It’s always difficult to predict how a team forced together in such a short space of time will work, how the players and coaches of four nations will come together and how a group of around 40 players plus staff can gel when they are living in each other’s pockets for seven weeks.
There was a feeling that this could be an historic tour. Pulling together the leadership abilities of Sam Warburton, Paul O’Connell and Brian O’Driscoll, the physical prowess of Toby Felatau, Sean O’Brien and the front rows, the game-breaking best of Manu Tuilagi, George North and Tommy Bowe, and the various other parts that make up the whole, this is definitely a touring party of the highest calibre.
For Leicester Tigers we were desperate to see our six of the best – Manu, Dan Cole, Geoff Parling, Tom Croft, and Tom and Ben Youngs.
Well they’ve certainly all had their moments so far.
Just seeing each of them in the red Lions shirt made The Tig massively proud of them and the club.
Croft and Parling have earned their places the hard way after horrible injuries, Manu and Ben have continued to improve as Test-class players after bursting on to the scene as very young men, Cole takes to every level without any fuss and Tom Youngs has enjoyed a fitting end to a momentous season.
Manu’s shoulder injury meant we had to wait a while, with fingers crossed, but he looked hungry and keen to impress in the win over the Melbourne Rebels in his first game back.
Geoff will have had a mixture of emotions when he was, first, named as captain for the Rebels game, but then pulled out when O’Connell had his tour ended by a broken arm. Now it seems Geoff will be in the thick of the action in the Test line-ups. He deserves his chance and the sounds out of the Lions camp are that he has impressed hugely with his attitude and his abilities.
Crofty adds an X-factor to any team, though it shouldn’t disguise the fact he also does the back-rower’s donkey work at the breakdown. And he is in probably the most competitive back-row group the Lions have had in years.
The Tig clapped when Tom Youngs was chosen to start the opening Test and he showed his true worth in a fine all-round display. Brother Ben shared the pitch for just a few moments but he’ll get another chance surely before the Test series is done.
The Lions are getting their money’s-worth out of Cole, backing up in several midweek fixtures in the unassuming way he goes about his work with the club week in week out.
Now there are only two games left, the final two Tests of a hugely-anticipated series. Let’s hope they all have a big part to play.
