Sean O’Brien: Warren Gatland and Rob Howley cost Lions series win

It’s almost three months since the British and Irish Lions and New Zealand had to settle for a stalemate but Sean O’Brien still can’t shake the conviction that inadequacies on the part of the coaching ticket cost them a shot at victory.

Maybe even a 3-0 whitewash.

The Leinster and Ireland flanker spoke last week about issues with the Lions’ preparations before the first and third tests and he held nothing back in delving into those, and more again, in the clubhouse of his own Tullow RFC yesterday.