Now we have a Lions tour on our hands.
That development has not come in the wake of the Wallabies’ squad announcement on Thursday, nor the naming of the Lions’ team to face Argentina this weekend, but the excellent niggle between Joe Schmidt and his friends in the north.
Within hours of Schmidt making reference to the Lions’ “southern hemisphere” midfield partnership of Bundee Aki and Sione Tuipulotu for the Argentina game in Dublin, Lions management were asked about the apparent dig, which followed the labelling of Finlay Bealham as “another Aussie”.
Umbrage was apparently taken, but the Lions cannot seriously expect their Seven-Nation Army, with eight Australians, Kiwis and South Africans joining a squad operating under British and Irish Lions branding, to pass without comment.
It is not known if Schmidt’s alleged dig was intentional, or even wise, but it has given the tour a focal point and some much-needed edge.
The Lions will also have to work on their response, because simply pointing out that their imports have shown commitment to their adopted nations really says nothing at all – presumably players such as the Scot Darcy Graham, who was overlooked in favour of an Australian, New Zealander and South African, feels like he too is committed.
Sione Tuipulotu scores for Scotland against the Wallabies.Credit: Getty Images
The edge is needed because there is a great fear hanging over this tour that has not been broached because it would be so woeful for the hosts.
With the NRL ascendant – journalists travelling from the north who last visited in 2013 will barely recognise the changed sporting landscape – Australian rugby really can’t afford for the Lions to romp through the tour games registering big scores before beating the Wallabies 3-0.
For all the money that Rugby Australia trousers along the way, such an outcome would do more harm than good for the game in Australia, but it is not an impossibility given the strength of the Lions.
Consequently, the release of Nic White, Dylan Pietsch, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Darcy Swain and Tom Robertson to the Western Force for their tour opener against the Lions on Saturday week was arguably the most consequential bit of news from Schmidt’s as-expected 36-man squad.
Nick Champion de Crespigny of the Force is tackled against the Waratahs.Credit: Getty Images
There is probably more chance of Peter FitzSimons becoming the next King of England than the Force beating the Lions in Perth, but the cantankerous nature of many of those individuals should mean that, at the least, the Lions’ first game has real elements of discomfort.
Champion de Crespigny and Swain have to climb into these Lions, and White likewise with some of his trademark verbal offerings.
The spurned Brandon Paenga-Amosa should also have something to prove, while Will Harris and Reed Prinsep are seasoned enough to understand the assignment – hit hard and hit often and get into some faces.
Indeed, the back row is probably the area where Schmidt might be watching most closely in the coming weeks. Interestingly, the Lions have gone straight to Maro Itoje and Tadhg Beirne against Los Pumas, effectively picking three No 7s in the back row.
You would expect Jack Conan to make a real push for the Lions No 8 Test jersey, given his size and outstanding display for Leinster against the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship final last weekend, but judging by Schmidt’s squad he is seriously looking at powering up his back row with Tom Hooper and Rob Valetini as a No 6-No 8 or Valetini and Langi Gleeson as the No 6-No 8.
The absence of Luke Reimer (the bigger Rory Scott is on standby) indicates that Schmidt has no interest in going like-for-like with the Lions half-dozen opensides, and may even spot an opening by doing what the Brumbies did against Peter Lakai and Du’Plessis Kirifi in the Super Rugby Pacific quarterfinal – meeting them with a power and set-piece game.
The games are therefore well and truly under way on and off the field, and Simon Cron’s Force have the chance to set the tone in Perth. If the Wallabies are to have a chance, the Force have to show the Lions can be vulnerable to more than swipes about where their players came from.
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