What’s rare is wonderful

A WEEK is a long time in professional sport. In the immediate aftermath of Munster’s Heineken Cup defeat in San Sebastian, I succumbed to the inevitable and was hospitalised for hip surgery.

In the ensuing period, Munster appointed a new coach, Leinster lost one, Connacht retained their treasured one and the Lions squad for New Zealand was unveiled.

While the theme of the Lions press conference was ‘four countries uniting as one’, it was rather ironic that relations between Munster and Leinster were fairly tender in the wake of Declan Kidney’s appointment.

The media circus surrounding the announcement of the 44-man Lions squad underlined once more where the concept fits in the professional era. After the code went professional, some questioned its future. Prior to the 2001 tour, England’s chief executive, Francis Baron, retained major reservations about the validity of the Lions. If anything, their identity has become even stronger.

In a world of monotonous sporting regularity, what’s rare is wonderful. With the Lions on a 12-year cycle to New Zealand, South Africa and Australia, they have now become the jewel in rugby’s touring calendar. Disillusioned with the familiarity of the Tri Nations series, New Zealand fans can’t wait for the tour opener against the Bay of Plenty on June 4.

The squad announcement confirmed the appointment of Brian O’Driscoll as the first Irishman to captain the Lions in the professional era. It is a massive honour for him and indeed for Irish rugby and one he richly deserves. It is amazing how your priorities change. At the very moment O’Driscoll’s appointment was confirmed, I registered my first bowel movement in the five days post-surgery. Different achievements, but under the circumstances, a similar level of satisfaction!

O’Driscoll’s appointment secures his place in the pantheon of rugby greats at the tender age of 26. However, he will be subject to intense media scrutiny over the coming months. In his early days, he struggled with the demands of the press. It is vital that he prepares himself for the stern demands he will be presented with, particularly from sections of the British media. Yet, not unlike Martin Johnson before him, O’Driscoll tends to operate by actions rather than words. He will have the undoubted respect of all the players and management and is the type of individual who relishes a challenge. He will certainly get that.

Given that 47 players were offered tour places, with Jonny Wilkinson, Phil Vickery and Mike Tindall subject to medical and fitness clearance, there was very little scope for debate. Quite rightly, Woodward has opted for a proven track record in the selection of the majority of his squad. However, he has taken a major gamble that will inevitably make or break the tour. He has hung his hat on the expectation that many of his World Cup winning squad, who for a variety of reasons have been absent from the international arena in recent times, have one more campaign left in their ageing limbs. Lawrence Dallaglio and Neil Back continuously perform to a high level in the Zurich Premiership and I would fully support their inclusion. Richard Hill is also a player I greatly admire and I am convinced to this day had he not been taken out of the second test in 2001 by Nathan Gray, the Lions would have won the series. However, he (along with Will Greenwood) has played precious little rugby this season and the selection is very much a leap of faith.

The major question that remains is whether or not these proven warriors still have it in them to produce at the highest level. When England won the World Cup in 2003, they peaked as a team four months prior to the tournament. Their defeat of New Zealand on that tour is the reason Woodward has included so many of his former squad. He wants players around him who have sampled the thrill of beating the All Blacks on home soil. It will be fascinating to see how many will eventually make it to the Test side.

The size of the squad also allows him to integrate his trusted lieutenants and still reward players who performed in the Six Nations championship. I am delighted to see so many Irish players included. While some under-performed in the last two games of the championship, their form over the past 18 months warrants selection.

The only slight concern is with some of the marginal selections. The cynic in me would suggest that Woodward and England coach Andy Robinson have included Andy Titterall and Andrew Sheridan with a view to fast tracking their development for England. With only two caps between them, both off the bench, their international experience is negligible. One would find it very difficult to see a similar type of player emerge from one of the Celtic nations. They are promising young players and the massive learning curve over the coming months will stand to them in terms of their international development.

The final piece of the jigsaw is whether or not Jonny Wilkinson will make the trip. The decision to omit him from the squad at this stage was the right one. Even if he does play two or three games for Newcastle prior to departure, it is difficult to imagine that he could be anywhere near the influential figure that won the World Cup for England. Given the type of individual he is, I would love to see Wilkinson back to his best. He would be a major addition to the Lions. However, unless he can prove himself sufficiently, his presence within the squad could provide more of a distraction than a help. At least the issue will be resolved one way or the other prior to departure on May 25.

While the bookies have already installed the All Blacks as favourites for the test series, there is sufficient quality and strength of character within the Lions squad to win the series. But a number of key factors need to fall into place between now and the opening test on June 25.