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2021 British & Irish Lions Tour
South Africa vs British and Irish Lions - Test 3
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<blockquote data-quote="Leonormous Boozer" data-source="post: 1053021" data-attributes="member: 45598"><p>Firstly I don't really care about the Lions, it doesn't represent anything that I want to support and I don't think it does the individual nations and players any favours with injuries and burn out common on and after the tours. It's also turned into a bit of a **** product in my opinion, X amount of warm up games against comically weak opposition followed by a test series against a team only starting their season and blowing a bit cold isn't a recipe for entertainment in the modern game and is always a bit dragged out and anti-climatic. </p><p></p><p>As for the last 8 years I felt that Gatland stuck with his boys, played miserably boring rugby, didn't reward players who earned spots on the tour (Ringrose ahead of Payne springs to mind last time but I can't remember back too well otherwise, Slade and Sexton this time who I'm convinced would have brought a winning contribution) but, mostly, he made it about him and his ego so often. What sticks out at me was the BOD saga in 2013, firstly making a big deal of not picking backs as captain when BOD was absolutely the obvious and correct choice, there wasn't a more respected leader in the NH at the time and then when he dropped him the first thing he said was 'I'm the first coach to drop him', have a bit of class. It happened again this time with the reasons for not picking Sexton and Ryan and I'm fairly sure he ****** off the Scots a lot on the last two tours saying stupid **** too. He's divided media and fans so much that Lions tours have become exhausting, this tour definitely being less toxic than the last two on here but mostly because half the English, Scottish and Irish fans were so fed up that we'd post snarky jokes that were usually ignored rather than having a proper discussion/argument that could get very tense, it was far more bitter on here and in the media (bar the Rassie show) last times out. </p><p></p><p>Add all of this together and I really didn't want Gatland to have a winning record as a Lion's coach, 33% and underachieving on every tour seems about his level when it comes to playing the SH and I'm happy with that. In 2025, and from then on, I'll want the Lions to win and the Irish to do well but I won't be happy or upset depending on the result at all mostly hoping for no injuries.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Leonormous Boozer, post: 1053021, member: 45598"] Firstly I don't really care about the Lions, it doesn't represent anything that I want to support and I don't think it does the individual nations and players any favours with injuries and burn out common on and after the tours. It's also turned into a bit of a **** product in my opinion, X amount of warm up games against comically weak opposition followed by a test series against a team only starting their season and blowing a bit cold isn't a recipe for entertainment in the modern game and is always a bit dragged out and anti-climatic. As for the last 8 years I felt that Gatland stuck with his boys, played miserably boring rugby, didn't reward players who earned spots on the tour (Ringrose ahead of Payne springs to mind last time but I can't remember back too well otherwise, Slade and Sexton this time who I'm convinced would have brought a winning contribution) but, mostly, he made it about him and his ego so often. What sticks out at me was the BOD saga in 2013, firstly making a big deal of not picking backs as captain when BOD was absolutely the obvious and correct choice, there wasn't a more respected leader in the NH at the time and then when he dropped him the first thing he said was 'I'm the first coach to drop him', have a bit of class. It happened again this time with the reasons for not picking Sexton and Ryan and I'm fairly sure he ****** off the Scots a lot on the last two tours saying stupid **** too. He's divided media and fans so much that Lions tours have become exhausting, this tour definitely being less toxic than the last two on here but mostly because half the English, Scottish and Irish fans were so fed up that we'd post snarky jokes that were usually ignored rather than having a proper discussion/argument that could get very tense, it was far more bitter on here and in the media (bar the Rassie show) last times out. Add all of this together and I really didn't want Gatland to have a winning record as a Lion's coach, 33% and underachieving on every tour seems about his level when it comes to playing the SH and I'm happy with that. In 2025, and from then on, I'll want the Lions to win and the Irish to do well but I won't be happy or upset depending on the result at all mostly hoping for no injuries. [/QUOTE]
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2021 British & Irish Lions Tour
South Africa vs British and Irish Lions - Test 3
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