British and Irish Lions player row doesn’t short-change fans
Seeing the war of words erupt between the British and Irish Lions and Rugby Australia this week has given me a bit of a buzz for the tour. This is what the quadrennial series is all about, the niggle of pre-Test series angst.
But when push comes to shove it is all bravado and showmanship, because the reality of it is that fans haven’t paid to see the best Wallaby players taking on the Lions for Western Force, Queensland Reds, Waratahs or Brumbies if it means they don’t play for Australia in the Tests.
It is all about that three-Test series across Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. And those 40,000 travelling fans that make up the famous Sea of Red will not feel short-changed if they don’t see the likes of Ben Donaldson and Tate McDermott in the next few days.
We want three Tests of brutality and three Tests of high-end rugby, and to ensure that happens we need the best players from each side lining up for that Brisbane opener in a few weeks’ time.
British and Irish Lions warnings
It is also why the British and Irish Lions should heed the warnings of veteran scrum-half Nic White, who suggested the clubs could rough up some key tourists ahead of the series.
But the other element of a British and Irish Lions tour which is overlooked, and will ensure fans really do get bang for their buck, is the unknown player taking their chance against one of world rugby’s most famous teams.
Those players who may struggle for limelight at their clubs will have a chance to shine against the Lions. That’s a superb opportunity for them, and for fans to experience.
Take a mate of mine, Matt Turner, who was born in Cape Town but played rugby sevens with me for England. He didn’t make too many appearances in 15s but one of those was for the Southern Kings in 2009… against the British and Irish Lions.
Mpho Mbiyozo scored that day in a 20-8 loss to the tourists but Turner got an opportunity of a lifetime. And it will be the same for some of the Super Rugby lads this weekend and beyond, throughout this Lions tour.
Opportunities
So while it is interesting to learn that such an agreement about player availability exists between the Lions and Rugby Australia, for me it is a lot of nothing.
And fans will by no means lose out if one or two Wallabies aren’t in a starting club XV – likewise if Finn Russell or Blair Kinghorn miss a warm-up, the world will still turn and fans will still get a good dust-up.
What needs to happen, though, is the best players on both sides making it to the Test opener and, ideally, staying fit for all three. That way we will get a proper Test series and the highest chance of the tour going to the decider in Sydney.
Former England Sevens captain Ollie Phillips is the founder of Optimist Performance. Follow Ollie @OlliePhillips11