FOR rugby fans, 2017 will be remembered as the year of the Lions.
Scenes of the Red Army going wild in Wellington after the 24-21 victory in the Second Test will go down as one of the iconic images of the game.
Warren Gatland’s heroes became the first side to win against the All Blacks in New Zealand for eight years.
But the impossible dream nearly turned into a nightmare for Kiwi Gatland, who was ridiculed on his return to the southern hemisphere.
He was painted as a clown on the front page of a national newspaper, called “desperate and predictable” by opposite number Steve Hansen and caught swearing in a press conference when asked about the dreaded Warren-ball.
No wonder Gatland said he HATED the tour, despite becoming the first side since the 1971 greats to avoid defeat to the world champions.
Had the Lions had a fit Billy Vunipola, maybe they could have overcome that final hurdle and won a series there for the first time in 46 years.
Instead it was one win, one loss and one dramatic last Test draw — and the Lions would surely have taken that before the series.
England centre Manu Tuilagi was absent, crocked again, also missing another Red Rose clean-sweep in the Six Nations.
Thankfully Dragons ace Sam Warburton won his fitness battle to skipper the Lions in the final two Tests.
But since then the Welshman has undergone two surgeries — one on his neck, the other on his knee — as the sport’s stars continue to batter their bodies.
Gatland’s spell with the Lions — twice as head coach and another as assistant — must surely now be up.
And assistant coach Andy Farrell further showed his genius with a defensive red wall the All Blacks just could not pass.
Back home, Premiership champions Exeter and European double winners Saracens claimed the two big trophies.
Sarries’ back-to-back wins in Europe cemented their growing dynasty as one of, if not the greatest group of English players ever produced.
Fly-half Owen Farrell was named European Player of the Year but — probably because he does not have a New Zealand passport — bizarrely missed out on world rugby’s top gong, to All Black Beauden Barrett.
Saracens further strengthened by signing Liam Williams from Pro12 winners Scarlets to confirm their status as the domestic powerhouse.
Their excellent coach Mark McCall had to settle for runner-up in the boss-of-the-year stakes as Wasps head man Dai Young scooped the award.
It was double delight for the Coventry-based club, whose influential play-maker Jimmy Gopperth was crowned player of the season. But they could not make it count at Twickenham when they reached the final after topping the table.
Rob Baxter’s Chiefs finally won the Premiership for the first time by winning in extra-time.
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It capped a fairytale story for a club who have broken the grip of the big names.
As 2018 approaches the game still has a problem with concussion.
With the hits harder than ever, in some cases compared to a 30mph car crash, no one knows the true extent of the damage done.
Rugby is trying to deal with the issue, but as it gets faster and tougher in the run-up to the 2019 World Cup, another serious case is always on the horizon.
MATCH OF THE YEAR
NEW ZEALAND 21
BRITISH & IRISH LIONS 24
YES, it needed centre Sonny Bill Williams to get sent off for the tourists to beat the All Blacks.
They got the job done thanks to a last-gasp penalty from Owen Farrell at the Cake Tin.
The Red Army created one of the best atmospheres ever witnessed.
Their chants of “Oh, Maro Itoje” were ringing in everyone’s ears for days.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
OWEN FARRELL
(Lions, England and Saracens fly-half)
WORLD Rugby proved to be the biggest jokers of 2017 when they failed to name Farrell as the best player.
The European Player of the Year spearheaded England to back-to-back Six Nations titles, Saracens to back-to-back Champions Cup crowns and the Lions to an epic drawn series in New Zealand.
LET DOWN OF THE YEAR
ENGLAND flopping in Ireland, blowing back-to-back Six Nations Grand Slams.
Coach Eddie Jones hyped this one up about his side either achieving greatness or failure. But they could not cope with the pressure at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin in March as the Aussie boss lost his first game in charge.
NEWBIE OF THE YEAR
THIS one can go to an All Black. It has to be Rieko Ioane for the way he burst on to the scene against the Lions with the Auckland Blues before winning his first New Zealand cap in the Test series.
An outstanding winger, whose mum even invited a Lions fan to live with them as he had nowhere to stay.
LAST LAUGH OF YEAR
THIS Clown had the last laugh, though.
Lions coach Warren Gatland was ridiculed in New Zealand but gave it back to the haters when he pulled out a red nose after his side drew the series in Auckland.
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