Lions: Living With Pride

Stev_o

Well it looks like they'v listened to the supporters this time, it does have that 1997 feel to it. Probably end getting it. Look at the emotion on Vickery's face when he's on the bench, and some posters here feel it's meaningless team.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVrXPoMxU3k

CatFromHue

good stuff i didnt know if they were going to do one of those vids.
glad they did, i'm looking forward to getting it.
i did see the book last week, i think it was called restoring pride or something
its funny though in that little clip you saw more of ian mcgeechan that you did of clive woodward in the 05 nz video!!

bleg

Terrible name.

d'Oracle

Stev_o wrote: »

Look at the emotion on Vickery's face when he's on the bench, and some posters here feel it's meaningless team.

Vickery crying brings no additional significance to the lions

He is crying because he got demolished.

[Jackass]

There's a big difference between personal pride and wanting to compete and win any game you play and unidultriated passion for the HSBC Bank jersey. It's a great personal honour for players to be selected on a "dream team" pool of players greater than your own nationa pool of players.

Beyond that it's completely meaningless corproate event and not eveb the real tour it once was (30+ games etc)

If you want to buy into it, fair enough, but don't pretend winning a lions series holds any gravity or significance...especially when compared to your team winning a world cup, 6 nations, grand slam, tri-nations, heineken cup, S14, GP, ML etc...

Stev_o

[Jackass] wrote: »

There's a big difference between personal pride and wanting to compete and win any game you play and unidultriated passion for the HSBC Bank jersey. It's a great personal honour for players to be selected on a "dream team" pool of players greater than your own nationa pool of players.

Beyond that it's completely meaningless corproate event and not eveb the real tour it once was (30+ games etc)

If you want to buy into it, fair enough, but don't pretend winning a lions series holds any gravity or significance...especially when compared to your team winning a world cup, 6 nations, grand slam, tri-nations, heineken cup, S14, GP, ML etc...

I have to laugh mate, 7/8 of those competitions you named are all cooperate sponsored names.

wixfjord

Stev_o wrote: »

I have to laugh mate, 7/8 of those competitions you named are all cooperate sponsored names.

I thought exactely the same! The Guinness Premership, Magners League Heineken Cup and RBS Six Nations are all "completely meaningless corproate events" in that case, and even more so than the Lions, because of the history of the red jersey. Dont see the logic here at all Jackass.

Tom10

Well I'm looking forward to seeing it - Ian McGeechan is a legend.

CatFromHue

thats one of the tings i like about it, its 30/40 players coming together to try and form a winning team.then thats it once the tour ends that team ends.
its kinda romantic.
if they won the series 3 - 0 would i have gone celebrating for the next week, but i did watch all the games intently, and kicked and shouted through them all.
as for the corporate bit, well yeah how else are you going to pay 30/40 players and coaching staff

d'Oracle

wixfjord wrote: »

I thought exactely the same! The Guinness Premership, Magners League Heineken Cup and RBS Six Nations are all "completely meaningless corproate events" in that case, and even more so than the Lions, because of the history of the red jersey. Dont see the logic here at all Jackass.

Stev_o wrote: »

I have to laugh mate, 7/8 of those competitions you named are all cooperate sponsored names.

That is silly and irrelevant.

The lions is test series, a financial hurrah.
The others are proper sporting tournaments.

wixfjord

d'Oracle wrote: »

That is silly and irrelevant.

The lions is test series, a financial hurrah.
The others are proper sporting tournaments.

I fail to see your point. Professional sport needs sponsorship. The Lions has more history attached to it than the heineken cup magners league and guinness prem put together. Just because they are tournaments doesnt change this. Ill admit it has been devalued somewhat, but ask someone like o connell shaw or o driscoll what a lions tour means to them? Cutting out all the sky ****e its still a unique and important part of rugby.

Tom10

All professional sport is about money - its the significance we attach that makes them meaningful. Just because one person feels more passionately about the heineken cup than the 6 nations does not mean its more or less financially driven.

The lions tour was brilliant IMO, just wish we had one it. They were 3 of the finest more brutal physical encounters ever and just because its sponsored does not make the passion any less poignant. Nearly every team in professional sport is sponsored in some way or other so why should the Lions not be. Are they that special that they should be funded by some new means??

omb0wyn5ehpij9

There is some absolute ****e talked in this forum.

This thread is about a Lions DVD. Which I personally can't wait to see. If people think The Lions is a load of crap, that's fair enough. But cop on and don't post in here

Tom10

Surely talking about the significance of the Lions in modern rugby is ok when talking about the dvd of the latest tour?

Well until the DVD comes out when people can make fun of the daft things somebody says in the heat of a moment haha

[Jackass]

Stev_o wrote: »

I have to laugh mate, 7/8 of those competitions you named are all cooperate sponsored names.

I have to laugh that you're completely missing the point that Lions tour is completely irrelivant compared to winning a world cup or 6 nations for your country or winning a league or european cup for your home province / club and the support of the national side / local team isn't a collection of corporate travel agent package holidays and it actually means a hell of a lot more to players and fans to win something like that than the meaningless lions tour that in fairness is a personal accolade for individual players, but other than that pointless and meaningless and so far detatched from what it once was.

danthefan

Bryn wrote: »

There is some absolute ****e talked in this forum.

This thread is about a Lions DVD. Which I personally can't wait to see. If people think The Lions is a load of crap, that's fair enough. But cop on and don't post in here

Agreed, definitely going to buy it.

OldJay

[quote='[Jackass]If you want to buy into it, fair enough, but don't pretend winning a lions series holds any gravity or significance...especially when compared to your team winning a world cup, 6 nations, grand slam, tri-nations, heineken cup, S14, GP, ML etc...[/quote]

If you ever get a chance to ask a player whether or not they find a Lions series win without "gravity or significance", you are going to be very disappointed given what you just posted.

remus808

That clip looks awesome: I can't wait to see it if it's going to be that similar to the 1997 one.

bringbackbuck

:):)

Chucky the tree

[Jackass] wrote: »

I have to laugh that you're completely missing the point that Lions tour is completely irrelivant compared to winning a world cup or 6 nations for your country or winning a league or european cup for your home province / club and the support of the national side / local team isn't a collection of corporate travel agent package holidays and it actually means a hell of a lot more to players and fans to win something like that than the meaningless lions tour that in fairness is a personal accolade for individual players, but other than that pointless and meaningless and so far detatched from what it once was.

I'd love to know what POC or BOD would prefer to have to their name at the end of their careers, a lions test win or a Magners league medal.

Chucky the tree

Chucky the tree wrote: »

I'd love to know what POC or BOD would prefer to have to their name at the end of their careers, a lions test win or a Magners league medal.

IRB player of the year will ease the pain :pac:

siochain

Chucky the tree wrote: »

I'd love to know what POC or BOD would prefer to have to their name at the end of their careers, a lions test win or a Magners league medal.

well put ctt,

really looking forward to seeing the dvd

shanagarry

[Jackass] wrote: »

I have to laugh that you're completely missing the point that Lions tour is completely irrelivant compared to winning a world cup or 6 nations for your country or winning a league or european cup for your home province / club and the support of the national side / local team isn't a collection of corporate travel agent package holidays and it actually means a hell of a lot more to players and fans to win something like that than the meaningless lions tour that in fairness is a personal accolade for individual players, but other than that pointless and meaningless and so far detatched from what it once was.

For you, but not for lots of people. Have you been on a Lions tour? Previously I would have considered myself somewhat abivalent about the lions, but having experienced a tour first hand, and left the stadium after the second test with no voice and feeling like someone punched me in the stomach I've had to revise that. There is something special about the coming together of the different nations that is a very different and very unique.

Yes, I would put world cup (one can dream!), 6 nations and heineken cup before the Lions, but probable not a triple crown, and definitely not the Magners league.

pappyodaniel

Look forward to seeing this also, if it's anything like Living With Lions from 1997. Can't wait to hear Paulie going psycho in the dressing room, seeing O'Gara and the emotions of the players after losing the 2nd test, and it'll be great to see who the real 'characters' were in the squad.

ps
there's is a lot of BS being talked on this thread.

razorblunt

pappyodaniel wrote: »

Look forward to seeing this also, if it's anything like Living With Lions from 1997. Can't wait to hear Paulie going psycho in the dressing room, seeing O'Gara and the emotions of the players after losing the 2nd test, and it'll be great to see who the real 'characters' were in the squad.
ps
there's is a lot of BS being talked on this thread.

Christ I'd say that will be heavily edited I'd say!

pappyodaniel

razorblunt wrote: »

Christ I'd say that will be heavily edited I'd say!

I hope not, I'm quite sadistic and I get pleasure from watching people's suffering

thehighground

I agree with Jackass about the Lions - its mainly a personal/career achievement for a player more than anything else. Their value (and salary) goes up once you have made a Lions team and imo, Lions have a far greater value in Britain rather than in Ireland. To make it as a pundit in the UK (Sky, BBC), you need to have been a Lion. Even the IRFU seem to have forgotten the Lions Tour at this stage - if you look at the captions of the pictures on the IRFU site of the Ireland training camp in Limerick says, the only reference to the Lions is of Paul O'Connell: "Lions Captain Paul O'Connell was back in camp for the first time after a well earned holiday"

Can anyone see any of the Irish GS/6Ns winning team trading that GS win Ireland for a Lions Series? I can't. Most of what the players say is just media spin. For instance, I read a couple of years ago that Lawrence Dallaglio said that the greatest experience of his life was the 1997 Lions Tour. A couple of weeks ago, some high profile rugby players were asked what was their greatest achievement/honour in their rugby career and Dallaglio said the World Cup.

Keith Wood said captaining his country (and Woody's time as Ireland captain was not particularly successful!). Both of these players were on the winning 1997 tour.

Most of what you read about the Lions is just embedded journalist's spin. Far more telling about the spirit of the camp is for instance, how quickly Brian O'Driscoll packed his bags and came home when he couldn't play in the final Test because of the knock on the head. He didn't hang around to cheer on his comrades in the 'Lions Jersey'.

As for the DVD clip - I thought one of the comments on youtube got it spot on - 'Could they not feature more England players in the clip'.

I'll look forward to viewing the DVD (which will be well edited!) - but far more interesting will be Hector's Lions' DVD or when some of the Irish players retire and write their books.

OldJay

thehighground wrote: »

Most of what the players say is just media spin

No its not.

bamboozle

thehighground wrote: »

I agree with Jackass about the Lions - its mainly a personal/career achievement for a player more than anything else. Their value (and salary) goes up once you have made a Lions team and imo, Lions have a far greater value in Britain rather than in Ireland. To make it as a pundit in the UK (Sky, BBC), you need to have been a Lion. Even the IRFU seem to have forgotten the Lions Tour at this stage - if you look at the captions of the pictures on the IRFU site of the Ireland training camp in Limerick says, the only reference to the Lions is of Paul O'Connell: "Lions Captain Paul O'Connell was back in camp for the first time after a well earned holiday"

Can anyone see any of the Irish GS/6Ns winning team trading that GS win Ireland for a Lions Series? I can't. Most of what the players say is just media spin. For instance, I read a couple of years ago that Lawrence Dallaglio said that the greatest experience of his life was the 1997 Lions Tour. A couple of weeks ago, some high profile rugby players were asked what was their greatest achievement/honour in their rugby career and Dallaglio said the World Cup.

Keith Wood said captaining his country (and Woody's time as Ireland captain was not particularly successful!). Both of these players were on the winning 1997 tour.

Most of what you read about the Lions is just embedded journalist's spin. Far more telling about the spirit of the camp is for instance, how quickly Brian O'Driscoll packed his bags and came home when he couldn't play in the final Test because of the knock on the head. He didn't hang around to cheer on his comrades in the 'Lions Jersey'.

As for the DVD clip - I thought one of the comments on youtube got it spot on - 'Could they not feature more England players in the clip'.

I'll look forward to viewing the DVD (which will be well edited!) - but far more interesting will be Hector's Lions' DVD or when some of the Irish players retire and write their books.

for what its worth my favourite Rugby Competitions
Lions Tour
Heiniken Cup
6 Nations
AIL Rugby

and for what its worth the 1st Lions tour to be profitable was Oz 2001,

[Jackass]

Chucky the tree wrote: »

I'd love to know what POC or BOD would prefer to have to their name at the end of their careers, a lions test win or a Magners league medal.

Well, Magners league has such a bad reputation, but I think if you're looking at an English player given the choice then of a World Cup, Grand Slam, Heineken Cup, Guninness Premiership or Lions Tour winners medal, Lions tour would be bottom of the list....

Replace GP with Magners League and it would be second bottom on the list for Irish, Welsh and Scottish players.....

It's a personal glory more than anything....ah like I said, buy into it if you want, it's just my opinion on it, to me anyway, it's now nothing more than a corporate showpiece. I'm indifferent really to winning or losing it, I don't feel much sadness about losing it, and wouldn't have felt much glory in winning it, but I merely watch it to see Irish and Leinster players and for the love of the sport, but wouldn't have any passion for the Lions...

[Jackass]

[Jackass] wrote: »

Well, Magners league has such a bad reputation, but I think if you're looking at an English player given the choice then of a World Cup, Grand Slam, Heineken Cup, Guninness Premiership or Lions Tour winners medal, Lions tour would be bottom of the list....

Replace GP with Magners League and it would be second bottom on the list for Irish, Welsh and Scottish players.....

It's a personal glory more than anything....ah like I said, buy into it if you want, it's just my opinion on it, to me anyway, it's now nothing more than a corporate showpiece. I'm indifferent really to winning or losing it, I don't feel much sadness about losing it, and wouldn't have felt much glory in winning it, but I merely watch it to see Irish and Leinster players and for the love of the sport, but wouldn't have any passion for the Lions...

Jackass you do know that either dalaghlio sp or Johnson cant remember which one,possibly both said their lions win in 1997 meant more than their wc win.

[Jackass]

Liam Eager Revolution wrote: »

Jackass you do know that either dalaghlio sp or Johnson cant remember which one,possibly both said their lions win in 1997 meant more than their wc win.

Well I don't know where you heard that, or who wrote it, but unless I saw the man say it himself, I would find that absolutely BS to be honest. Even from a practical point of view, being the first ever player / captain of your country to lift a world cup, easly considered by far the greatest achievement in any sport, and for it to be the result of 4 years building, and en mass retirement after as "mission achieved", the likes of Johnny Wilkinson, put through pain killers and happily risked with career ending injury, just to get through one more game, and the scenes of sheer jubilation both on the pitch at the final whistle, and the homecoming, compared to a few weeks tour on the indifference a Lions Tour victory would have been met with....I doubt it. Like I said, I don't deny the personal accolade that the lions tour gives to a player, just like in football if they had a "European Elite" tour to south america every 4 years, it would be a massive honour to be chosen on that team ahead of every other player from every country in Europe, but from a meaningfull point of view, it really would mean sweet FA..the Lions tour is no different imo.

And like I said, again, I'm only speaking from my own opinion, I'm not telling you that this is your opinion and I don't claim to be speaking on behalf of everybody in the sport, and I also said that what the Lions tour once was, 20+ years ago, was a hell of a lot different and meant a hell of a lot more than what it does now.

It's a victim of the professional game.

wixfjord

thehighground wrote: »

I agree with Jackass about the Lions - its mainly a personal/career achievement for a player more than anything else. Their value (and salary) goes up once you have made a Lions team and imo, Lions have a far greater value in Britain rather than in Ireland. To make it as a pundit in the UK (Sky, BBC), you need to have been a Lion. Even the IRFU seem to have forgotten the Lions Tour at this stage - if you look at the captions of the pictures on the IRFU site of the Ireland training camp in Limerick says, the only reference to the Lions is of Paul O'Connell: "Lions Captain Paul O'Connell was back in camp for the first time after a well earned holiday"

Can anyone see any of the Irish GS/6Ns winning team trading that GS win Ireland for a Lions Series? I can't. Most of what the players say is just media spin. For instance, I read a couple of years ago that Lawrence Dallaglio said that the greatest experience of his life was the 1997 Lions Tour. A couple of weeks ago, some high profile rugby players were asked what was their greatest achievement/honour in their rugby career and Dallaglio said the World Cup.

Keith Wood said captaining his country (and Woody's time as Ireland captain was not particularly successful!). Both of these players were on the winning 1997 tour.

Most of what you read about the Lions is just embedded journalist's spin. Far more telling about the spirit of the camp is for instance, how quickly Brian O'Driscoll packed his bags and came home when he couldn't play in the final Test because of the knock on the head. He didn't hang around to cheer on his comrades in the 'Lions Jersey'.

As for the DVD clip - I thought one of the comments on youtube got it spot on - 'Could they not feature more England players in the clip'.

I'll look forward to viewing the DVD (which will be well edited!) - but far more interesting will be Hector's Lions' DVD or when some of the Irish players retire and write their books.

Anyone who buys a Hector DVD deserves to be robbed of the 20 euro or so it costs. Thats a prime example of people cashing in on the Lions, and even worse and an annoying idiot who knows jot about rugby.

[Jackass]

[Jackass] wrote: »

Well I don't know where you heard that, or who wrote it, but unless I saw the man say it himself, I would find that absolutely BS to be honest. Even from a practical point of view, being the first ever player / captain of your country to lift a world cup, easly considered by far the greatest achievement in any sport, and for it to be the result of 4 years building, and en mass retirement after as "mission achieved", the likes of Johnny Wilkinson, put through pain killers and happily risked with career ending injury, just to get through one more game, and the scenes of sheer jubilation both on the pitch at the final whistle, and the homecoming, compared to a few weeks tour on the indifference a Lions Tour victory would have been met with....I doubt it. Like I said, I don't deny the personal accolade that the lions tour gives to a player, just like in football if they had a "European Elite" tour to south america every 4 years, it would be a massive honour to be chosen on that team ahead of every other player from every country in Europe, but from a meaningfull point of view, it really would mean sweet FA..the Lions tour is no different imo.

And like I said, again, I'm only speaking from my own opinion, I'm not telling you that this is your opinion and I don't claim to be speaking on behalf of everybody in the sport, and I also said that what the Lions tour once was, 20+ years ago, was a hell of a lot different and meant a hell of a lot more than what it does now.

It's a victim of the professional game.

Sorry to ruin your thread but it is true and one of them did say it.I will try and find,it was in the paper before the Lions tour.

Heres Geechs on it

"Just because the Lions have been around for a long time doesn't mean it's old fashioned or out of tune. Speak to any of the players. There is nothing bigger than this. That includes World Cups in the players' eyes," said McGeechan.

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/rugby-union/Lions-tour-bigger-than-World.5431285.jp

thehighground

Liam Eager Revolution wrote: »

Sorry to ruin your thread but it is true and one of them did say it.I will try and find,it was in the paper before the Lions tour.

Heres Geechs on it

"Just because the Lions have been around for a long time doesn't mean it's old fashioned or out of tune. Speak to any of the players. There is nothing bigger than this. That includes World Cups in the players' eyes," said McGeechan.

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/rugby-union/Lions-tour-bigger-than-World.5431285.jp

Do you honestly believe Gordon Darcy would feel that the Lions Tour was superior to his Grand Slam / Heineken Cup this year? What about Brian O'Driscoll. If it was so special, how come Brian didn't stay on the tour for the final game as he didn't have to rush home for medical attention.

McGeechan is paid to come out with this Lions propaganda. (He has also bought the loyalty of Gatland & Edwards by suggesting that they should manage the next one to Oz). As far as I remember as well, players were not allowed to sign up to do blogs and those who had done so already were required to get the copy approved by the Lions management.

thehighground

wixfjord wrote: »

Anyone who buys a Hector DVD deserves to be robbed of the 20 euro or so it costs. Thats a prime example of people cashing in on the Lions, and even worse and an annoying idiot who knows jot about rugby.

I'm no great fan of Hectors, and I won't be buying it - I'm sure it will be on RTE (so we'll all be paying for it!). Anyway, isn't Risteard Cooper a product of one of South Dublin's finest rugby schools (St. Michaels), so I'm sure he knows something about rugby.

It will be interesting to see how the Lions management deal with Hector & Cooper more than anything else

thehighground

thehighground wrote: »

Do you honestly believe Gordon Darcy would feel that the Lions Tour was superior to his Grand Slam / Heineken Cup this year? What about Brian O'Driscoll. If it was so special, how come Brian didn't stay on the tour for the final game as he didn't have to rush home for medical attention.

McGeechan is paid to come out with this Lions propaganda. (He has also bought the loyalty of Gatland & Edwards by suggesting that they should manage the next one to Oz). As far as I remember as well, players were not allowed to sign up to do blogs and those who had done so already were required to get the copy approved by the Lions management.

Neither won a Lions tour,the only players to make such a comparison are English.

SpAcEd OuT

thehighground wrote: »

Anyway, isn't Risteard Cooper a product of one of South Dublin's finest rugby schools (St. Michaels)

O/T

St.Micheals have won the SCT once they are not allowed to call themselves a fine rugby school until they add a few more titles to their ridiculously low collection

thehighground

Liam Eager Revolution wrote: »

Neither won a Lions tour,the only players to make such a comparison are English.

This is what McGeechan claims in that article:

Speak to any of the players. There is nothing bigger than this. That includes World Cups in the players' eyes," said McGeechan.

He was talking about everyone on the Tour, not just English. So you think O'Driscoll & Darcy would prefer to play on a Lions winning tour rather than win the Grand Slam or the Heineken Cup.

What do you think of Keith Woods saying that his greatest rugby achievement/honour was captaining his country? (Woody played in the Lions 1997 winning series that everyone thinks was the bees knees & cats pjs).

thehighground

SpAcEd OuT wrote: »

O/T

St.Micheals have won the SCT once they are not allowed to call themselves a fine rugby school until they add a few more titles to their ridiculously low collection

Didn't Keith Gleeson go to school in Micheals? Must be doing something right :rolleyes:

thehighground

thehighground wrote: »

This is what McGeechan claims in that article:



He was talking about everyone on the Tour, not just English. So you think O'Driscoll & Darcy would prefer to play on a Lions winning tour rather than win the Grand Slam or the Heineken Cup.

What do you think of Keith Woods saying that his greatest rugby achievement/honour was captaining his country? (Woody played in the Lions 1997 winning series that everyone thinks was the bees knees & cats pjs).

No I would agree with you,if they had won I beleive they would have valued it more though.

I joined the debate for a laugh really,I agree that the Lions is slightly overhyped but I dont think some give it enough credit for what it is.

I would say winning a Lions tour would mean more than anything bar a world cup to an elite player.

thehighground

Liam Eager Revolution wrote: »

No I would agree with you,if they had won I beleive they would have valued it more though.

I joined the debate for a laugh really,I agree that the Lions is slightly overhyped but I dont think some give it enough credit for what it is.

I would say winning a Lions tour would mean more than anything bar a world cup to an elite player.

Woody was World Player of the Year in 2001. Even though he is a pundit for the BBC/writes a column in the Telegraph, he still states captaining his country is his greatest achievement/honour.

Maybe Woody is just winding up the BBC & The Telegraph by saying that

PS - slighly overhyped!! :D

I enjoyed watching the games - mostly just interested in how well our lads were doing. They were entertaining games to watch - thats about it.

2040

I think Irish players might value the Lions Series less than the other countries for whatever reason. When the squad was announced Paul O'Connell said it was never something he had ever aspired to. At the time I couldn't believe he said it. And you just know Ronan O'Gara doesn't rank it over Irish and Munster honours.

buck65

Well not now anyway!:p

OldJay

[Jackass] wrote: »

Well I don't know where you heard that, or who wrote it, but unless I saw the man say it himself, I would find that absolutely BS to be honest

Just like all the other speculative opinions baselessly speaking for players in this thread including your own.

[Jackass]

Justind wrote: »

Just like all the other speculative opinions baselessly speaking for players in this thread including your own.

[Jackass] wrote:

And like I said, again, I'm only speaking from my own opinion, I'm not telling you that this is your opinion and I don't claim to be speaking on behalf of everybody in the sport, and I also said that what the Lions tour once was, 20+ years ago, was a hell of a lot different and meant a hell of a lot more than what it does now.

Go back to post number 33 in this thread and then write 20 lines "I will pay more attention in threads" as your punishment.

Stev_o

2040 wrote: »

I think Irish players might value the Lions Series less than the other countries for whatever reason. When the squad was announced Paul O'Connell said it was never something he had ever aspired to. At the time I couldn't believe he said it. And you just know Ronan O'Gara doesn't rank it over Irish and Munster honours.

Well in fairness to them neither have had a very good history with the Lions, ROG id say would still be pissed at the McCrae inicident in 2001 and rightly so. POC had a fairly crap 2005 Lions tour and came out of that tour with his name a bit tarnished in the eyes of other countries.

BOD's gone on record saying that he (in a moment of madness ) likes to think that he would be around for the tour to Australia. Obviously to him it's a big deal and he seems determined to be involved in a winning Lions tour no matter what the cost.

Amabokke

I'm not even Irish or NH supporter and I could feel the tension when looked at the video. These videos are always a welcome and it's good to see behind the scenes.

zenmonk

O Driscoll won't be around come the next Lions tour. He rolled back the years and the injuries to put in a most remarkable season this year but his role was very different to his past role.
I'd guess Brian will just about make the Irish team in 2011 World Cup and then retire from international rugby, hard to see him being competitive enough in 2013!
BTW I thought POC had a good Lions tour and aquitted himself well as captain. I'm sure Kidney will acknowedge this by promoting Paul to Irish captain this November.

[Jackass]

zenmonk wrote: »

BTW I thought POC had a good Lions tour and aquitted himself well as captain. I'm sure Kidney will acknowedge this by promoting Paul to Irish captain this November.

Hmmm....really? Would aquitting himself well (in your opinion) be sufficient to displace the current captain who has been a superb leader at every level over the years? Particularly in Grand Slam year?

I don't see any reason why the captain position would be changed.