Rugby Union: End of the Lions Series

Two facts that on the surface seem dull and boring, especially in a sport so driven by results and one in which a draw is so unusual. That game was one of the most nerve wracking games I can remember watching, the closest parallel being Wales vs France in the World Cup Semi Final. The match truly had a World Cup Final feel to it, watching the two best teams in the world throw everything they had at one another.

Once the final whistle blew there was an unease about how to feel, but in that atmosphere emerged a celebration of rugby itself, of sportsmanship and of the Lions as a concept. The sight of Kieran Read and Sam Warburton holding the trophy aloft, and both teams sat together, a mix of black and red shirts, provided an advertisement for Rugby that will last in the memory.

Some have questioned the Lions as a concept, I’m not really sure why with the 2009 Lions coming agonisingly close to victory (My Father still has not forgiven Ronan O’Gara). Then the fantastic series in Australia leading to the Lions roaring to victory in dramatic fashion, to now. The 2017 Lions had been together for a matter of weeks, and they have drawn a three test series with the New Zealand All Blacks.

The Lions had no right to perform so well, they are a group of fantastic players, plucked from their international structures and combinations and asked to perform together against the most dominant sporting team in history.

A quick final point, there were numerous articles about how Scotland is under-represented in the Lions. My own opinion is the Lions has to remain the best of the home nations. Stuart Hogg would have been a major figure in the test side had he not been injured but aside from that Scotland is not good enough. The Lions will not continue to achieve greatness if the concept is marred by quotas from each nation.