Brian Dick: Reputation and hope certainties in McGeechan's Lions squad

Apr 15 2009 by Brian Dick, Birmingham Post

The identities of the men who will be forever recorded by history as the 30th British and Irish Lions will be revealed on Tuesday as Ian McGeechan announces his tour party. Let’s hope they fare better than their most immediate predecessors.

Clive Woodward’s White Lions were mauled four years ago in a tour almost as disastrous as the one led to Australia, New Zealand and Argentina by Mike Campbell-Lamerton in 1966.

In fact in many ways it was worse. Woodward began overplaying his hand before the squad even left these shores with his calamitous ‘best-prepared ever’ speech, the appointment of the despised Alastair Campbell and his ‘one for the road’ selection policy. In the end they were Black-washed by New Zealand and lucky to get nil.

You’d be forgiven for thinking things could only get better, though I suspect that might not be the case. McGeechan could pick Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne and Peter Parker, Messrs Super, Bat and Spider, and his Test team could still be sent homeward tae think again given the events of the last four-year cycle.

Where New Zealand were coming off the back of Rugby World Cup semi-final defeat and last-place finish in the 2004 Tri Nations, South Africa are not only reigning world champions but have underpinned the side that won in Paris with genuine world-class talent.

They have bounced back from an indifferent summer and went through their tour of Wales, Scotland and England without losing a match. The country also has two of the three top-ranked teams in the Super 14, a fit-again Pierre Spies and incredible competition for places in the threequarters.

They also have Bryan Habana talking about this series as the culmination of his life’s work and a nation that is desperate for revenge after stewing in its own bile and spit for more than a decade following the 1997 series. And what does McGeechan have? Shed-loads of Irishmen from a scratchy Grand Slam, if there is such a thing, some under-performing Welshman, a handful of callow Englishmen and the customary doffed cap in the direction of his homeland.

What is of most concern is that the players tipped as his game-breakers just didn’t perform in the most recent Six Nations.

Shane Williams is having a hangover from 2008, Mike Phillips is a shadow of the scrum half he should be, Mike Blair had a shocking spring and there is no stand-out candidate in the No 10 shirt.

Which leaves McGeechan having to pick on reputation and hope rather than expectation and form.

I just pray that hope doesn’t force him to look too far in Danny Cipriani’s direction though Lawrence Dallaglio’s ‘expect some surprises’ routine chilled me to the core.

It is inconceivable that Dallaglio hasn’t spoken to the current Wasps coach about the make-up of his squad. Cipriani and Josh Lewsey are well in the running.

The former would quite simply be a disaster as Test fly half. The hubris that follows him round like a card-carrying member of the pap does not a good tourist make.

Cipriani is not even a proven Premiership operator yet, never mind international class ten or indeed world-class playmaker.

He has talent but he’s as likely to self-destruct as he is inspire.

Which leaves the hopelessly limited Ronan O’Gara or either of Wales’ options Stephen Jones or James Hook.

I’d have loved Hook to have developed sufficiently in the Six Nations to have ended the argument but he barely got a look in and his response to the pressure put on his Ospreys team by Munster last weekend does not bode well.

So Jones it has to be. Largely under-rated, he is a competent international operator and probably has the most balanced game of any of his rivals.

Like so many other positions, though, it is a case of selection by a process of elimination, as it will be at hooker, tighthead, scrum half and one of the wing spots.

Hardly a good build-up to what is going to be a hideously difficult tour.