The British & Irish Lions. The last adventure in top class sport?

[Chap sur le velo]

I will have very little interest in the Olympics. They are professionals who will mostly perform to expectations and I bet (sic) the bookies call 90% of the races correctly according to form. Standout performances are rare. This is the situation in most modern professional sports. If you cant predict the exact order you can normally predict the top 3 each year.


At the other end of the spectrum are The Lions. From who will be selected to tour, to who will Captain and who will play in the Tests, its a lottery.
Historically mostly they don't succeed and each tour they seem to have less time to prepare.


But..... there's nothing in sport I look forward to more that the gamble that takes place in far flung fields every fourth year.


Bring it on.

 

[Beebo]

I love the romance and history but the Lions are getting squeezed by other interests. I wonder how much longer it will last. I agree the build ups are getting shorter and the opposing sides for warm up games are often deliberately weaker. Or just thugs looking for a punch up.
The fact they only ever play away against the 3 best nations with a scratch team does make for great viewing.
And getting 4 separate nations to mesh as one is no mean feat.

 

[uphillstruggler]

i would say that the Lions are my favourite team across any sport.

Professional rugby has become a little over coached for me - i am a Saracens supporter

the thing i like about the lions apart from the history is the bringing together of players of all 4 nations, in a short space of time and forming a team. National allegiances go out of the window and the team seems to play slightly looser than a team that is together all the time.

arguments about selection can go on for all time and most people would never agree 100% but that is the essence of it

if I had the cash, id follow them around the globe every 4 years.

 

[T4tomo]

I echo all of the above, however, this tour will be cancelled due to Covid shortly. It was madness bringing them to SA and thinking you can keep the bubble secure when covid is rife across the region and vaccination rtaes are so low.

 

[uphillstruggler]

I echo all of the above, however, this tour will be cancelled due to Covid shortly. It was madness bringing them to SA and thinking you can keep the bubble secure when covid is rife across the region and vaccination rtaes are so low.

Unfortunately I think you may be right

 

[Milkfloat]

I don’t agree with the OP‘s first paragraph, but I am a big Lions fan. I have followed them to New Zealand and South Africa in the past and enjoyed every minute of it. Outwith COVID I can see the tours being shortened due to pressures from club and country.

 

[Beebo]

English cricket has got a Covid problem now and they have been in a strict bubble with regular testing.
The Lions may well struggle to contain this too.

 

[Beebo]

SA now have 10 confirmed Covid cases.
The Lions game against the Bull next week is also off because of Covid in the Bulls team.
This test series is very much in doubt.

 

[Chromatic]

Not looking too good is it?

 

[downesy]

Sadly not,it was always going to be a risk in present circumstances, as many have said up thread it's also my favourite sporting team In international terms.
It's great how such fierce rivals can gel and become a team and who would run through brick walls for each other.

 

[Chap sur le velo]

Things are moving fast since I started this thread. Perhaps it really was predictable.

One positive that may come from this is more people realising we cannot return to a 'normal' post Covid world, unless we all help address the need for vaccination to be effectively carried out worldwide.

Sadly I don't think you can ever entirely separate Sport from "Politics".
trying to
Fingers crossed we some test rugby. What happens off the pitch is a different matter (not diminish the importance and implications of Covid).

 

[Chromatic]

Much better second half from the Lions, a great result.

 

[Chap sur le velo]

Expecting absolute offense fury, "Controlled barbarism", from SA in first half.

Gatland's changes seem to be to steady the ship whilst this happens. Then as they pause for breath, introduce Price to up pace and Daly to run at them. Another game of two half's and unless the SA's crush them in the first half, the second should be fun.

 

[Chromatic]

Poor game so far. DVdM is having a bit of a mare tonight. Still time to pull it around though.

 

[Chromatic]

Poor game so far. DVdM is having a bit of a mare tonight. Still time to pull it around though.

You don't know what you are talking about!