McGeechan appointed Lions coach in 2009
There’s a sense of deja vu - the Lions are touring South Africa, home of the World Champions, led by Ian McGeechan, the greatest Lions coach ever. Can he really do it again?
All we need now are replacements for key players like Johnno, Gibbs, Guscott, Wood, Jenkins. Is it time to start picking those Lions XVs?
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Rob Watson posted on May 14, 2008:
Well what with the recent appointment of Johnno we English are of course familiar with misty-eyed nostalgia of late!
Memories of “Living with Lions” came flooding back the minute I saw the news. Geech’s words of wisdom flowed through my mind like it was only yesterday: “A wounded animal returns in frenzy…..this is your chance to kill a Springbok!”
Let’s hope that come the end of the second test Geech is once again sat in a chair again while someone reaches for the hair clippers as a drunken chorus of ‘Wonderwall’ fills the air.
Normally I would excitedly reel off my Lions XV even though it’s a year ahead, but with all except Wales in such a state of flux it’s hard to know where to begin. We seriously need the English, Irish and Scots to get back to their best in the next year, but it can be done.
The only unit that really picks itself for me at the moment is a back row of Haskell, Williams and Jones. There are a lot of places up for grabs.
Rory posted on May 19, 2008:
Look for some Scottish lads to challenge for places in the back row come next season with established names like White and Taylor and also up and coming youngsters like Rennie, Barclay and Strokosch. Can’t really argue with your back row though Rob, if they are all fit.
Although there are plenty of talented youngsters coming through (almost everywhere except Ireland, it seems) I worry about the old heads (that Woodward took too many of) they will need as key leaders. Williams is definitely one, where are the rest? Maybe Paul O Connell. Dare Geech rake the dregs of the England WC squad for experience?
Scots may appear at scrum-half too with Mike Blair an outside possibility of captain, but I’m pretty sure he’ll be on the tour if he can hold his form - Geech is known to be a fan. A Blair/Hook or Blair/Cipriani axis would be quite exciting, I think.
And though he had a dire first international season, if Nick De Luca keeps improving at the rate he has been at club level, the hard pitches of South Africa could favour him at 13 - Jim Telfer thinks he needs to work on his defence though.