The partnership, featuring Murray’s tactical kicking and Farrell’s distribution, led to the British & Irish Lions’ best performance of the tour against the CrusadersThe British & Irish Lions may have been rocked by criticism in New Zealand of their playing style, but their victory against the Crusaders showed they are not going to be swayed by it.They pitched up in Christchurch with six players from the 2013 tour to Australia who were making their first starts in New Zealand: if it was not quite the A-team, they brought their A-game, led around the field by authoritative, pragmatic half-backs. Related: Sam Warburton to return from injury and lead Lions against Highlanders Related: Lions’ confounding win gives New Zealand reasons to be...
Forwards leave coach spoilt for choice and set tourists up well for the tests that lie ahead as they prepare for their match against the Highlanders on TuesdayIt is impossible to overstate the fresh sense of purpose that has accompanied the entire British & Irish Lions squad south from Christchurch to Otago. Not many sides conquer a strong Crusaders team with something to spare and the result on Saturday had two significant consequences. Not only do these Lions have more belief in themselves but New Zealand’s worst nightmare is in danger of materialising.From a New Zealand point of view all was relatively normal before the weekend. The touring team had been struggling to make an impression, the local media were...
The Owen Farrell-inspired victory for the British and Irish Lions against unbeaten Crusaders, after being tipped to not win another game on tour, will keep New Zealand’s analysts awake for nights to comeAs the past few weeks on the election trail have shown, a campaign rarely runs in a straight line. What seems certain one day can look unlikely the next and a few days after being tipped to go through the rest of the tour without securing a victory the Lions not only defeated the previously unbeaten Crusaders but gave New Zealand some reasons to be fearful.One disappointment for the Lions, which will kick in after the euphoria and relief of a win they needed with the majority of...
With an All Black tight five, the Christchurch side are powerful in the ruck and they can really do some damage through Richie Mo’unga and David HaviliWarren Gatland is kidding no one when he says there is not much difference between playing the Super Rugby teams and the All Blacks. He’s trying to take the pressure off his players but they’ve just lost to the Blues, who haven’t beaten another Kiwi side all season. Test level is a different, much bigger beast and when it’s the full-blooded All Blacks against the Lions the levels of pressure and intensity will go right through the roof.While losing to the Blues was a blow it wasn’t fatal and now they come to the...
Whitewashed, battered and humiliated, Clive Woodward’s men left New Zealand with their reputations tarnished – and their anger burned for many years to comeIn the spring of 2005, the first postcards arrived. “They’ll be ready,” the cards read, “are you?” Soon after, wristbands came, sent by special delivery. They had “Power of Four” written on them, which, it turned out, was the official motto of the 2005 British & Irish Lions tour. It was all part of Clive Woodward’s grand plan. Woodward had spent 12 months scheming and made “no apologies for believing this is the best-prepared tour in the history of Lions rugby”. Related: It’s not arrogance but New Zealanders are expecting a 10-0 sweep of the Lions |...