitude or sea level became popular.

The 2009 Lions adopted a Live-Low Train-High and Low (LLTHL) method to prepare for the South Africa tour and used hypoxic equipment to supplement normal sea-level training, but not to acclimatise playing at altitude through the blood adaptations mentioned above.

Recently a new way developed.

Repeated sprints in hypoxia (RSH) was invented in Lausanne, Switzerland and from this approach the Wales team had a hypoxic chamber installed at their Vale base, to enhance sea-level repeated sprint performance for their successful Six Nations campaign in 2013. On the right, see a typical session they used.

STEPS TO SUCCESS In 2013 Wales used an altitude chamber twice a week, with a setting of 3,000m, for repeated sprints in hypoxia (RSH).

A stationary bike is used for this…

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Warm-up

// 7 MINUTES IN TOTAL

Preparing for a session on a static bike while in the hypoxic chamber, athletes would do one five-minute warm-up spin at a setting of 80-90rpm – this is about 8.69km/h. Then they would go for two one-minute bursts of ten-second sub-maximal sprints.

GRILLED TUNA WITH SPINACH AND PEA MASH SERVES TWO TO FOUR 1 Place the spinach in a large colander and pour over boiling water. Drain and pat the spinach dry with a paper towel.

2 Blitz the spinach together with the peas, lemon juice, crème fraîche and drained beans in a food processor, and season well with salt and pepper.

O 400g spinach O 150g peas, defrosted O Juice of 1 lemon O 4 tablespoons fat-free crème fraîche O 1 x 400g tin butter beans

3 Heat a frying pan to a medium-high heat. Sprinkle the tuna steaks with the salt, sesame seeds and chilli flakes. Fry the tuna for a few minutes each side.

4 Finally, serve the tuna steaks on top of the mash, garnished with pea shoots and with the lime wedges for squeezing.

O 4 x 120g tuna steaks O ½ tsp salt O 2 tablespoons sesame seeds O ½ teaspoon chilli flakes O Pea shoots and lime wedges

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2

Main session

3

Cool-down

// 3 x 8 SPRINTS

This is when players were encouraged to go hell for leather. For their eight sprints, they would do ten seconds flat out, with 20 seconds of passive recovery between them, just keeping the feet pedalling before going again. They took two minutes of passive rest between sets.

// 5 MINUTES IN TOTAL

This was similar to the first element of the warm-up in the chamber, but not quite as taxing. It’s important to always cool down and in this instance players would do a further five minutes of spinning on the bike at around 80-90rpm (again, roughly 8.69km/h) before exiting the chamber.

P R O

I N S I G H T

HOW TO RUN CHEAT LINES Top tips from Cardiff Blues scrum-half Lloyd Williams to perfect your support play

WORDS Sam Larner. PICS Inpho

“For me, running a cheat line is about getting a second touch on the ball as a nine.

People say you should run to where you think the ball will be, not where it is. It’s hard to predict where it will be but if you begin running up the field, you give yourself a good chance of getting on the ball again.”

“Your job as a nine is to get to the back of rucks and get the ball away, so you’re already following the ball.

But with a cheat line, instead of taking a shallow line, you jump the defensive line and get in behind them.

Then, if there’s a line break, you can accelerate upfield. The scrum-half is one of the fittest players in a team, so you’re expected to get on someone’s shoulder in those situations.”

“When you’re with a break, you want to get as close as possible to the ball-carrier to make the pass as easy as possible. It is tough at high pace but I want to be his eyes, so I can see if the pass is on or if there should be a kick over the top. With communication you want it to be simple. It’s about stripping out codewords and just being really loud and concise about where you are and whether you want a kick or a pass.”

“I practise during the week so it’s second nature on the weekend. When I practise passing, I’ll put a cone ten to 15 yards upfield. My focus is on passing, then making sure I finish at the cone. It means in a game, when I’m tired and not thinking straight, I have that ingrained.”

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The Star Letter winner will receive £20 – let us know your views on the game to be in the running

Email your letters to rugbyworldletters@futurenet.com or write to our editorial address

Uni plan is purely academic Alex Corbisiero argued for an overhaul of the Gallagher Premiership academy system, proposing that they’re built into the universities so that players emerge armed with a degree. Whilst it’s a great idea in most ways, it will only (as usual) benefit the wealthy and academic.

My son is not academic, he’d freely admit that. But he is 110% committed to his sports and thrives on them. These include rugby, cricket, CrossFit, football and basketball, probably in that order.

Where would he come into this university-style league? How does

Lost opportunity So the Lions fly to Jo’burg. To Cape Town. Then to Jo’burg and out. That’s not much of a tour for them. It’s such a pity given this opportunity that some will probably never see KZN (KwaZulu-Natal) or Durban in their lifetime.

Jono Prowse, via Facebook RW says: Too true. Gcobani Bobo offers similar sentiments, see P20-21.

Thumbs down from me I don’t think we should make laws just to suit TV audiences. The experimental law that allows you to drop-out from behind the try-line when you’ve been driven over the line is very much rugby league.

In Connacht v Leinster, Leinster were driven over and the drop-out went nearly to halfway and Connacht never got the ball back to the 22 – the attacking scrum would have been a better option.

TV viewing Connacht v Leinster

he get a chance to play top-level development rugby in the hope of becoming a pro? Where do I send him for a trial? In all fairness, you need to include the ‘normal kids’ too.

I had this very debate via Twitter about the private/grammar schools v state schools rugby divide. It’s getting better but not quickly enough.

There’s some real talent at state school and club level in my area, even in my son’s team (Westcombe Park U13) that I coach.

Shane Pender, Orpington, Kent

And if a player gets sent off, he should stay off (not be replaced after 20 minutes). Players must take responsibility for their actions. The captain’s challenge law I like but it does waste more time.

David Mcluskie, Stafford, Staffordshire

Put a sock in it!

In need of a rethink?

Academy rugby

and pay the equivalent of £50 a month for a DStv subscription. They have about 20 sports channels and I can watch Six Nations, World Cup, most Premiership and Pro14 games, French games plus all SA provincial games, university games, etc. Plus a host of other programmes.

Something is wrong somewhere but I’m not complaining.

Dave Smith, Hermanus, Western Cape, SA

Re The problem with rugby broadcasting (June 2021 issue): You failed to mention broadcasters talking continually and Shame on you, RFU spoiling the game enjoyment for fans.

Our sport stands out because fans can How pathetic of the RFU to drop the Saxons name. As a white, middle-aged hear what the ref is saying, yet viewers (and female) English person, I’m starting miss 90% of this whilst Austin Healey or to feel sidelined by my own country. some other broadcaster who thinks The dropping of Saxons is a racist, they’re paid by the word drones on anti-white, anti-migrant slur! about how good he was as The Anglo-Saxons were a a player. Then has to guess cultural group who inhabited what the penalty was for Are TMOs having too England in the Early Middle because he wasn’t listening. much influence on Ages, having migrated here This is the problem with matches? Here’s how from mainland Europe. We broadcasting, not that there you voted on Twitter… should be embracing our is so much choice. multicultural history, not J Matthews, Norwich, Norfolk YES NO deleting it. Get a grip, RFU. RW says: Healey’s quips 44% 56% Bev Pinnick, Basingstoke, Hants about his playing career are tongue-in-cheek, of course.

THE RW POLL

PICS Getty Images & Inpho

Name-change rage One-stop package I’ve just read your leader on the cost of watching rugby on the various platforms in the UK. I live in South Africa 120

I really don’t know how to express my anger (about the rebranding of Saxons to England A) without going over the top. Are New

Tackled late Callum Sheedy is treated Zealand going to drop ‘Blacks’ from their nickname?? Saxon or Anglo-Saxon isn’t a racist term, it’s a Germanic term.

Tony Petchey, via email

Yellow card loophole Most red cards are for hits above the shoulder. But many late tackles or ruck clearing result in no more than a yellow card. In a recent Leicester match, Newcastle’s Jon Welsh had his shoulder dislocated in a ruck clearout but no foul play was the decision. Bristol’s Callum Sheedy was tackled late and injured (v Newcastle), resulting in a yellow card but Sheedy missed the next match.

Deliberate foul play that results in game-time injuries needs a greater sanction than ten minutes in the bin.

Terry Cooper, St Neots, Cambridgeshire

Four-prong plan Here are four law changes to consider: 1. Only allow the forwards to contest a maul. So outlaw backs joining in, making it safer and less predictable as there is still the option to pass to the backs.

2. Stop the bounded support player flopping on top of the tackle. It prevents a contest and promotes the multi-phase short drives that are so common now.

3. Stop the clock for reset scrums. Fans pay to watch 80 minutes of rugby.

4. Reduce the number of subs allowed to five, so increasing the emphasis on rugby being about 80 minutes of effort.

Rupert Parry-Jones, Luxembourg

Kyle’s chance may come Re Kyle Sinckler’s emotional interview after not making the Lions squad: When you consider where Kyle was brought up, his mother’s influence and the tough environment, he is a shining light of what is possible for youngsters and an inspiration for all.

Playing the Boks will be a brutal series and there will be injuries along the way. I’d stay by your phone, Kyle, as you may well get a late call-up.

Christian James Robertson, via Facebook

Advice for Eddie Eddie Jones has got to give Marcus Smith a run in the England side for the rest of the year, so he can show what he can do on the Test stage.

Time to move from the Ford/Farrell era and build the side around young Marcus.

Got an interesting pic?

Ian Rowlands, Email rugbyworldletters via Facebook @futurenet.com and you

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THE SECRET PLAYER

Our former pro provides a unique insight into the game

“Nobody in professional rugby chooses how you exit the building” THIS HAS been a big talking point ‘That’s enough now’? At some point it throughout WhatsApp groups for all of has to end and for those who aren’t my mates from the pro game: the Mike lucky enough to be at a club for 16 Brown ‘loyalty’ saga at Harlequins. He’s years, they have to go back to uni or talked of his disappointment, being told start jobs on £15,000 a year. You can he wouldn’t be offered a new contract see the most talented players in the by the club in a four-minute meeting and room have careers cruelly cut short by how there was no, “Thanks for your too many shoulder reconstructions or a efforts, we’ll help you with your future”. knee operation. I’ve seen superstars in Every single one of us knows when we the making stopped in their tracks by an sign our first contract what we’re getting infection after an ugly operation. into. You know it’s a business and if you don’t when you’re starting out, 25-year-old team-mates will tell you. If you still don’t get it by the time you’re 21 then you’re blinkered and selfish and you’ve got no self-awareness.

There are people in the game who gave up university studies or vocational placements to become pros and many of them get turfed out. We all know rugby is harsh. It always will be. Not many players End of an era will come out and say this, even if Mike Brown at Quins they think it, because they’ll get hammered on social media. I have the luxury of being able to.

Nobody in professional rugby chooses I could not believe the reaction to the how you exit the building. So you have ‘plight’ of a 35-year-old who had been to enjoy it. We all have a natural physical earning a very good wage for the past shelf life. But you also understand that ten years after picking up something you’re often there at the beck and call like £25k-a-game with England for of one person who controls a rugby 70-plus caps. The overriding feeling club. The head coach is in charge of the from my cohorts was this was a player squad and if your face doesn’t fit, or if unaware of how lucky he has had it. they don’t like your athletic profile, or if Talk of loyalty begs the question: what you don’t do statistically what you used do some big-name veterans want? A to, then they will look for other options. statue built in the car park? A contract Maybe some of the players who don’t for life or just a one-year extension, accept this have never been told “no” maybe two or three? Loyalty is a two-way before or have never had any difficulty street. When is a club allowed to say, in their career. Lucky them.

122

For the very lucky ones, another big team will pick them up and they keep the dream going. That’s amazing and there’s a lot to be said for looking back fondly at the career you had, rather than decrying the lack of a fairytale ending.

Players often say they just want honesty. What they mean is they want it either when they’re doing well, or when they want to know right away why they aren’t in the starting XV. Am I not starting because player X is just better than me? Yes or no, tell me!

When it’s time to go, you must be told. Would you rather a four-minute conversation or would you want an hour or two hours? Do you want the club to tell your agent first, before you come in, to stave off offence?

There’s no way it will ever feel amazing, but the Band-Aid has to be ripped off eventually.

At any given moment this incredible life can be taken away from us – we’re just there for a moment in time. So enjoy it, maximise it, have fun and be grateful because it simply doesn’t last forever.

Most veterans understand that.

Academy players: get to grips with the reality when you go in. Get insurance in place. In early-to-medium years, get educated so that when it all stops it’s not a huge shock and you’ve something to fall into. Later in your career, be primed for bad news at any time.

Talk about it with others.

Finally, prepare for the real world, because the wages you can make are nothing like the top end of rugby. n

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