Quote:

A feisty start from the Lions, huge effort and commitment throughout from the men in red, but an even huger gulf in class

Quote:

When the All Blacks ran they surged on to the ball and whipped it at will to the wings. It was the same old story: pace and invention against the lateral and static. Given the same old dominance of the forwards - and here, especially at the scrum - it was a wonder that the Lions kept the score under 40.

Quote:

The fundamental issue of the tour remains, however, that of all the fit, happy players that have come to New Zealand, fewer than a dozen have enhanced their reputation. And two of the players that have ripped into rugby life down here and flourished, namely Ryan Jones and Simon Easterby, were not in Woodward's original squad of 45.

Those who have played consistently well are props Gethin Jenkins and Graham Rowntree, wing-forwards Lewis Moody and Martyn Williams, scrum-half Dwayne Peel, centre/wing/stand-in captain Gareth Thomas and wing Mark Cueto. And Josh Lewsey, who never gives up.

Others who have made an impact at certain times on tour include Steve Thompson at hooker, Donncha O'Callaghan in the second row, Chris Cusiter and Matt Dawson at scrum-half, outside-halfs Charlie Hodgson and Ronan O'Gara, and full-back Geordan Murphy.

Quote:

The feeling is, though, that Carter has gone beyond the boundaries set by Wilkinson. He has Wilkinson's single-minded capacity for self-improvement and will match his achievements with regard to technique. What he also has, though, is a talent from on high, a facility for playing rugby that surpasses the excellence of Wilkinson.

Quote:

The key lessons that have been learnt from Super 12 are the value of pace and the virtues of trying the unexpected - these qualities, executed with precision and power, were what made the All Blacks able to take their chances so clinically in the Test series. It was this that made it look as though the Lions were playing rugby from another era.

Quote:

His attitude from the moment he arrived on this tour has stood out. Even if his contribution waned a little in the third Test, the mark he has made will remain in the memory. Where so many have looked haunted and unsure, Jones has thrown himself at the problem. It helps when you are 18 stone and blessed with a turn of pace, but he has been one of the few players to have done something as simple - and as difficult - as play the game he is paid for in the same manner as he played it when it was for love.

Quote:

There was a time when Joe Lydon first arrived as a coach with the seven-a-side squad when he was breath of fresh air. Now he's been coaching with the England team in the Churchill Cup and he's using words like 'fundamental' and 'buying-in.'

That's the language of Clive Woodward. All the coaches are clones of Clive, from Andy Robinson to Phil Larder and Dave Alred. I think we need a clear-out. That's not a Clive word, but I think it's overdue now.

Independent:

Sir Clive in cuckoo land to the last

Quote:

Sir Clive, who was not at his most charitable in defeat, also maintained there was no gulf between the teams and questioned whether the All Blacks are as good as many people believe them to be. "I only judge teams like New Zealand in World Cups where we're all on the same stage. Who holds the World Cup at the moment? There's no difference between the north and southern hemispheres as long as they are on a level playing field. The Lions is a complete one-off and I was under no illusions about how difficult this challenge was. Everything was put in place to win the Tests and we didn't quite make it. I've done the job to the very best of my ability and I can look in the mirror. I caution New Zealand. Reputations can be destroyed in one game."

The best of preparation, the worst of outcomes

Quote:

If he said it once he said it a hundred times: when it comes to playing rugby, New Zealand is, Sir Clive Woodward repeated, probably the hardest place on earth. This is true. The game is almost the country's raison d'être. It is like playing Munster in Limerick only five times worse.

(Uh oh)

Quote:

It was obvious from the outset that the squad was too big. Sir Clive said if he could have, he would have taken 75 players rather than 45, but that is no way to win a Test match. Most people here, Henry included, haven intimate knowledge of British rugby. Pat Lam, the Auckland coach, played for Northampton, Newcastle and was on the Scotland coaching staff. "Ultimately, for every player the best thing about touring is getting to know each other well and getting game time. It's difficult when you have such a big squad," he said

Search for a positive - and there are none

Quote:

Have the first professional Lions to visit these shores, at the cost of a distinctly uncool £9 million, given a player or two to the world? Have they hell. The most heavily populated squad ever to tour anywhere threw up so few class acts and caught the imagination so rarely that their contribution to a one-sided Test series bordered on the embarrassing.

Those players who did manage to flourish - and the counting of them does not require the fingers of both hands - generally did so while operating at a safe distance from the All Blacks. Charlie Hodgson, who travelled in the shadow of some bloke by the name of Wilkinson, finally emerged into the light, but when a fifth-choice Auckland provincial hooker by the name of Semisi Telefoni clattered him during the first half of last Tuesday's match at Eden Park, his chances of playing in yesterday's Test disappeared in a haze of concussion.

Quote:

Dwayne Peel was hotter than most, but even he presented the New Zealanders with a soft try last night. Indeed, he wrapped it up in a gift box, stuck a pink bow on top and handed it to Ali Williams, who could barely believe his luck.

(Sorry I know I get a bit carried away with Chris Hewett quotes but I just love the quality of his writing!)

Quote:

And the most complete performance - or rather, the least culpable contribution in terms of error-free rugby? Woodward will not like this, for he has never rated him as highly as everyone else in English rugby, but Mark Cueto was the man on this occasion.

Much of Cueto's attacking work against Auckland four days previously had been outstanding, warmly reminiscent of the try-laden rampages he delivers week in and week out for Sale. It was, by some distance, the most convincing wing display of the entire tour. Here, against the most serious opposition imaginable, he had precious little opportunity to run anywhere but sideways and backwards, vacuuming up in the face of wave upon wave of black-shirted assaults.

In defence, however, he was faultless. Two try-saving tackles on the menacing Sitiveni Sivivatu confirmed him as an all-round wing of genuine Test class - Sivi-vatu had scored in each of the previous Tests, and the odds were microscopically short on him finding his way over the line here - and Cueto's work-rate, reflected most brightly by his willingness to move inside and volunteer for kicking duties when the Lions' barricades showed signs of crumbling at the foundations, had something of the Josh Lewsey about it.

Cueto can travel home happy in the knowledge that his career is on an upward curve; certainly, his will be one of the first names on Andy Robinson's teamsheet when the likes of New Zealand and Australia come knocking at the gates of Twickenham in November.

(I think we should queue to buy Chris a drink next time he visits EP!)

Telegraph:

Outclassed in every aspect of the game

Quote:

If the occasion never quite touched the heights of the decider in Wellington, it was still remarkable for two reasons. First, for the contribution made by the Lions' fans who have travelled in support of their heroes. The team did not deserve them, if truth be told, but they journeyed with shredded expectation around both islands bringing dignity, humour and warmth with them. When the hymn Bread of Heaven erupted around Eden Park the All Blacks must have thought they were contesting an away fixture in Cardiff. Fantastic.

All Blacks well on the way to true greatness

Quote:

The second half of this match was not a rousing end to the tour but it did define the problems the Lions have faced. The problem was a team with little capacity to use the ball were given it too often. The referee, touch judge and All Blacks' mistakes combined to give the Lions 70 per cent of the possession in the second half. The meagre result was one try from a line-out drive while the All Blacks were down to 14 men.

Henry has the last laugh on Woodward

Quote:

Henry held back from knocking individual Lions players saying they had not played badly. "I think they did their best," he said.

"I think the All Blacks played some quality rugby, a different style which the Lions found difficult to handle."

Thompson: We were missing the cutting edge

Quote:

Looking back on this tour what we lacked mainly was enough quick ball - we were unable to offload in the tackle and mix up play enough to keep the All Blacks on the back foot. But this comes with playing together, developing a style and an understanding with the players around you. It is no surprise that during the last two weeks both the midweek and the Test team, were beginning to play some quality rugby, rather than feeling like a Barbarian outfit.

Quote:

On a more positive note, my player of the tour has been Charlie Hodgson. He has really stood out, directing play in all the games he has featured. I think he can consider himself unlucky not to have pulled on a Test jersey.

'New Zealand had quality - their time has arrived'

Quote:

Sport needs its heroes and people need to be able to touch those heroes. I think one of the benefits of going outside the big centres to play games is that it encourages a different view of the sport. The youngsters get a day off from school when the Lions are in town and the impact on their future involvement in the game is huge. An 11 or 12-game tour allows for that. If it becomes ultra-professional, one centre, fly in, play the game, bang, gone; that's fine. But rugby will then move to a made-for-television, Playstation type of sport.

High and Lows

Quote:

Do not let anybody tell you this spells the end of the Lions. What we know is what we knew before; that a rugby tour is all about spirit and purpose and a squad being tight and cohesive, breeding characters. The players were on the periphery, bit parts in a travelling circus. There was no heartbeat to this tour. Core values were sacrificed on the altar of excess. You do not go to New Zealand to win friends and barbecue invitations. You go to New Zealand to win rugby matches. That way you win friends and respect. The Lions party was a package not a rugby tour and somebody forgot to tie the package properly.

Victory keeps Australia up with the pace

Quote:

The Springboks had talked up their chances of winning their first match in Australia for seven years, confident that they could back up their words on the field.

But they were left red-faced as a game plan that seemed to revolve around kicking onto two of the most potent wings in world rugby backfired.

Times:

All Blacks 38 British & Irish Lions 19: New Zealand put finishing touch to one-sided tour

Quote:

However, New Zealand’s coaches and players and public have a gift of smugly over- rating their team, a gift they have perfected recently. Any verdict on the current All Blacks must be delivered in the cold light of the fact that the Lions never gelled, never threatened, never drove the mauls, never scrummaged, never attacked with conviction or elan, never even played. Their magnificent supporters, a benevolent red tide rolling across the country, deserved much better.

Henson zooms into new row

Quote:

After Henson’s shock omission from the squad for the first Test two weeks ago, Campbell — without Henson’s knowledge — arranged for a picture to be taken of head coach Sir Clive Woodward and the player chatting, by a hidden photographer with a zoom lens. The picture, taken after a closed training session in Christchurch, was widely used in British newspapers and helped to defuse the controversy and head off any rumours of discord caused by Woodward’s decision not to select Henson.

Last night Peter Underhill, Henson’s agent, confirmed that Henson did not know he was being photographed.

Carrying too much baggage

Quote:

“Look back to the All Blacks’ first try in the second Test,” says Ford. “It came from our lineout, off-the-top ball and Gareth Thomas lost the ball in midfield — a simple pass and catch. The Aussies and the Kiwis don’t do that because their core skills are coached correctly from early on.

“I’m talking pass, catch, carry, off-load, tackle and so on. Rugby league has got the message. Our George is 12 and he’s got one of the best tackling techniques and it’s only because he’s done it since he was six. That’s the best time to learn. He’s gone to a rugby union school now and they’ve gone straight into a 15-a-side game and they don’t know how to catch a ball. They don’t even know how to hold a ball.”

Henry’s job is only half done

Quote:

don’t need to say too much about the Lions, because most of it is pretty evident. We expected so much of Sir Clive Woodward’s men and they didn’t come to the party. You cannot just blame the coaches, because a lot of the players did not front up.

That said, Woodward made some spectacular mistakes. I am a huge believer that you need a midweek team and a Test team, and that the rivalry between them should be intense because it makes the squad all the stronger. All this “keeping everyone happy” business is hogwash.

Pride not lost even after tour of misery

Quote:

Every Lions player whom one encountered in Auckland yesterday evening offered an individual hymn of praise to one of the sport’s most loved teams. “To be honest,” said Mark Cueto, the Englishman with Spanish blood, “being part of this has been awesome. To meet so many new guys and for everyone to get on as well as we have, it’s been brilliant. Friendships have been established that will survive.

“For me, it has been a fantastic experience. The fans have been amazing. From the day we arrived in Auckland over six weeks ago, when 40 or 50 of them waited to welcome us, they have given us such support.”

Irish return to lick wounds

Quote:

You look for unqualified Irish success stories from this venture and realistically, Simon Easterby is the only one. Shane Horgan promised much, and surely earned the right to start on more than one occasion. But only Easterby, with his excellent work at the lineout and stern defence, emerges with full credit.

Coach refuses to hail Blacks
Clive Woodward wins few friends with his less than gracious view of a side that took his team apart.

Quote:

HAVING been the butt of so much Kiwi abuse over the past few weeks, it’s only natural Sir Clive Woodward should want to take a poke at New Zealanders and their rugby team. He did just that, reminding them that they hadn’t won a World Cup since 1987 — unlike him. It came across as rude and ungracious, an unfortunate signing-off to a most unfortunate tour.

I’m either a brilliant strategic wizard or an evil control freak
When Sir Clive Woodward came calling, Alastair Campbell warned him that he had ‘baggage’ — but still he was given the job as Lions PR chief. ‘I think Clive now sees what I meant,’

Quote:

As the squad’s principal media adviser, he was efficient, helpful and easy to like. To the Lions, he brought a keen intellect and much enthusiasm, and the media operation was slickly organised. Press conferences were held on time, players were available for interview, e-mails announcing selection arrived promptly. And yet, Campbell will be remembered as one of Sir Clive Woodward’s many mistakes.

Quote:

“Clive won the World Cup with England, you can’t take that from him. He comes here, loses a Test series and that’s it; you’re a hero or a dud, a genius or a total idiot. I’m either this brilliant strategic wizard or this evil control freak. Life’s not like that, something the public understand better than the media.

Quote:

I told the photographer, ‘Clive is very keen to be seen with Gavin because he doesn’t want people to think he is dumping Gavin’. So that was a positive thing to do for the player . . . If you think that is some great conspiracy, it’s pathetic.”

Lions must remember: Don't panic
British rugby has far too much going for it to slavishly pursue New Zealand’s unhealthy obsession with the game

Quote:

He put too much store in the silly notion that teams improve on the training field without the need for regular live action, thereby robbing the tour of rhythm. Too many players received too few chances — we never saw what Andrew Sheridan could do to the All Blacks, we never saw what Gavin Henson could bring to the midfield, we never, until the end, saw the team released from the burden of carrying the diminished Jonny Wilkinson, we never saw Tom Shanklin unleashed in midfield to take the team over the advantage line. The list goes on and on.

Quote:

There will be siren calls for rugby in the home unions to become a clone of New Zealand rugby — the same helter-skelter stuff, the same harping on about attack. This is the time to stand firm and to count the blessings of rugby in Britain and Ireland — the commercial power, the rising attendances, the balance between life and sport, the balance between power and pace, and the sheer passions of those who love our rugby. Not one New Zealand crowd came close to exhibiting anything like the sideline passions of, say, a Worcester Warriors crowd in a Premiership match at Sixways. The Kiwis sit and jeer the opposition, chew their pies in what is, by European standards, relative silence.

Quote:

And let us not ape the All Blacks in style. Of course, our rugby needs to catch up in terms of basic skills, where the gap is a chasm; and also in terms of simplicity, lack of bulls*** and increase in focus. Of course, there needs to be far more invention when it comes to breaking down defences, but at least part of what passes for extra inventiveness in New Zealand rugby is not some kind of abstract concept but something that springs from basic skills. It is incumbent upon every professional coach in the home unions to demand better skills, more invention, less conservatism. But it is also incumbent upon them all to demand that the strengths of the scrummage, lineout and driving mauls are re-emphasised. That the British rugby crunch is always felt and heard. In all these aspects, it is vital to remember that southern hemisphere propaganda and refereeing does its best to remove these advantages from the Lions’ armoury.

And on that note I can call it a day . . . enjoy your morning's reading everyone . . .