The British and Irish
Lions have not been involved in a third test decider since their last
tour of Australia 12 years ago. Tomorrow's match is a golden
opportunity to restore the rugby credibility that only a series win
can bring, and ensure that the concept of a combined touring team
stays relevant for many more years. Yet you would not know it to
listen to the British and Irish media's narrative of controversy and
pessimism this week.
The second test was a
disappointment for the tourists. Scrappy and mistake-ridden, but
tense and gripping. Despite winning the first test, Warren Gatland
made changes, acknowledging that it had been the narrowest of
victories and there was much to improve on. But his changes were
conservative, bringing in Lydiate and Bowe for their defensive
abilities. That said, the selection of Ben Youngs, with his quicker
pass, should have empowered Jonathan Sexton to create more
opportunities for the backline. Instead, the Lions kicked ball away,
played it close and tried to grind out a win. But you can't win a
match by trying not to lose, the tourists could not get the distance
they needed. Australian teams have a knack of staying in games (e.g.
the 2003 world cup final) and sure enough, they played themselves
into position for a winning score.
Both sides left the
field facing key losses and a tense build up to Sydney, with the
Lions losing Sam Warburton after a fantastic performance in the
second test and the Australians worrying over the disciplinary
proceedings against James Horwill. Then Gatland dropped his bombshell, dropping Brian O'Driscoll for the first time in his
international career, and in doing so, removing his most creative
player in favour of the more prosaic and inexperienced Jonathan
Davies, a player who was earlier this year descirbed as “not a natural passer” by one of his own international coaches.
Richie Benaud always
says that his approach to captaincy was doing the thing his opponent
least wanted him to do. The Wallabies respect and fear O'Driscoll.
The Irishman has had a quiet series, but has done a lot of work in
defence, and there was every reason to believe that with Jamie
Roberts restored alongside him, he would be back on form. The Lions
need to play more rugby and try to win the game and for this reason,
O'Driscoll should have played. He would have made a fine captain too,
one that his opponents would respect, and the side now look short of
leaders. The reversion to a power game is worrying because throughout
the professional era, teams have sought to out-muscle the Wallabies,
and have consistently failed because they have been suckered into a
blinkered approach. The Welsh team that forms the heart of this Lions
side lost 3-0 to the Wallabies a year ago, and has lost its last
eight games against them.
Nonetheless, Gatland is entitled to make this decision and the overreaction has been unprecedented. There is a good rugby case for O'Driscoll, but there is a rugby argument against picking him too. Davies has had a good tour and though he has been quiet in the tests, he has not been bad. Gatland wants to revert to the game that has won him a grand slam and a Six Nations title in the last two seasons. It may not be to everyone's taste, but this is a coach who has won throughout his career, is vastly experienced in international rugby, and who has a fantastic track record of winning big games. He makes decisions on rugby grounds, and to accuse him of betraying the Lions ethos or bias towards Wales is a gross misunderstanding. Gatland knows his reputation will be tied to Saturday's result for years, he is not going to betray his own principles for bias or to prove some sort of point. He has taken a huge gamble, one which many, with good cause, believe to be wrong, but he has taken it because he believes that it is right.
Meanwhile, in George
Smith, the Australians have a modern great returning from premature
exile and he will bring muscle and know-how that can frustrate the
tourists. In picking Sean O'Brien, the Lions have gone for an
openside who is not a pure ball winner in the Warburton or Tipuric
mould, and Smith will be relishing challenging the Irishman with
Roman Poite, a northern hemisphere referee, allowing more of a
contest on the floor, and with O'Driscoll, effectively a fourth backrower, absent.
The clues point towards
another close encounter, another tense and messy match, like the one
we had in Melbourne, rather than the open and exhilarating first
test. Regardless, it will be nothing less than engrossing, and after
an exhausting week of controversy, 80 minutes of unmissable rugby is
what both sets of fans need.
