Rugby Betting: Southern Kings v British & Irish Lions
Anyone turning out for the British Lions today knows they will probably be missing the First Test on Saturday but that’s not to say those who play won’t be giving their all against a side that has plenty of experience, but probably not enough class to really test the visitors.
The tourists field their weakest side against scratch outfit Southern Kings on Tuesday night, as the Lions management wrap their likely Test side in cotton wool for the weekend.
For those on the bench, there is still a hope of a Test spot on Saturday – most notably back-rowers Tom Croft and David Wallace - but those in the starting XV against the Kings must be resigned to watching the Springboks from the sidelines at the weekend.
So there should be little surprise that the side sent on to the field on Tuesday is less than impressive in some areas, and could even be a touch subdued.
The front row is certainly not one unit that can be considered weak though. The Lions have won every scrimmaging battle on tour so far, and every single member of Tuesday’s front row had been tipped as a Test starter as some point, most notably prop Euan Murray, who perhaps deserved more of a chance to stake a claim for a Test berth on this tour.
But the back five of Lions on Tuesday looks one-paced and very pedestrian, and when you see Nathan Hines at six and Joe Worsley at seven then you know the Lions three-quarter line are going to be struggling for quick ball.
The back-line has far more pace and panache to it, but they wouldn’t strike fear into any decent Super-14 strength home side.
Luckily, for the Lions, the Southern Kings are not a decent Super-14 strength home side, and resemble something of a Dad’s Army in some quarters.
They have some decent ex-Springboks in their line-up, but the likes of De Wet Barry and Jaco van der Westhuyzen are long past their prime and one would have to say that any XV the Lions put out would be expecting to be the home side handsomely, hence Betfair’s handicap line of 21.5 points.
But perhaps it will not be the coast that it appears at first hand.
Further research into some of the Southern Kings squad for the match reveals that Mzwandile Stick, Rayno Benjamin and Mpho Mbiyozo were all instrumental to South Africa winning its first IRB World Sevens Series Championship this year, so perhaps they possess some pace to go along with the grizzled veterans.
In truth, it is obviously a very tough match to call. But I’d be inclined to take the Lions on the handicap line, to limited stakes
Lions Betting: Cautious tourists victorious again
Just three points separated the Lions from Western Province in an unimpressive victory.
The British & Irish Lions were victorious in the latest game of their South African tour, beating Western Province 26-23.
Playing an experimental team, the tourists let an 18-9 lead slip and the game stood at 23-23 as it entered the final 10 minutes.
But a 77th minute, long range penalty from James Hook sealed the win for the Lions who touched a high of [2.8] to win when drawings with their hosts.
There’s one more match for the Lions – Southern Kings on Tuesday- before they meet South Africa next Saturday.
Earlier in the day, France shocked New Zealand with a rare win over the All Blacks in Dunedin.
The home team were well fancied going into the match and traded at [1.08] to win, only to find the French defence in superb form.
France traded at a high of [12.5] for the victory.
Lions Tour Betting: Western Province v British & Irish Lions
This could be tight up to halftime, says Geoffrey Riddle, but expect the Lions to pull clear after the interval.
There has been a lot of speculation about the Lions’ inability to contest what is fast becoming a furiously contested breakdown. Double-figure turnover numbers have been conceded in all four of the Lions’ tour games so far, and no performance on the ground was more glaring that the shortcomings against the Super 14′s form breakaway, Heinrich Brussow of the Cheetahs.
In that Bloemfontein encounter last Saturday, Brussow played like a man possessed, putting in more than double the amount of tackles as the next man on his team. He was also instrumental to the Lions’ conceding 18 turnovers, their highest on tour in South Africa so far.
And the Lions face a formidable challenge once more this Saturday against Luke Watson of Western Province, a fetcher who has been mooted for the Springbok No.7 jersey for many years, but has been omitted for political reasons. What seems to be the problem for Ian McGeechan’s back-row men, is that they haven’t quite got accustomed to the ELV that allows the tackler to contest the breakdown.
Too often on Wednesday, against the Sharks, the Lions were making the tackles, but left the next man to contest the breakdown. Now that might not have been such an issue in the first Test next Saturday, but it is looking ever more likely that Schalk Burger will miss the first clash in Durban due to a torn calf. Burger is not a flanker in the fetcher mould, but if he does miss out, Springbok coach Peter de Villiers might be forced to draft in one of the many flankers queueing up to replace Burger, all of which are classic open-sides in the Brussow mould.
It is of the utmost importance therefore, that flanker Martyn Williams suppresses Watson in Saturday’s clash against Western Province in Cape Town. If he does so, he may even win himself a Test place ahead of David Wallace. This is because proven ball-winning ability against one of South Africa’s most robust No.7s will be of crucial significance to Ian McGeechan and Co. when they pick the Test side on Tuesday evening.
But on to this weekend’s action. Western Province are [8.0] to repel their visitors, which is something that they have managed four times in the 16 encounters between these two teams down the years. Although the Cape Town-based province can boast 32 Currie Cup successes over the last 100 years or so, the Stormers, in their Super 14 guise, suffered horribly this season, finishing a lowly tenth. In last year’s Currie Cup, Western Province finished fifth of eight which goes some way to explain why they receive around a 14-point start for this match. In 1997, they won South Africa’s premier domestic competition, and were considered just six-point underdogs. They lost 38-21.
The hosts’ challenge is centred around a free-flowing backline that boasts the Stormers top-tryscorer this season, Joe Pietersen, at full-back. Inside-centre Peter Grant alongside fly-half Willem De Waal, are both capable of kicking at goal, having shared the tee this season for the Stormers. With two such interchangeable playmakers behind the scrum, it seems likely that we’ll see some classic counter-attacking tactics from the home side. They will rely on Watson to secure the turnovers, and hope that De Waal and Grant can utilise this possession out wide to their wingers Tonderai Chavhanga and the burly Rastafarian, Gcobani Bobo.
It is a game-plan that could chip away at the Lions, despite their heroic defensive display against the Sharks in midweek, but one that also could make the first half a low-scoring encounter as the Lions aim to soak up the early pressure.
Western Province have probably the most ardent following in the Rainbow Nation, so armchair viewers are unlikely to witness the empty stadiums that have been a feature of the past four games. As a result, the Lions are going to endure a fearsome onslaught during the opening 40 minutes, and one which should direct punters into backing the hosts on the half-time handicap.
In midweek, Tony Calvin rightly highlighted that the Lions were a classic back-to-lay trade. A look at the the last 12 tour games indicates that, as a general principle, it is best to approach tour matches in this way, as home sides unleash a furious opening half, only to be outclassed as the match progresses.
Super League Betting: England call-ups shake up the domestic competition
As England travel to France to face a depleted side, George Riley looks at the consequences of these call-ups on the Super League as he goes looking for the betting value.
The best homegrown players will be missing from this weekend’s round of Super League as Tony Smith’s new-look England head to Paris to play a hugely under-strength France.
France are trading at a hefty [17.0] with Betfair customers to win on their own patch against an England side yet to really play together as a unit. That may prove appealing value for the punter who remembers how woefully out of sorts England were last time they played on foreign soil, but Smith has done a lot of soul-searching since the World Cup.
The French will struggle to match England’s enthusiasm, energy and vigour, without seven regulars including Dimitri Pelo, Jamal Fakir, David Ferriol and Olivier Elima. A full-strength France would give this youthful England side a real game, but I can’t see whatever side coach Bobby Goulding puts out being capable of making much of an impact on the young Lions. Joe Westerman, Scotty Moore, Ryan Hall and Sam Tompkins could all make their debuts, but I expect experienced heads Jamie Peacock and Adrian Morley to bring England home at [1.02]. Don’t expect a walloping though – those odds do look far too short for me.
In the internationals’ absence, Super League continues with St Helens versus Castleford and Hull KR v Harlequins on Friday. I’m heading to Knowsley Road this week for what I expected to be a really fierce contest, but given their absentees I can’t see the Tigers taming Saints. In fact I fear for Terry Matterson’s side. With Westerman and Michael Shenton on England duty, and without key injured pair Brent Sherwin and skipper Ryan Hudson, The Cas squad is stretched to the absolute limit.
Last weekend’s home defeat by resurgent Warrington hurt the Tigers pride, and there are call ups for 17-year-old Jordan Thompson and 21-year-old Ryan Boyle. Cas trade at around [10.0] and for that to be even remotely tempting then Rangi Chase has to have a massive game in the halfbacks. Even if he does, I can see Saints walking this at [1.07], the home side benefiting from the lack of England calls for Jon Wilkin, Paul Wellens, Leon Pryce and of course the now internationally retired Sean Long.
Hull KR-Quins looks a belter as Friday night’s TV game. As predicted on this column, one of the top three were going to slip up last week. As it happened there were two shocks, with both Rovers and Leeds losing, so well done if you backed that at the great value that was on offer on Betfair.
I’d expect KR to bounce back this weekend at [1.51] on their home patch, but will they be as potent an attacking threat without the pace and guile of England pair Peter Fox and Shaun Briscoe? If you fancy they may suffer in their absence, you can back Quins at around the [2.7] mark. Only Tony Clubb of Quins got the England call when several others may have expected it. Rob Purdham and Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook should both be in, so I’m going to go with the Quins’ value and float this week’s fiver on them at [2.7].
Wigan should win at Celtic Crusaders at [1.12] on Saturday, although without the injured Sean O’Loughlin punters may like the [4.1] about the Welsh side to record only their second win.
Wakefield-Hull looks a good fixture too. Top try-scorer Ryan Atkins is on England duty and the Wildcats will miss him. Wakey lost at Bradford last week while Hull were humiliated at home by Saints so this could be tight with neither wanting a repeat. [1.74] on Wakefield surprises me and strikes me as too short in what looks a 50/50 call. Hull trade around [2.2] in what looks to be the value call.
I’m expecting home wins in both of the weekend’s remaining fixture as Leeds look to bounce back from last weekend’s shock slip up in France, against a Huddersfield side bouncing after beating Hull KR. I expect this to be far tighter than the trading on Betfair suggests, with the Rhinos a little out of sorts. I expect a Leeds win but [1.33] doesn’t tempt me, with the Giants at [3.6]. Leeds have three men – Peacock, Danny McGuire and Ryan Hall away with England and that will hurt them. Rob Burrow should be fit to return in McGuire’s place, while youngsters Kallum Watkins and Ashley Gibson look the call to replace leading try-scorer Hall on the wing. The Giants can run this really close but I’m not convinced they can win at Headingley.
Warrington are now flying under Tony Smith, but will be without their coach as he guides England. I still expect James Lowes to oversee a [1.34] home win over his former club Bradford though, with the [2.72] Bulls likely to struggle without Sam Burgess.
Rugby Betting: Geoffrey Riddle on the pick of this weekend’s international fixtures
France tackle a weakened All Blacks while England will be wondering which Argentina will show up.
This Saturday sees a myriad of international rugby action, and although a lot of the fanfare on this side of the world concentrates on the Lions’ confrontation with Western Province, arguably the tie of the weekend is France’s potentially pulsating fixture against the All Blacks in Dunedin.
‘Beware the French in their first match on summer tour,’ should be a motto for the betting fraternity. If you look at their results against the Tri-Nations superpowers over the last few years, it is the first game of the summer in which they put up their best performance. It generally goes downhill from there. But is their best going to be good enough to keep within a handicap that will be around 16-points in their favour?
On the plus side, Graham Henry’s Kiwis limp into this encounter without a host of their All Black stars. Skipper Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Ali Williams and Rodney So’oialo are all out due to injury. Even their second tier of internationals must sit out, the sick list claiming the likes of Conrad Smith, Brendon Leonard, Jerome Kaino and the latest victim, Rudi Wulf.
What lines up against Les Bleus therefore is a distinctly under-strength New Zealand side, which looks rudderless, with full-back Mils Muliaina leading from behind. Muliaina displayed his tactical naivety when guiding the Chiefs to a record defeat in the Super 14 Grand Final, refusing to change a kicking game which saw the Bulls sweep to a 61-17 victory. A repeat of that against the French, and the attacking back-three of Maxime Medard, Cederic Heymans and Vincent Clerc (pictured) will have a field day.
Henry is a wily coach though, and is unlikely to be drawn into that, and flanker Adam Thomson leads a back-row unit that is capable of generating a significant amount of turnovers. Thomson turned over more ball than any other New Zealand loose forward during the Super 14, and Thierry Dusatoir, Louis Picamoles and Fulgence Ouedraogo are going to have to be ravenous for possession.
Despite the necessary upheaval in selection, Henry can still call upon seven of the XV that thrashed England at Twickenham in November. Martin Johnson’s side were around 18-point underdogs that day, which puts sharply into perspective the likely handicap line of around 16 points for this. Sure, France have arrived in New Zealand a week before a Test match for the first time, and this presents their best opportunity for years of adding to their three wins in the Land of the Long White Cloud. But the handicap has more than taken that into account, and for those who don’t trade in-running, the Kiwis look the best bet on the main game line.
Australia’s mismatch against Italy is mainly guess work, and I’d envisage a start of something like 30-33 points for the Azzurri. All those who remember Nick Mallett’s decision to choose Mauro Bergamasco at No.9 in this season’s Six Nations had better tune in on Saturday morning, because Mallett has made a similar gaffe in selecting former Leaguie Craig Gower at fly-half. Gower, who plies his trade at Bayonne, has just five union games under his belt, and he comes up against arguably the best No.10 in the world at the moment, Matt Giteau.
The Aussies were in scintillating form last week when hammering the Barbarians 55-7, although it must be said that the Wallabies kicked away far too much possession. That should not be a problem this week, as Italy’s more pedestrian back-three are unlikely to pose too much of a threat to Robbie Dean’s new-look side.
Last November, Italy were close to securing a famous draw against the Wallabies, but that experience was too uncomfortable for Deans, and he has been telling his charges to go for the jugular more.
“Being more ruthless as a side is something we need to focus on; putting teams away,” Giteau explained earlier this week. “It’s good to get to a lead, but then we’ve got to continue to build on that lead.”
It could be a slow start for the Wallabies, as the Italians are likely to utilise the rejuvenated maul with gusto, but as the game goes on, the merciless Aussies should easily rack up the points against a team France beat 50-8 in the Stadio Flaminio in March.
As for England’s return fixture with Argentina in Salta, it is difficult to know how this game will pan out. Argentinian coach Santiago Phelan has beefed up the side that lost 37-15 at Old Trafford last week, but since Phelan took over, the Puma has been a strange beast. The thrashing by South Africa last season aside, the one consistency in Argentina’s play has been low-scoring matches, and the unders in the total points market way well be the answer in what looks tricky game.
Rugby Betting: Sharks v British and Irish Lions
The Lions will be looking to put down a marker on Wednesday as Ian McGeechan fields a side closely resembling the one which will face-off with the Spring Boks on June 20. However, as Tony Calvin explains, punters may want to play the short game…
The Sharks have had some of their sharper teeth pulled as they take on the Lions in Durban on Wednesday – all but one of their current Springboks are unavailable for this match – but do they still have enough bite to give the tourists a severe examination?
The Betfair handicap line of 16.5, which currently trades at around the even money mark, suggests not – and the 10-11 lines elsewhere in the industry range from -15 to -18. Current match odds of [1.16] indicate that matters shouldn’t get too testing for the Lions at the ABSA stadium.
But, on Betfair, you can play the short game or the long game.
The long game is having your pre-match bet and letting it ride. And certainly the Lions have selected enough of their probable starting Test XV on Wednesday night to suggest that they can beat the home side by upwards of 17 points.
In fact, they may be missing only three, maybe four, players from the side that will face off against the Springboks, so they must be looking to put down a marker here.
Put a gun to my head and I would say the Lions will cover the handicap. But it is the short game that many play when betting on these games, the trading angle. And I am no different.
Granted, that would have backfired in the tourists’ pillar-to-post 70 point rout against the Golden Lions and looked down and out after 20 minutes against the Cheetahs, but this tour has already shown the perils of going in too deep, too early on Ian McGeechan’s men.
This Lions side have already been in two matches where [1.01] match odds backers would have been on the verge of a heart attack. A scratch Royal XV led the tourists by 12 points with 15 minutes to go in the opener (the pre-match [1.03] Lions drifted to [4.1]), and the Cheetahs were within a penalty or a drop goal of coming back from a 20-0 first quarter deficit to win at the weekend.
So the way I will approach this game is to get with the Sharks on the 16.5 line, and against the Lions on the match odds mark – in fact, I am up to lay them at [1.13] and [1.14] in the belief that the money-buyers may get involved near kick-off. I’ll look to trade out if when they hopefully shorten to [1.4] on the handicap line, and I will be hanging on for a Sharks lay at around [3.0] in the match odds.
I think this is the most powerful XV the Lions have sent out yet (even though captain Paul O’Connell is failing to impress, and Shane Williams has been the worst player on tour to date alongside Keith Earls) but they certainly won’t be underestimating this Sharks side, Springboks or not.
Yes, the Sharks are under-strength but they aren’t weak, and the Lions will have to be at their best to counter what is still a very tasty looking Sharks eight, who have good, ball-winning units in all three rows. Their current international prop Deon Carstens has been released from the Bok squad to play in this game and the home forwards will fancy their chances of at least parity up front, in the scrum, in the air and on the ground.
The Lions definitely have the edge out wide, but if they do struggle for quick ball, then this could develop into a dogfight for the first 60 minutes or so, before the Lions class out wide calms the management’s nerves.
So let’s back to lay those Sharks.
Rugby Betting: Cheetahs v British & Irish Lions
Geoffrey Riddle was mightily impressed by the Lions midweek rout. However, Saturday’s opponents pride themselves on their massive defensive efforts and, unless McGeechan’s men can find a way through early on, this could turn out to be a low scoring affair.
We learned a tremendous amount about the Lions in their midweek walkover against the Golden Lions of Ellis Park.
The facts speak for themselves. It was the second largest win by the Lions in the Rainbow Nation of all time. The largest win was against Mossel Bay in 1974 by no other than Willie John McBride’s pride. The Super 14 franchise must be considered a few rungs above Mossel Bay, and although it can be said that the hosts were under-strength, the scoreline was mighty impressive.
The dilapidated Ellis Park is the scene of the third Test, and hopefully this result will take a bit of the aura away from a stadium which is still considered a Springbok stronghold. But it was the way that the Lions played which is most interesting. They looked like they were playing in quicksand against the Bafokeng XV in the tour opener last week but they still made the most clean breaks and line breaks. However, the real problem in that match was that they conceded a frightening amount of turnovers.
Not this time. The back-row was immense on Wednesday, and they provided the grease to the wheels that allowed the Lions’ machine to purr so stylishly. The umbrella defence, led by Brian O’Driscoll, could be the most important thing to take out of that game.
O’Driscoll acted as the spoiler and flanker. It went wrong when the Lions conceded the first try, O’Driscoll guiding Monye into the wrong area. Monye is unlikely to make the same mistake again. If he does, it would be a costly one as Habana showed his skills at picking off defences with an intercept try against the Chiefs in the Super 14 final.
But the Lions defence will be better this weekend after a bit more training, and they are up against a team who pride themselves on keeping sides out when it suits them. Pay no attention to much of the Cheetahs Super 14 campaign, as the only thing that Naka Drotske’s side seem interested in doing is beating the big boys.
They shattered the Sharks’ title ambitions when the Durban-based outfit were leading the Super 14, beating their fellow South Africans 31-6. They also scuttled the Crusaders’ late charge, beating the multiple-champions 20-13. Even this year’s champion Bulls struggled, securing their try-bonus point and a 29-20 victory on the stroke of full-time. All three games were characterised by a massive defensive effort, and although they finished bottom of the Super 14 table, the Cheetahs conceded fewer points than the Blues, who finished ninth, and fewer tries than the Brumbies, who finished seventh. This could be surprisingly low-scoring.
Wednesday’s handicap on Betfair gave the Golden Lions a 13.5-point start. Although it was made a mockery of, from a handicapping point of view, it looked about right before the game. The Cheetahs are therefore unlikely to be given much more, partly because this could turn into a game of attrition.
McGeechan has named a massive pack, with Andrew Sheridan propping up the front row, skipper Paul O’Connell in the engine room behind, and a back-row which is bulging with the power of Andy Powell, Stephen Ferris, and the wood-cutter himself, Joe Worsley.
McGeechan had better hope that this pack can dominate, because in naming a backline that boasts Leigh Halfpenny, Luke Fitzgerald and Keith Earls, the Lions look wet behind the ears when compared to Wednesday’s line-up.
If the Cheetahs are unlikely to win this game, where they may be able to shine brightly is in the first half. They have jumped out of the blocks in many of their games in the Super 14 this season, and the Lions look a lay at around [1.18], with a view of getting with them after a tricky opening half an hour or so.
Super League Betting: Hull fans get a glimpse of the future
Super League’s season of surprises has yielded some terrific value for Betfair punters, and the big sides could again be under threat in round 15. So where will George Riley float his fiver this week?
The top three all have tricky away fixtures, with champions Leeds heading to the South of France, St Helens at Hull in a repeat of the 2006 Grand Final, and surprise flyers Hull KR going to fourth place Huddersfield.
All three should win, but I believe one will slip up.
Hull are trading at a ludicrous [5.3] to topple the Super League leaders [1.12] on Friday night. The Black and Whites were visibly fragile in their thumping defeat at Leeds in round 14, but will have benefited from a week off. Saints effectively enjoyed a breather last weekend as they romped past part-timers Gateshead into the Challenge Cup semis.
There’s an extra spice about this fixture with Sean Long’s announcement this week that he will leave Saints for Hull at the end of the season, and I’d expect him to sparkle in front of his future fans. Few will fancy Hull here, but on their day they can beat anyone in the country, so if Richard Agar’s side continue to trade at such value then I’ll be floating my weekly £5 gamble at the KC Stadium. Saints are unbackable and should prevail, but on a week in which the England squad was named, expect several players to stand up and make their point to Tony Smith with some eye-catching performances.
Leeds walloped the Catalans Dragons at Murrayfield last month. Their first-half display, which I watched from the touchline, that day was awesome. The [1.22] does appear a little short though for the banana skin trip to Perpignan, and the French side will fancy their chances at [2.58] on Saturday. Rhinos pair Ryan Hall and Matt Diskin will be buoyed by their England calls to play France in 10 days and they will have the perfect chance to see what the France side is all about against a strong Dragons.
I expect this one to be fierce, but the way Leeds have defended their line recently, I can’t see Brian McLennan’s side coming unstuck, no matter how hot the conditions at the Stade Gilbert Brutus.
So of the top three Hull KR are perhaps most at risk of stumbling. The Giants host Justin Morgan’s side in Friday night’s TV game and I’m expecting a big Huddersfield performance.
The Giants reached the cup semis last weekend, Rovers were knocked out. I like Nathan Brown’s side at [2.2], and take them to edge out the [1.91] Rovers. A first ever England call for hooker Scotty Moore, and a cap too for big Earl Crabtree show how dominant the Giants pack has been this season and I think that will give the home side the initiative against high-flying Rovers.
Peter Fox and Shaun Briscoe are buzzing after their England calls for Rovers and they have to continue their terrific attacking efforts if Rovers are to justify their favouritism at the Galpharm.
Wigan play Salford in the night’s other fixture, just a week after the Warriors dumped the Reds out of the Cup with ease, winning 28-6. That always looked like being the case in a competition Wigan have owned over the year, but this weekend should be closer. That said I can’t see anything changing with Wigan [1.08] to beat Salford at [2.5].
Castleford v Warrington looks a belter on Saturday. The Wolves made history with Lee Briers golden point drop goal to knock Hull KR out of the Cup, while Castleford lost a lead in their 18-6 defeat to Huddersfield.
Warrington are very much a different proposition under Tony Smith these days but their coach has been otherwise engaged in picking his England squad this week. I can tell you Smithy was also livid that his squad list was leaked to the media 24 hours before the official announcement. Wolves are the form horses but I don’t like them at [1.51]. I’d make this a 50-50 call at the Jungle, and can’t get my head around why Cas are trading at [2.42]. The Tigers are missing Brent Sherwin but Rangi Chase is on fire, and Mitchell Sargent is dominating up front. At those odds I have to go with the home side.
Harlequins at home have to be the call to deny Celtic Crusaders a second win. Quins are unbackable at [1.03], and although [4.3] about a Crusaders side who won at Bradford is hugely tempting, I’ve seen Quins squeeze teams at The Stoop several times this year and don’t expect the Londoners to slip up. Crusaders play with real flair so a couple of quid on those odds may not be a bad shout, but a victory for John Dixon’s side would be a surprise.
Bradford and Wakefield complete the round on Sunday. Bulls are favourites at [1.51], but Wakefield finally snapped out of their losing streak by putting 50 on Celtic Crusaders in last weekend’s rearranged game at Bridgend. I fancy Wakey at [2.12] but the fitness of centre Ryan Atkins could be a factor. Ryan was bouncing after his England call when he called me on Tuesday but he’s worried a rib injury may jeopardise his chances. As such Wildcats coach John Kear says it is Ryan’s call as to whether to play this weekend and they may struggle without him.
Rugby Betting Preview: Golden Lions v British & Irish Lions
Ian McGeechan’s men were off the pace in their tour opener and will have to up their game against Super opposition on Wednesday night, says Tony Calvin.
So what do we make of the British and Irish Lions tour opener against a less than star-studded Royal XV on Saturday?
The positives were that they scored 24 unanswered points in the final 15 minutes to win 37-25 – they had drifted from [1.01] to [4.1] on Betfair before their late show – but in the previous 65 their play looked laboured, their ball skills and handling were woeful, and most of the players looked way off the pace in their first run-out.
In the set-pieces, they may have had the upper hand in the scrum, which you would expect against a second-tier side like the Royal XV, but they got little or no joy from the opposition throws at the line-out.
So the tourists will have to significantly up their game against Super opposition in the shape of the Golden Lions on Wednesday night.
Granted, when it comes to Super 14 opposition, the Golden Lions are certainly no Blue Bulls. They finished 12th in the competition and conceded the most points of any of the sides, shipping 414 points in 13 games at an average of 31.8 a game.
And tie in the fact that they are missing several key players, and have left some first-choice personnel on the bench, and the game looks to be far less daunting for the Lions than it could have been.
The Super 14 side are without three former Springboks in lock Jannes Labuschagne, prop Heinke van der Merwe and wing Henno Mentz.
They are also without six other squad players, notably two other locks, and have decided to leave Earl Rose and Todd Clever on the bench, so the tourists will be relieved that they are not facing a full-strength side.
And, crucially, probably their most influential player, current international centre Jaque Fourie, was not even considered for the game as he has to join up with the Springbok squad on Monday.
But even so, the South African side is a very big unit indeed. They will be buoyed by the return of their influential captain and blindside flanker Cobus Grobbelar and it’s worth noting that they played their better rugby towards the end of the campaign when they signed off with a 27-22 defeat of the Highlanders and just a five-point loss to the Tahs.
In Andre Pretorius they have an experienced hand at fly-half and a reliable goalkicker. So the Lions may have their work cut out to overcome the 13.5 point handicap on Betfair and match odds of [1.24] are only for the brave.
But it has to be said that Ian McGeechan has put out a far more menacing side here than he sent on to the field at the weekend.
One would expect that his scrum will be dominant again on Wednesday night – especially as the home side are without van der Merwe in the front row and their top three players in the engine room are all missing – and the back five of the Lions looks a more balanced and effective unit.
If they can supply some decent ball (the problem on Saturday was that the Lions failed to hold on to the ball, thus denying any continuity), the back-line, captained by Brian O’Driscoll and steered by Welsh pairing Mike Phillips and Stephen Jones, should produce a far more polished performance.
Whether or not that will be enough to cover the 13.5 point against far better opposition is a tough call, though.
Rugby Betting: Lions nearly fall at first hurdle
McGeechan’s men drift to [4.0] from [1.01] before securing narrow win with late scores…
The British and Irish Lions were backed at the minimum price of [1.01] on Betfair when 3-0 up early in their supposed “gimme” of a tour opener against the Royal XV today, for which they were rated 35-point pre-match favourites in some places.
However, they were staring embarrassing defeat in the face when 25-13 down after 65 minutes, at which point they drifted to over [4.0] on Betfair just to even win the match.
The Royal XV, backed at a high of [48.0] to win the match on Betfair, were supported at [1.36] at that stage.
However, the Lions then scored 24 unanswered points to win 37-25 and spare their blushes.
Ian McGeechan and his team clearly have a lot of work to do in their remaining six fixtures before they begin their test series with South Africa. Latest prices show the Springboks at [1.36] to win the series with the Lions at [3.9].
Rugby Betting: Lions nearly fall at first hurdle
McGeechan’s men drift to [4.0] from [1.0] before securing narrow win with late scores…
The British and Irish Lions were backed at the minimum price of [1.01] on Betfair when 3-0 up early in their supposed “gimme” of a tour opener against the Royal XV today, for which they were rated 35-point pre-match favourites in some places.
However, they were staring embarrassing defeat in the face when 25-13 down after 65 minutes, at which point they drifted to over [4.0] on Betfair just to even win the match.
The Royal XV, backed at a high of [48.0] to win the match on Betfair, were supported at [1.36] at that stage.
However, the Lions then scored 24 unanswered points to win 37-25 and spare their blushes.
Ian McGeechan and his team clearly have a lot of work to do in their remaining six fixtures before they begin their test series with South Africa. Latest prices show the Springboks at [1.36] to win the series with the Lions at [3.9].
British Lions Betting: South Africa 2009 tour map
The Cheetah’s flying wing, the Golden Lions’ sniping number nine and the Sharks’ towering lock – Geoffrey Riddle’s team by team guide tells you everything you need to know about who the British Lions will be facing in the build up to their test series against the Spring Boks.
Royal Bakofeng XV – May 30th
The Royal Bakofeng side is set to be made up of 11 of the Vodacom Cup-winning Griquas. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they will be any good, but it does mean that the players will be used to the combinations that they will feature in – something the classier Lions can only dream of at this stage.
Royal’s coach, Chaka Willemse, is keen to avoid a confrontational forward battle, and hopes to stretch the Lions around the park, perhaps a sign that points may flow in the tour opener.
Star man: Nass Olivier: One of just five players with Super 14 experience, the Cheetahs flyhalf has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders.
Golden Lions – June 3rd
It took tries by the gobby duo of Austin Healy and John Bentley to pin down the plucky Golden Lions on the 1997 tour, the tourists winning 20-14. The Johannesburg-based side is the primary feeder for The Lions, the Super 14 franchise which finished 12th this year. They play at Coca-Cola Park, formerly known as Ellis Park, which hosted the 1995 World Cup final.
Star man: Jano Vermaak. The brilliant scrum-half scored seven tries in the Super 14 this year. The 24-year-old is a real threat around the fringes, and the Lions back-row will need to be awake to his sniping runs.
Cheetahs – June 6th
A sorry Super 14 campaign saw the Cheetahs win just two games, but one of those was the outstanding 31-6 defeat of fellow South Africans, the Sharks. Based in Bloemfontein, their game-plan is based on a tough defensive system, which leaked fewer points than the Blues, who finished ninth. This could be a low-scoring affair.
Star man: Jongi Nokwe: The flying wing has been called into the Springboks squad once again by Peter de Villiers thanks to a stellar Super 14 season, which featured six tries. Nokwe showed he can operate at the highest level last year when scoring four tries against the Wallabies in Johannesburg. A dangerous weapon.
Sharks – June 10
The Sharks led the Super 14 table for four rounds, but fell away badly to finish sixth. Based in Durban, at the 55,000-seater Kings Park stadium, the Sharks are historically one of the better South African teams, reaching the Super final three times in 1996, 2001 and 2007. In their previous guise as Natal, they lost 42-12 to the Lions in 1997.
Star man: The Sharks are unlikely to have their Springboks for this encounter, but one who might make the run-on side is Johann Muller. The towering lock is a formidable line-out opponent, and would provide a good workout for Lions skipper Paul O’Connell ahead of greater tests against the likes of Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield.
Western Province – June 13
The Cape Town-based province have a fearsome reputation having been at the centre of South African rugby for over 100 years. They have won the Currie Cup a record 32 times, and they can claim four wins from 16 encounters down the years against the Lions. Feeder for the Stormers in the Super 14.
Star Man: Luke Watson. The Western Province skipper is one of the best open-sides in the Rainbow Nation. He will give the tourists a thorough examination at the breakdown.
Southern Kings – June 16
The Southern Kings are the first in line to be the 15th team when the Super 14 competition expands in 2011. The franchise will be launched in Port Elizabeth at this game, so the players have everything to play for. The squad will be coached by Alan Solomons, once the Springboks assistant coach under Nick Mallett, and former head coach of the Stormers, Ulster, and Northampton.
Star man: Clinton van Rensburg, the 6ft 3inch utility back, has been playing fly-half for the Mighty Elephants, which should make up the core of the franchise. A grizzled veteran, who once played with Rob Howley at Swansea, his experience will be invaluable for a side that looks massively outclassed.
Emerging Springboks – June 23
Percy Montgomery earned his first Springbok cap in the consolation third Test against the Lions in 1997, but he had already faced the famous tourists as an outside centre in the 51-22 drubbing suffered by the Emerging Springboks several weeks earlier.
The second string national sides have proved something of a thorn to the Lions recently. Australia ‘A’ inflicted the first tour defeat on Graham Henry’s Lions in 2001, and the proud New Zealand Maori beat Sir Clive’s Lions four years ago.
Star man: Earl Rose was named in the Springbok squad to play Namibia, and the Cheetahs’ full-back may well start in this fixture. Although he does not boast the class of Montgomery, he is one of the fringe players well thought of by South Africa coach Peter de Villiers. Despite the claim held by JP Pietersen, the Springbok No.15 jersey is still up for grabs, so Rose needs game time at this level in which to bloom.
Challenge Cup Betting: Gateshead face mission impossible
Rugby league’s most famous cup competition enters quarter-final weekend with holders St Helens already looking massive favourites to retain their crown, writes George Riley.
Saints are unbackable against part-timers Gateshead in the Challenge Cup on Saturday, with a huge score expected when the pair meet at the Thunderdome.
You can take the Thunder at [2.0] with Betfair with a [46.5] points start, but this will depend a great deal on what kind of team coach Mick Potter selects. I expect Saints to field a formidable side, and Gateshead’s near-impossible task will be even tougher without captain Andrew Henderson. Hendo is a good mate of mine and my thoughts are with him as he returns to Australia following the death of his father.
Friday night’s game could be a cracker as Salford visit Wigan. I once again backed the underdog Reds last weekend and they came up trumps to continue their resurgence. Their 18-10 win over Bradford was another value call, and fortune again favoured the brave. The Reds are trading at a terrific [4.5] to knock out Wigan (1.28). The warriors have a proud Challenge Cup pedigree and should justify their short odds at home. They will however miss prop Stuart Fielden through suspension. Jeremy Smith and Craig Stapleton are back to boost the visitors and although their value tempts me to throw a few quid at Shaun McRae’s side, I’d be surprised if Wigan slip up.
Hull KR v Warrington is Saturday’s TV game and this should be a real treat after the FA Cup final. Rovers are flying in Super League and followers of this column would have enjoyed the predicted wins for both of these sides last weekend. I like Hull KR in this fixture. Justin Morgan’s side have no fresh injury concerns and although the [2.64] Wolves will be buoyed by their Wigan win last weekend, I see no reason to predict that Hull at [1.63] will slip up at home.
There will be one West Yorkshire team in the semi finals as Huddersfield host Castleford on Sunday. The Giants thumped Wakefield 54-6 last weekend and are understandably [1.41], while the Tigers’ defeat at Hull KR leaves them trading around the [3.35] mark with Betfair punters. Both sides should make the Super League play-offs and I’d normally quite fancy Cas at those odds, but I think the absence of scrum-half Brent Sherwin is key. He is their playmaker and string-puller and in his absence I take the Giants to stand tall in a competition they reached the final of three years ago.
There is one Super League fixture to complete the round as Wakefield travel to Wales for their rearranged round six game against the Celtic Crusaders. This was postponed earlier this season following the death of Wildcats reserve player Leon Walker.
Since then Wakey have wobbled and Crusaders have finally landed their first win. As such their hitherto massive odds are reduced somewhat to [3.0] with Betfair punters fancying a home win, and there is a decent chance the Bridgend club can reproduce the form that stunned Bradford at Odsal. I still take the Wildcats though at [1.52], although without a massive amount of confidence. They have got rid of one problem area this week by offloading Danny Sculthorpe to Huddersfield. Danny Brough returns from suspension after he and Sculthorpe broke a booze ban on the coach back from London two weeks ago.
Wakey’s hefty home loss to Huddersfield last weekend was an absolute shambles and coach John Kear won’t tolerate anything like that. I tip Wakefield to withstand a fierce Welsh onslaught and snap out of their five-game losing streak by sealing a narrow win.
Rugby Betting: British & Irish Lions v Royal XV
As Ian McGeechan announces his team for the Lions first match of the tour, Geoffrey Riddle explains why Saturday’s run-out at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace will provide big insights into how the Lions will operate in the Rainbow Nation as well as offering bettors some crucial pointers for profit.
The next few days are crucial to understanding how this year’s Lions tour might pan out. On Friday evening a South Africa XV run out against a Namibian invitational XV in Windhoek, and on Saturday afternoon the Lions have their first outing in the Rainbow Nation. Both fixtures should offer a glimpse of the structures and philosophies that will be employed by both sides.
Then, there is also the small matter of the Super 14 final between the Bulls and the Chiefs, which should show whether big hope Morne Steyn can perform on the biggest stage he has encountered so far.
For those who haven’t come across Steyn yet, he is the raw attacking fly-half who is likely to be playing in the No.10 shirt for the Springboks in the first Test on June 20. The Bulls stand-off is the highest scorer in the Super 14 this season, and punters should pay close attention to his penchant for the drop-goal – he’s hit 10 over this season so far.
Lions coach Ian McGeechan has selected the strongest XV at his disposal for this clash against the Royal XV at the wonderfully named Royal Bakofeng Sports Palace – the players from Leinster, Leicester and Northampton were always unlikely to feature.
It is strange that the back three of Lee Bryne, Shane Williams and Tommy Bowe is the only settled combination used by McGeechan, although Martyn Williams and Andy Powell know each other well, as do Matthew Rees and Adam Jones from Wales.
The most interesting point for me about the team sheet, is that Mike Blair has made the starting line-up. The Scotland captain was a replacement for Thomas O’Leary and seems to have overtaken scrum-half competitor Mike Phillips in training, which sends out a powerful message to the rest of the squad. The same applies to the selection of Keith Earls at centre. If you train well enough, you’ll make the starting line-up.
While we don’t know much about the Lions, we know exactly how good the Bakofeng XV will be, because coach Chaka Willemse has named a team which comprises 11 players who starred in the Griquas’ Vodacom Cup triumph. The Vodacom Cup is a third tier competition in South Africa, beneath the Super 14 and Currie Cup, which gives you a better idea of what level these guys are playing at.
Willemse’s team consists of just five players with Super 14 experience, although one of the most important combinations – half-back – is covered by Sarel Pretorius and Naas Olivier, who turned out for the Cheetahs this year. Given that the Cheetahs came last in the Super 14, winning just two matches, it seems that the Lions are not going to be overly troubled.
But as punters, it is not enough to know who is simply going to win or lose the match, after all, the Lions are trading at as short as [1.13] for the 80 minutes. We want to have an idea of by how much the Lions are going to win by.
A look at the last two Lions tours can help shed some light on the matter. Four years ago, the Lions played Wellington, Otago and Auckland, the basis of the Super 14 franchises of the Hurricanes, Highlanders and Blues. Those teams finished fourth, eighth and seventh respectively, and were beaten 23-6, 30-19, and 17-13. On the 2001 tour, the Australian Super 12 franchises were in better shape, with the Brumbies having won the competition and the Reds finishing fourth. The Brumbies lost narrowly 30-28, while the Reds got punished 42-8, despite fielding a side that boasted players such as Daniel Herbert, Elton Flatley, Nathan Sharpe, and the heroic Toutai Kefu.
The Griquas are nowhere near as good as any of those sides and a thorough thrashing is a likely scenario. Based on the scorelines mentioned above, I believe the Lions should probably be favourites by something like 25-30 points.
And that is the interesting point about betting on the first game of a Lions tour, it really is a complete guess. Last time in 2005, before the Lions had even left Britain, they were chalked up as massive favourites against Argentina. The highstreet bookies guessed that Sir Clive’s squad were around 40-point favourites against a Pumas side that had proved itself against some of the best international teams in the world. The spread traders even reported buyers at that level. The final score? 25-25.
So remember, these next few days are more about finding out little nuggets of information that could stand you in good stead in the days and weeks to come. Otherwise, you’ll still be in the dark next week against the Golden Lions on Wednesday and the Cheetahs on Saturday, and the layers will clean up.
Rugby League Betting: Closed shop could benefit youngsters
Ralph Ellis believes that the decision to make the Super League a closed shop for a few years is bad news. But could the upside be that clubs are encouraged to give youth a chance?
The Americans who are coming into our football clubs can’t get their heads around the concept of relegation. Over in the States the elite sporting competitions are run as closed shops with owners bidding to be allowed to run each franchise. They can’t see the sense in investing millions into a club only to have it slip out of the league that provides its finance.
Every now and then somebody will come along with a scheme to abolish promotion and the relegation that goes with it. And it isn’t only a debate that happens in football but in other sports – especially in rugby union where several attempts to bar new entries to the Guinness Premiership have come close to succeeding. So the money men will all be watching closely what is happening in Rugby League now the engage Super League has been turned into a closed shop for a few years.
Personally, I can’t see the argument for it. If a club owner knows he can’t lose his status regardless of how badly his team perform, where is the incentive to improve the quality of the product on the pitch? You only have to look back at football, where Chester’s chairman believed he couldn’t possibly go down in a year that had three clubs in League Two starting on minus points, to know where that lack of ambition can lead.
But this morning comes an opposite argument from Wigan’s rugby league legend Andy Gregory who thinks one of his other old clubs, Salford, could overturn the Warriors in tonight’s Challenge Cup quarter-final. He reckons that without the safety net of knowing they can’t lose their top flight status, Salford would never have taken the risk of pushing brilliant young scrum-half Richie Myler into the front ranks.
The baby faced Myler, who only reached his 19th birthday a week ago, has been mixing it with the Super League hard men all season and earning rave reviews. “Clubs shouldn’t be afraid to give youth a chance when there is no relegation, and with Myler it’s paid dividends,” says Gregory. “He is the key to their chances.”
Wigan are [1.29] favourites to go into the semi-finals but Gregory, who famously as Salford coach masterminded the end of his hometown club’s 43-match unbeaten run in the competition with a shock fifth round 26-16 win in 1996, believes another upset is on the cards.
“Salford weren’t in Super League then but we had a burning belief in ourselves and had a great week’s preparation,” Gregory recalls to the Daily Star’s Martin Richards this morning. “I’ve like the way Salford have been playing in the last few weeks – they are playing with a lot more confidence.”
Even if his fancy for Salford to cause an upset doesn’t happen he still wouldn’t take the [6.0] on offer to back second favourites Warriors to win the Challenge Cup (St Helens are [1.63] favourites)
“I do want Wigan to be top fo the tree again but in my opinion they still don’t have the squad to challenge for honours”.
Five things you might not know about Andy Gregory
1. He was born in Ince-in-Makerfield near Wigan – in the same street as golf course designer Robert Trent Jones
2. His dad played at full-back for Salford, but they turned him down after a trial and he signed instead for Widnes before moving on to Warrington
3. The £130,000 that Wigan paid to sign him from there in 1986 was a world record at the time
4. He’s a big Manchester United fan who has travelled all over Europe to watch them
5. He’s also a bit of a businessman – he started a scrap metal business with his father-in-law, and later ran both pubs and a fruit and veg operation
Rugby Betting: British & Irish Lions v Royal XV
As Ian McGeechan announces his team for the Lions first match of the tour, Geoffrey Riddle explains why Saturday’s run-out at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace will provide big insights into how the Lions will operate in the Rainbow Nation as well as offering bettors some crucial pointers for profit.
The next few days are crucial to understanding how this year’s Lions tour might pan out. On Friday evening a South Africa XV run out against a Namibian invitational XV in Windhoek, and on Saturday afternoon the Lions have their first outing in the Rainbow Nation. Both fixtures should offer a glimpse of the structures and philosophies that will be employed by both sides.
Then, there is also the small matter of the Super 14 final between the Bulls and the Chiefs, which should show whether big hope Morne Steyn can perform on the biggest stage he has encountered so far.
For those who haven’t come across Steyn yet, he is the raw attacking fly-half who is likely to be playing in the No.10 shirt for the Springboks in the first Test on June 20. The Bulls stand-off is the highest scorer in the Super 14 this season, and punters should pay close attention to his penchant for the drop-goal – he’s hit 10 over this season so far.
Lions coach Ian McGeechan has selected the strongest XV at his disposal for this clash against the Royal XV at the wonderfully named Royal Bakofeng Sports Palace – the players from Leinster, Leicester and Northampton were always unlikely to feature.
It is strange that the back three of Lee Bryne, Shane Williams and Tommy Bowe is the only settled combination used by McGeechan, although Martyn Williams and Andy Powell know each other well, as do Matthew Rees and Adam Jones from Wales.
The most interesting point for me about the team sheet, is that Mike Blair has made the starting line-up. The Scotland captain was a replacement for Thomas O’Leary and seems to have overtaken scrum-half competitor Mike Phillips in training, which sends out a powerful message to the rest of the squad. The same applies to the selection of Keith Earls at centre. If you train well enough, you’ll make the starting line-up.
While we don’t know much about the Lions, we know exactly how good the Bakofeng XV will be, because coach Chaka Willemse has named a team which comprises 11 players who starred in the Griquas’ Vodacom Cup triumph. The Vodacom Cup is a third tier competition in South Africa, beneath the Super 14 and Currie Cup, which gives you a better idea of what level these guys are playing at.
Willemse’s team consists of just five players with Super 14 experience, although one of the most important combinations – half-back – is covered by Sarel Pretorius and Naas Olivier, who turned out for the Cheetahs this year. Given that the Cheetahs came last in the Super 14, winning just two matches, it seems that the Lions are not going to be overly troubled.
But as punters, it is not enough to know who is simply going to win or lose the match, after all, the Lions are trading at as short as [1.13] for the 80 minutes. We want to have an idea of by how much the Lions are going to win by.
A look at the last two Lions tours can help shed some light on the matter. Four years ago, the Lions played Wellington, Otago and Auckland, the basis of the Super 14 franchises of the Hurricanes, Highlanders and Blues. Those teams finished fourth, eighth and seventh respectively, and were beaten 23-6, 30-19, and 17-13. On the 2001 tour, the Australian Super 12 franchises were in better shape, with the Brumbies having won the competition and the Reds finishing fourth. The Brumbies lost narrowly 30-28, while the Reds got punished 42-8, despite fielding a side that boasted players such as Daniel Herbert, Elton Flatley, Nathan Sharpe, and the heroic Toutai Kefu.
The Griquas are nowhere near as good as any of those sides and a thorough thrashing is a likely scenario. Based on the scorelines mentioned above, I believe the Lions should probably be favourites by something like 25-30 points.
And that is the interesting point about betting on the first game of a Lions tour, it really is a complete guess. Last time in 2005, before the Lions had even left Britain, they were chalked up as massive favourites against Argentina. The highstreet bookies guessed that Sir Clive’s squad were around 40-point favourites against a Pumas side that had proved itself against some of the best international teams in the world. The spread traders even reported buyers at that level. The final score? 25-25.
So remember, these next few days are more about finding out little nuggets of information that could stand you in good stead in the days and weeks to come. Otherwise, you’ll still be in the dark next week against the Golden Lions on Wednesday and the Cheetahs on Saturday, and the layers will clean up.
Betfair Big Interview: Lee Mears
Ian McGeechan’s British Lions start their tour of South Africa for real on Saturday when they play the first game against a Royal XV. Betfair met up with England forward Lee Mears to find out more…
Hi Lee, thanks for meeting us. Tell us about a Lions tour. It dates back to the amateur days but is it still a big thing for a professional rugby player?
Well, one of the best things is they’ve managed to carry it from the amateur era to the professional and it’s great. It’s like an amateur tour in many ways – I mean, we all know we are professional rugby players now, but it’s quite nice to meet up, meet boys you’d never normally play with, and you have to have a good craic to get some team bonding together. It means we’ve been having a couple of drinks, being sociable, sharing rooms, it’s very different from what you are used to
What was your reaction when you heard you were picked?
Over the moon, I was really pleased. You never know if you are in the coach’s mind, they obviously have a game plan and will pick players to play that way so you just hope and keep your fingers crossed that the way you performed in the Six Nations will get you in
A great way to round off your testimonial year, then?
Yeah, it’s been a brilliant year and hopefully it will just keep getting better and better.
Ten years is a long time that you’ve played at Bath. Do you think that long stays at one club will get rarer as they have in football?
I think a bit of both, I’m proud to say I’m a one club man and I’ve been there for so many years, but I do envy the opportunities that are presented to boys nowadays, playing in different foreign countries and trying different styles of life. That’s now part of being a pro rugby player, and I’d like to finish my career trying a bit in Japan or Italy or France, just to say I’m a bit more worldly wise
How do you view the Lions’ chances because South Africa are clear favourites with our punters?
Well, they are probably right to go that way because South Africa are the World Champions, but our aim is to do what the Lions of 97′ did and cause an upset. And so far I don’t think I could have asked for any better. The boys are really digging in, we know we have a huge challenge in front of us but we also know we are the best of a very good bunch in the Northern Hemisphere.
Are you a good tourist – do you find being away easy?
I think so, obviously I miss my family but you know this is a chance of a lifetime. They are giving me full support and meeting all the boys and making new friends has been great.
You did a big winning tour of Australia as an Under-18. Do you still have close friends from that?
Absolutely – most of them are now playing Premiership rugby or been capped for England, and if not they are in the lower divisions. There were people on that tour like Mike Tindall, Andrew Sheridan, Jonny Wilkinson, Steve Borthwick, you can go on and on. They became friends for life.
Who’s going to be the life and soul of the party on this trip and why?
There are a few strong candidates, everybody has been a good laugh – Donncha O’Callaghan keeps me smiling which is a change from trying to take my head off when I normally play against him!
What are the key things you need to gel a squad of people together on a tour?
You need something other than rugby to talk about, and that’s one of the reasons why you do stuff together, going to the pub, playing a bit of golf, so the next day you are not just talking about rugby, you are having a bit of banter about other stuff
Tell us about playing hooker – it’s the job at the coal face, isn’t it?
You’d always like to think you could play a bit but I think I was born into this job. I’d love to get out and hang on the wing because I think I’m a back trapped in a forward’s body!
So you’d rather be one of the glamour boys?
Didn’t say that! I’d maybe like to try it for a few weeks but I know that after hanging out there I’d soon want to get back in the mix among the real men!
Finally, we gather you are taking flying lessons – tell us how that’s going – we presume they are on hold for the summer…
I’ve had to miss them for a while. I do want to be a commercial pilot eventually, and for that you have to get all your hours up – once you’ve got the licence you have to keep going. I might as well wait until I finish playing and get it all done then. I had another lesson for my birthday, though and my wife Danielle’s dad had a part share in a plane and has now got a glider, so I keep my hand in, but it’s more fun than a career right now. But you never know – eight years time I could be on a Lions tour by flying the plane! The one we came over on was called Air Force Scrum!
Thanks for your time and we’ve a free £50 bet for your favourite charity
That would be the Willow foundation – details are on www.willowfoundation.org.uk. They try to create special days for terminally ill people. There’s a lot out there for children but this is for over 16s, and having done some work with them they are brilliant. Every day of my life is special because of being in such a privileged position as an international sportsman, it’s great how they bring special memories for others. As for the bet I’m not allowed to back us to win the Test series, so I’ll be patriotic and back England to win the Ashes at [3.55].
Rugby Union Betting: England v Barbarians
If the Lions need any tips on how to gel as a team, they could do worse than to buy in to the Barbarians’ ethos, a squad that gets together every year, under different management, and who can boast a recent victory over the world champion Springboks, writes Geoffrey Riddle.
The Baa-baas regularly blend a star-studded group of players, and their comprehensive 22-5 win over South Africa in December 2007 at Twickenham shows that anything is possible.
The famous club side look set once again to field a magnificent line-up when they take on England at Twickenham this Saturday. Coach Dai Young has named a powerful pack, led by the admirable Martin Corry, but it is the back-row that makes you sit up and take notice. Serge Betsen may be slightly past his rampaging best, but the combination of the Frenchman, Jerry Collins, and Rocky Elsom is almost flawless.
Elsom is the man of the match in just about every game he plays in, and his towering performances in the Heineken Cup knock-out stages must put in the shade anything that his opposite number Nick Easter can ever dream of.
If Easter faces a tall order to compete with Elsom, the contest between Lewis Moody and Betsen, as well as the battle of the blindsides between Collins and Chris Robshaw look less cut and dried. ‘Crazy Horse’ Moody is relatively fresh having suffered 15 months on the sidelines through injury, and he will be all out in his efforts to vanquish his old rival Betsen. Collins certainly has the bulk advantage over Robshaw, but the Harlequins man has been in splendid form this season, and the battle for supremacy at the breakdown probably holds the key to this encounter.
A lot of money has been made over the past few years going short in the total points market in Barbarians games. Too often it is the cavalier reputation of the Baa-baas that gets punters excited, but if you look at the facts, against full international sides, the total points make-ups are generally low.
Although it was a bitterly cold night, the match against Australia at Wembley in December finished 18-11 in favour of the Wallabies. Last year, the Baa-baas lost to England 17-14 at Twickenham, after an under-strength side got beaten 39-14 by Ireland at the backwater of Kingsholm. Before that, it was the defensive victory over the Springboks at Twickenham.
And Martin Johnson has even gone as far to say that winning on Saturday is more important to him than playing 15-man rugby against the legendary black and white strip.
He said on Wednesday: “People want to see intense, high-quality rugby. They find that entertaining.
“If we start throwing the ball around and go backwards 50 yards, then I don’t think people will find it entertaining.
“We want to win every match. Yes we want to entertain, but not necessarily in the way many people think of as entertainment.”
Johnson has done his homework, too. He has seen that the Barbarians have slightly changed their attitude over recent seasons. The Corinthian spirit has been eroded by the more pragmatic will to win at all costs. In the previous match against England, he was convinced they were dead set on victory, rather than the poetry of entertaining the Twickers crowd.
“I watched the Barbarians against England last year and they didn’t chuck it all over the place.
“They were very physical and hard over the ball, making it difficult for England to play.
“If we win quick ball then we have an opportunity to play, if we don’t it will be hard to break them down.”
The back-row battle, therefore, will be where the game is won and lost. But as we saw before last week’s Heineken Cup, the path to profit is not always about who wins the game, it is about finding an angle. Going low in the total points market once again, may well be the answer.
So while the Lions can learn from the Barbarians about how to gel teams together in a short space of time, it seems the Barbarians executive have been taking notes of their own. It’s all very well playing champagne rugby, but no-one gives you a bottle of bubbly to spray around if you’ve just lost the match.
British Lions Betting: South Africa 2009 tour map
The Cheetah’s flying wing, the Golden Lions’ sniping number nine and the Sharks’ towering lock – Geoffrey Riddle’s team by team guide tells you everything you need to know about who the British Lions will be facing in the build up to their test series against the Spring Boks.
Royal Bakofeng XV – May 30th
The Royal Bakofeng side is set to be made up of 11 of the Vodacom Cup-winning Griquas. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they will be any good, but it does mean that the players will be used to the combinations that they will feature in – something the classier Lions can only dream of at this stage.
Royal’s coach, Chaka Willemse, is keen to avoid a confrontational forward battle, and hopes to stretch the Lions around the park, perhaps a sign that points may flow in the tour opener.
Star man: Nass Olivier: One of just five players with Super 14 experience, the Cheetahs flyhalf has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders.
Golden Lions – June 3rd
It took tries by the gobby duo of Austin Healy and John Bentley to pin down the plucky Golden Lions on the 1997 tour, the tourists winning 20-14. The Johannesburg-based side is the primary feeder for The Lions, the Super 14 franchise which finished 12th this year. They play at Coca-Cola Park, formerly known as Ellis Park, which hosted the 1995 World Cup final.
Star man: Jano Vermaak. The brilliant scrum-half scored seven tries in the Super 14 this year. The 24-year-old is a real threat around the fringes, and the Lions back-row will need to be awake to his sniping runs.
Cheetahs – June 6th
A sorry Super 14 campaign saw the Cheetahs win just two games, but one of those was the outstanding 31-6 defeat of fellow South Africans, the Sharks. Based in Bloemfontein, their game-plan is based on a tough defensive system, which leaked fewer points than the Blues, who finished ninth. This could be a low-scoring affair.
Star man: Jongi Nokwe: The flying wing has been called into the Springboks squad once again by Peter de Villiers thanks to a stellar Super 14 season, which featured six tries. Nokwe showed he can operate at the highest level last year when scoring four tries against the Wallabies in Johannesburg. A dangerous weapon.
Sharks – June 10
The Sharks led the Super 14 table for four rounds, but fell away badly to finish sixth. Based in Durban, at the 55,000-seater Kings Park stadium, the Sharks are historically one of the better South African teams, reaching the Super final three times in 1996, 2001 and 2007. In their previous guise as Natal, they lost 42-12 to the Lions in 1997.
Star man: The Sharks are unlikely to have their Springboks for this encounter, but one who might make the run-on side is Johann Muller. The towering lock is a formidable line-out opponent, and would provide a good workout for Lions skipper Paul O’Connell ahead of greater tests against the likes of Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield.
Southern Kings – June 16
The Southern Kings are the first in line to be the 15th team when the Super 14 competition expands in 2011. The franchise will be launched in Port Elizabeth at this game, so the players have everything to play for. The squad will be coached by Alan Solomons, once the Springboks assistant coach under Nick Mallett, and former head coach of the Stormers, Ulster, and Northampton.
Star man: Clinton van Rensburg, the 6ft 3inch utility back, has been playing fly-half for the Mighty Elephants, which should make up the core of the franchise. A grizzled veteran, who once played with Rob Howley at Swansea, his experience will be invaluable for a side that looks massively outclassed.
Emerging Springboks – June 23
Percy Montgomery earned his first Springbok cap in the consolation third Test against the Lions in 1997, but he had already faced the famous tourists as an outside centre in the 51-22 drubbing suffered by the Emerging Springboks several weeks earlier.
The second string national sides have proved something of a thorn to the Lions recently. Australia ‘A’ inflicted the first tour defeat on Graham Henry’s Lions in 2001, and the proud New Zealand Maori beat Sir Clive’s Lions four years ago.
Star man: Earl Rose was named in the Springbok squad to play Namibia, and the Cheetahs’ full-back may well start in this fixture. Although he does not boast the class of Montgomery, he is one of the fringe players well thought of by South Africa coach Peter de Villiers. Despite the claim held by JP Pietersen, the Springbok No.15 jersey is still up for grabs, so Rose needs game time at this level in which to bloom.
British Lions 2009: “Old School Tour” in store
The Lions may be staying first-class but in most other respects this tour is back-to-basics, reports Ralph Ellis.
The time was when touring teams shared rooms for one simple reason – to save money. And if you want to check the hotel rostas of Torquay when they travel to play Darlington you’ll still find two to a room for exactly the same motive.
But what do you do when you are preparing the travel plans for top international sides and booking five-star hotels for players who are multi-millionaires? Aren’t grown up blokes now entitled to their own space, especially if they could afford to forget the team plan and pay for the best suite themselves?
It’s a debate that’s rumbled around for a few years now, especially after England’s disastrous trip to the 2006 World Cup in Germany, complete with WAGS and family entourage. The players all had their own rooms complete with Playstations, DVDs and all the other gizmos. Many old school coaches asked afterwards if that was one of the reasons that Sven Goran Eriksson’s “golden generation” never gelled together as a team.
So it’s interesting to learn that Ian McGeechan‘s band of British Lions arrived in South Africa yesterday and immediately booked into twin rooms at their first luxury HQ. That’s in sharp contrast to the way Sir Clive Woodward organised the last Lions tour when all his players, complete with an army of sports scientists, fitness and specialist kicking coaches, had their own space. And okay the top rugby players aren’t yet in the multi-millions financial bracket like the footballers, but they are still all worth a few bob.
According to captain Paul O’Connell it will set the tone for the tour – a squad that will live and work together for 24 hours a day.
“It will be an old-school tour,” said the Irishman who was the only Northern hemisphere player nominated for the 2006 World player of the year award.
“There is already a big buzz within the squad, and there are a lot fewer people than four years ago.
“Everyone is on the pitch at the same time, everyone is in the gym together and everyone fits into the team room as one. Clive tried something different which looked good on paper but we struggled. We had a very big squad and a very big coaching staff and, straight away, we failed to come together as a team.
“First of all, we have got to be a team. We have got to want to play for each other, first and foremost. If you have bonds you will always be willing to play for others in the team.”
The Lions remain a tasty [3.65] to win the Test series in South Africa, and I still think that’s a tempting price given the better preparation and the inspiring quality of O’Connell’s leadership. Don’t forget that they beat the Springboks in their last trip when Martin Johnson was captain 12 years ago, and who was coach then? Exactly, it was McGeechan. That’s why I’m laying a 3-0 South African whitewash at [2.74] which is currently favourite in the Series Correct Score market.
Five things you might not know about Paul O’Connell…
1. Born in Limerick in 1979 he was a star swimmer as a youngster.
2. As a young Munster player he gave away to his dad his ticket to the 2001 Heineken Cup quarter-final against Biarritz when he didn’t get picked, and then had to climb over a fence at Thomond Park to get into the game.
3. His career moved forward when fitness trainer Mike McGurn took him through drills used by Rugby League team St Helens – and included a wrestling exercise in his work.
4. His claim to be one of only two players to appear in every minute of all three Test matches of the 2005 Lions tour is disputed because he spent ten minutes in the sin-bin.
5. He scored the last ever international try at the old Lansdowne Road before it was demolished for redevelopment.
