I WAS LUCKY enough to play for both sides and can tell you that the Barbarians would like nothing better than turning the Lions over.
The Lions are the better team, of course, but guys like Sergio Parisse and Dimitri Yachvili are incredible players. You never know, if they click they’ll be an almost impossible side to stop.
The first game is really hard and for 17 of the 23 players in today’s squad, it is their first game with the British & Irish Lions. I experienced that in 2005 when we played Argentina in Cardiff before setting off for New Zealand. We were hands down the better side but never got going and relied on Jonny Wilkinson’s boot to get us a draw in the end.
The Lions will have a gameplan today but every player wants to impress, on an individual basis, and that may go against them. A lot has been made about the amount of Welshmen starting. Having an all Welsh centre partnership and back row is a wise move first time out.
Warren Gatland made another good move in making Paul O’Connell captain. It was fortuitous in a way that Sam Warburton got injured but Paulie, with all his experience, will be a calming influence out there.
I would love to know the last time a Lions captain has not lead the team on the next tour but captained the team in its first game out. I’d say it has happened next to never.
Calling the shots: Paul O’Connell. (©INPHO/Dan Sheridan)
It was fantastic to see Rory Best get the call-up after Dylan Hartley’s ban. After two games of the Six Nations he was in the Test starter’s jersey but his lineout throwing started to slip. It was definitely a 50/50 call between Hartley and Rory in the first place and I think that showed with the speed of his call-up once the ban was announced.
There is a history of the last men on the plane, and replacements, doing well on Lions tours and Rory will know he is now in with a chance of making the Test team.
Gatland probably did not want to have Leinster and Leicester players on the bench but injuries are shaping events already.
If Sean O’Brien had been fit today I think he would have made the bench – the coaches seem to fancy him as an all-rounder. That can sometimes go against you. I’d love to see Sean play at blindside because I believe that is his best position. That may still happen as Justin Tipuric may stay at openside in the next game. Warburton has got an injection on his knee and that can be about eight days to take full effect.
Jamie Heaslip — talk about a player hitting form at just the right time. His last few games for Leinster were absolutely amazing.
Jamie Heaslip has hit form at the right time. (©INPHO/Dan Sheridan)
Jonny Sexton will be the place-kicker and the 10 jersey, at present, is his to lose. To have the quality of Leigh Halfpenny, who has been a revelation at fullback this season, as a back-up kicking option is fantastic. Rob Kearney will have to have an unbelievable tour to win that 15 jersey from him.
There is a massive history behind both the Lions and Barbarians and this is a huge event. I suspect the BaaBaa’s won’t roll over as they did against England last week.
This will be fully contested and I, for one, can’t wait for it all to start.
*Shane Byrne’s publication, Club Rugby Magazine is available monthly in the Irish Independent. Follow the magazine, and all the latest rugby news, on Twitter @ClubRugby1. You can also follow Shane on Twitter @shanebyrneoffic
