Lions farce on the horizon.

[Prestwick]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtm...3/srackf113.xml



Well it seems that the RFU have managed to pull off yet another coup! This time by buggering up the schedule for the B&I Lions tour to South Africa after insisting on lots of changes. The Guinness Premiership final may mean that most of the English contingent will be unavailible for the first games of the tour while the Heineken Cup final may mean that many of the other players may be unavailible for pre-tour training!

On the other hand, this is classic Lions. Its a bit like Top Gear: a really really awesome idea, lots of fun but ultimately..rubbish.

 

[Sir Speedy]

We just need Iain Balshaw to be picked for the tour now, then we can completely confirm that this tour will be a total failure.
But jokes aside, that's quite pathetic from the RFU, these tours come once every four years and they can't be arsed to reschedule it even though they know it'll affect the Premiership and Heineken Cup? :rahh:

 

[Caledfwlch]

But still bringing in the views/money. Thats what this Lions tour will be. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Steve-o]

Ok, so, about half of the players won't be able to play the 1st two games against the provincial teams.
Which leaves 50% of the players another 4 games to get 'into it', BEFORE they play the 3 tests against the Boks.

It's not THAT, is it?

 

[nick_w]

The situation that the RFU have put themselves and all English players who will be ineligible for those first few games should and can only be viewed as arrogant and snobbish. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I strongly think that we haven't come much further than "58 old farts" as Carling put it a decade ago.

At the end of the day, it's a money thing and although it should be changed, it probably won't. Unfortunate really.

 

[Prestwick]

Ok, so, about half of the players won't be able to play the 1st two games against the provincial teams.
Which leaves 50% of the players another 4 games to get 'into it', BEFORE they play the 3 tests against the Boks.

It's not THAT, is it? [/b]

You have to admit though, considering this will be the first time many of them will be playing together as an XV since 2005, its made an unlikely series victory essentially impossible. Unless they suddenly all gel which means Ian McGeechan will be spending lots of money on team-bonding nights out and Shaun Edwards will be hoarse from bellowing at the top of his lungs.



A fiasco in other words.

 

[Vambo]

Well it's certainly not ideal preparation that's for sure!

I was interested in what Greenwood said a bit back on the Rugby Club in regards to winning the first test being a must because of where the 2nd and 3rd tests are being played.

The Lions really need to hit the ground running on this tour and it seems that already things are conspiring against them... however isn't it precisely this backs against the wall ethos where the Lions truly perform and history is made?

With a depleted squad starting the tour though it may give some of those not expected to make the test team a good chance to play themself into it.

 

[gingergenius]

Sorry, but why is it the RFU's fault?????

The Guinness Premiership happens every year. It is a fixed event in the Rugby Calendar. As is the Heineken Cup. Europe is riven by debates over fixture lists, so these are two competitions which are clearly not flexible.

The Lions Tour, on the other hand, is. They can arrange tour matches whenever they like. Why don't the Lions sit back and think... "hang on... we take players from the British Isles. Perhaps we should therefore organise our tour for when these players will be available..." It doesn't take a genius. And if the window for these fixtures is too small then I don't think too many people would complain about the Lions not playing the van der umbongo select XV (or any other random bokke team) who they'll probably beat 100-0 anyway. If they have to, make the tour shorter, it's only the 3 Tests people care about.

 

[nick_w]

Sorry, but why is it the RFU's fault?????

The Guinness Premiership happens every year. It is a fixed event in the Rugby Calendar. As is the Heineken Cup. Europe is riven by debates over fixture lists, so these are two competitions which are clearly not flexible.

The Lions Tour, on the other hand, is. They can arrange tour matches whenever they like. Why don't the Lions sit back and think... "hang on... we take players from the British Isles. Perhaps we should therefore organise our tour for when these players will be available..." It doesn't take a genius. And if the window for these fixtures is too small then I don't think too many people would complain about the Lions not playing the van der umbongo select XV (or any other random bokke team) who they'll probably beat 100-0 anyway. If they have to, make the tour shorter, it's only the 3 Tests people care about.
[/b]

With all due respect, I'm afraid I don't share the same sentiment. From what the article says, it looks like the RFU have made the Lions jump through hoops to set the fixtures for when they are, and then moved the goal posts.

""We're not the ones that can get this changed," said John Feehan, Lions chief executive. "Our original tour dates did not clash with the Premiership final but the RFU asked us to move the tour back a week which we did with much difficulty. Much later they came back to us and said they wanted us to move it again."

They also had to take into account the confederates cup which is also taking place in S.A. that Summer, so Stadium use was limited as well.

As for people not complaining if they were not to play as many games, I'm afraid I would be rather annoyed at this. Firstly, a lot of the games give the players a chance to gel together. Although they may seem pointless, I see them as crucial for team building and experimenting. Plus, it means more time I could spend in the pub watching quality players play together.

This tour is once every four years, and it would be an utter shame to have it start without the full squad to pick from or build on.

 

[gingergenius]

This tour is once every four years, and it would be an utter shame to have it start without the full squad to pick from or build on.
[/b]

agreed, but the premiership is more important. The Lions won't do any better this time out than in New Zealand. Why? because you need one of the British teams to be seriously world class and there hasn't been a team like that since England in 2003. The 2001 Lions tour was close and should have gone our way.. 2005 we couldn't even beat the Maoris. So unless one of the British teams puts together a string of performances, which means beating SH teams in the Autumn and winning the 6Nations convincingly, the Lions will flop.

That article I think is a little biased. Fine, the RFU may have messed them around, but the Heineken Cup, a completely separate competition, is also causing problems. The Lions should have arranged their tour for later on in the summer. And don't tell me the South Africans won't accommodate any changes, they're making a ridiculous amount of money from it so they need the Lions to come..

 

[feicarsinn]

sorry but thats getting a big no the premiership is not more important than the lions tour because its not and id say youll find very few people to agree with you

 

[nick_w]

<div class='quotemain'>

This tour is once every four years, and it would be an utter shame to have it start without the full squad to pick from or build on.
[/b]

agreed, but the premiership is more important. The Lions won't do any better this time out than in New Zealand. Why? because you need one of the British teams to be seriously world class and there hasn't been a team like that since England in 2003. The 2001 Lions tour was close and should have gone our way.. 2005 we couldn't even beat the Maoris. So unless one of the British teams puts together a string of performances, which means beating SH teams in the Autumn and winning the 6Nations convincingly, the Lions will flop.

That article I think is a little biased. Fine, the RFU may have messed them around, but the Heineken Cup, a completely separate competition, is also causing problems. The Lions should have arranged their tour for later on in the summer. And don't tell me the South Africans won't accommodate any changes, they're making a ridiculous amount of money from it so they need the Lions to come..
[/b][/quote]

I guess it's each to their own at the end of the day. I'd consider the Lions tour a more important part of British rugby because of its rarity, its ability to unite otherwise battling fans, and the sheer amount of talent in almost every area of the game.

I'm not so sure that South Africa would accommodate any major changes that would lead to a later tour for a number of reasons. Firstly, whether we love it or hate it, Football is the biggest sport in the world, and although they are getting a hefty pay cheque for the Lions, I imagine the one they are getting from fifa is a bit bigger. Secondly, with the Fifa world cup coming up in 2010, I should think SA want to play good hosts for the Confederates Cup to help draw fans in time for quite possibly the biggest sporting event in the country since the 1995 RWC.

What I do agree with you on is that one of the British teams need to put on an outstanding performance down south this summer, and equally in Autumn (i'm looking at you Mr Gatland and hopefully Mr Johnson).

 

[Prestwick]

Sorry, but why is it the RFU's fault?????

The Guinness Premiership happens every year. It is a fixed event in the Rugby Calendar. As is the Heineken Cup. Europe is riven by debates over fixture lists, so these are two competitions which are clearly not flexible.

The Lions Tour, on the other hand, is. They can arrange tour matches whenever they like. Why don't the Lions sit back and think... "hang on... we take players from the British Isles. Perhaps we should therefore organise our tour for when these players will be available..." It doesn't take a genius. And if the window for these fixtures is too small then I don't think too many people would complain about the Lions not playing the van der umbongo select XV (or any other random bokke team) who they'll probably beat 100-0 anyway. If they have to, make the tour shorter, it's only the 3 Tests people care about. [/b]

I'm sorry to say this but the answer is in the article. The reason why the RFU is at fault here is because the Lions Committee have come to them with a set of dates first of all and received the okay from the RFU after checking that they did not clash with the Guiness Premiership final. The RFU then later came back to them and asked them to move the tour back a couple of weeks to where it is now. The Lions Committee agreed with reservations and after much difficulty with Premier Rugby, the Magners League, the ERC, FIFA and the various South African sports organisations to fit the tour around the new dates requested by the RFU.

Then the RFU came back to them again to ask for yet more changes. The Lions however, simply cannot do that as they have already given practically everyone in both Rugby and Soccer a good run around and FIFA have made it clear that they will not be making any more changes to the schedule of The Confederations Cup in 2011 just to satisfy an RFU who basically can't make up their minds.

This is a situation of the RFU's making. Pure and simple. The clubs can't do anything and neither can the ERC, the dates are fixed and that is that. However, the Lions Committee did not have the power to resist one of the biggest national rugby bodies on the planet when they asked, nay, told the Lions to change the dates again and again.

That is why the RFU are at fault here.

 

[DonBilly]

Sorry, but why is it the RFU's fault?????

The Guinness Premiership happens every year. It is a fixed event in the Rugby Calendar. As is the Heineken Cup. Europe is riven by debates over fixture lists, so these are two competitions which are clearly not flexible.

The Lions Tour, on the other hand, is. They can arrange tour matches whenever they like. Why don't the Lions sit back and think... "hang on... we take players from the British Isles. Perhaps we should therefore organise our tour for when these players will be available..." It doesn't take a genius. And if the window for these fixtures is too small then I don't think too many people would complain about the Lions not playing the van der umbongo select XV (or any other random bokke team) who they'll probably beat 100-0 anyway. If they have to, make the tour shorter, it's only the 3 Tests people care about. [/b]

I agree with you it is very well known what ends the Rugby season in the British isles on one hand, on the other hand I guess that for SA there's another constraint which is the Tri-Nation. The Lions Tour must fit in between. Are there enough week-ends left between these two competitions? I don't know, maybe one of you knows.