Preview - Barbarians v British & Irish Lions

It's here.  No more talk, no more brags, no more outrageous predictions – just the Lions taking the field once again after 4 years as they embark on their Tour to Australia…in Hong Kong.  Yes, it seems a little odd that the first match of the Tour Down Under will take place an Asian city with weather conditions resembling that of a sauna, but that's the nature of professional beast these days – there are sponsors to appease, shirts to flog and tickets to sell.

But don't let all that artificial garbage put you off.  This is still the real deal – with arguably the two most iconic sides in World Rugby coming together for only the second time in history.  For the Lions, this is their opener before their 9 game tour of Australia, but for the Barbarians, this is their last game after a 2 match stint that opened with an embarrassing hammering against an inexperienced England side.  If the Baabaas "give it a go" playing philosophy is legendary, then so is their "if you can gulp it, drink it" mantra in the build up to their games in order to assist with team bonding – but I suspect they overdid it at Twickenham as half of them still seemed borderline smashed as the game kicked off.  Dropped passes, missed easy tackles – this didn't look like an invitational side of the World's finest.  But the Baabaas are a proud lot, and resolved to restore their honour by focusing on the Lions this weekend and, to prove it, launched a self imposed drinking ban.  Which lasted for 2 hours before shots of Jim Hamilton, Schalk Brits and Marco Wentzel  glugging wine emerged on the internet.  It turns out the drinking ban only applied to beer.

 

That said, you'd be a fool to write off the Barbarians – especially when you consider this is probably one of the strongest sides they've had in years.  Guys like Martin Castrogiovanni, Sergio Parisse, Dimitri Yachvilli and Nick Evans are all world class operators and intelligent players, whilst the likes of Joe Rokocoko, Elliot Daly, Takudzwa Ngwenya and Schalk Brits all provide some serious speed and X-Factor, with the ability to make a play out of nothing.  This side does not lack for inventiveness and pace and, if the Lions let them play, they could be ripped apart before they even land in Australia.  Plus, for probably the first time ever, the Baabaas have actually had more preparation time than their opposition.

Yes, the Lions have been together for over 2 weeks now – but only a 'shell' of the squad with a large proportion still involved in club finals, including 6 players each from the Tour's biggest contributors, Leinster and Leicester.  It means that this side will have even more of a Welsh flavour to it than the squad as a whole, with no Welsh sides competing for silverware, but every nation is still represented in the first Starting XV of the tour.  And there is no shortage of firepower for the men in red either, with experienced campaigners Mike Phillips and Jamie Roberts all capable of packing a punch and the new-Lion back 3 of Sean Maitland, Alex Cuthbert and Stuart Hogg all possessing bag-loads of speed and footwork.  But perhaps it's up front where the Lions, led by the permanently-angry Paul O'Connell, will have the real advantage.  Warren Gatland is renowned for getting his side to aim for physical dominance, and that's what this big pack will aim for – and it will be particularly interesting to see if Richie Gray and Dan Lydiate can hit the heights they are capable of.

In terms of game plans, the Barbarians will, as usual, offer a shrug and a maverick "Whatever we like", but the Lions will be focussing on getting some basic patterns into play.  That means structuring line-out drives, organising a kick chase and working through some basic 3 phase-moves – all highly compelling stuff I'm sure you'll agree.  Jamie Roberts should be expecting to put in a big shift and take some basic pops from young fly half Owen Farrell and Gatland tries to encourage the Saracens 10 to attack the gainline and be more aggressive in his decision making, and the likes of Faletau and Tipuric would do well to be on the big man's shoulder in the event that he wriggles his arms out of the tackle.  Of course, tactics may well be determined by the fact that the conditions are akin to those found inside of an obese marathon runner's jockstrap – there will be 2 water breaks per half for the players in the 30 degree heat and 80% humidity – and I should imagine that, with the amount of sweat out there, there will be a few defenders slipping off tackles and several attackers sliding off shoulders. 

Gatland has previously been quoted in saying that he wouldn't mind dropping a couple of tour games for a Series victory – which is understandable really.  But if the Lions lose to the Barbarians – that rabble of wonderfully talented but disorganised individuals – there may be quite a fallout.  It is absolutely essential that the tour gets off to a winning start and develops that positive mentality.

The wait is over.  The Lions haven't travelled across the world to this sweatbox just to lose.

 

Barbarians Team News

Only four players - centre Elliot Daly, wing Takudzwa Ngwenya, centre Casey Laulala and lock Marco Wentzel - survive from the side hammered by England last weekend. Parisse captains a side featuring ex-All Blacks Joe Rokocoko and Nick Evans, France scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili and former Springboks hooker Schalk Brits. Wales loose-head prop Paul James and Italy tight-head Martin Castrogiovanni are also included as is USA Eagles international Samu Manoa and uncapped Wasps flanker Sam Jones.

Starting Line up: Jared Payne, Joe Rokocoko, Elliot Daly, Casey Laulala, Takudzwa Ngwenya, Nick Evans, Dimitri Yachvili; Paul James, Schalk Brits, Martin Castrogiovanni, Marco Wentzel, Dean Mumm, Samu Manoa, Sam Jones, Sergio Parisse (capt).

Subs: Leonardo Ghiraldini, Duncan Jones, Andrea Lo Cicero, Jim Hamilton, Imanol Harinordoquy, Kahn Fotuali'l, James Hook, Mike Tindall/Rowan Varty.

Key Player

Sergio Parisse.  Captain for the day, there is no other forward in the world who is more suited to the Barbarian rugby mentality for the great Italian.  The number 8 was sensational for Italy this Six Nations and has been at the forefront of a mini-resurgence for Stade Francais too, displaying his wonderfully soft hands and brilliant rugby brain alongside his ferocious carrying and defensive work.  With an ability to pick gorgeous lines and chuck physics-defying offloads, an open game will suit him just fine – but he will have to make sure he leads the way with his usual accuracy, or else the Barbarians may well produce another mistake-ridden debacle like last Saturday.

 

British & Irish Lions Team News

Eleven players in the starting side at the Hong Kong Stadium will make their Lions debuts as Gatland begins the process of sifting through his options ahead of the three-Test series starting in Brisbane on 22 June.  Only Adam Jones, Paul O'Connell, Mike Phillips and Jamie Roberts have appeared for the Lions before – although they were standouts 4 years ago in South Africa.  O'Connell will captain the side in the absence of the injured Sam Warburton, whilst Scottish trio Sean Maitland, Richie Gray and Stuart Hogg all get on the pitch at the same time, which probably causes some sort of heavy fine on all variations of the Lions Drinking Game I've seen.

Starting Line up:  Stuart Hogg, Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts , Sean Maitland; Owen Farrell, Mike Phillips; Mako Vunipola, Richard Hibbard, Adam Jones, Richie Gray, Paul O'Connell (capt), Dan Lydiate, Justin Tipuric, Toby Faletau.

Subs: Tom Youngs, Cian Healy, Matt Stevens, Alun Wyn Jones, Jamie Heaslip, Conor Murray, Jonathan Sexton, George North.

Key Player

Dan Lydiate.  In my view, he was the second most controversial selection for the Lions in this Tour, behind the human bean-bag that is Matt Stevens.  Gatland said he would base his selection on form in international matches or club games "of a similar standard to internationals" – i.e. European games and high pressure league matches.   Unfortunately, Lydiate filled neither of these criteria having been injured thought the Autumn Internationals and the Six Nations, and only returning to play for the Dragons in – with all respect – a bunch of meaningless kickabouts with nothing riding on the outcome.  That said, there is no doubting the big Welsh blindside's class.  In the 2012 Six Nations he was a one-man wrecking ball of a 6, destroying opposition carriers on the gain line and making strong yardage with ball in hand too.  If he can find that form, he'll be a dead cert for the test side – but he needs to find it quickly, with Tom Croft and Sean O'Brien looking in ominously good nick as well.  This will be a big test for the Welshman.

Key Battle

Nick Evans v Owen Farrell.  The Harlequin Kiwi may look like he should be rocking out for a vets side in the South Yorkshire merit league, but the fly half is still one of the smoothest operators around with quick feet, swift hands, an accurate boot and a sharp rugby brain.  That the experienced number 10 is one of a few players seemingly held in universal high regard is in contrast to the Lions' own chief playmaker for this outing, Owen Farrell.  The young Saracen endured a torrid end to the season, with doubts about his temperament and his attacking threat all coming to the fore, but there can be little doubt that, on his day, Farrell is a quality fly half with vision and superb technical ability.  He'll need to find his form quickly against the razor sharp Evans and ensure that he gives the talented backs outside him a chance to have a run on the gainline.

Prediction

Despite the preparation time, this should be a comfortable win for the Lions in their first ever Asian outing.  The pre-match talk has been dominated by the weather and what effect the equivalent to playing in a natural sauna will have on the players, but hopefully it won't have an effect on the pace of the game – especially as water breaks every 15 minutes have been approved.  The Barbarians looked shambolic last week and, although it's a completely different side this weekend, it's hard to see them coming much closer together in that short period of time.  Lions by 16.