To be brutally honest, I wish I had stayed as a Lions player. I traveled to South Africa in 1980 and New Zealand in 1983 and loved them. But my time as a coach in New Zealand in 2005 was not very enjoyable.
I was asked to do it two years ago after England won the World Cup. I think that made me the obvious choice.
It’s a very prestigious role. But in the end, you end up regretting taking that job.
Looking back, I didn’t have the right mindset to take on such a unique coaching challenge. After working hard to win the World Cup, what I really needed was a sabbatical. I needed to rest and regroup before leaving again, ideally still in the UK. I realize it now.
I look at coaches like Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola who took a break mid-career and relaxed this year and wonder why taking a year off isn’t normalized. In 2005, that didn’t seem to be an option.
I find it very difficult not to pick an English player for the Lions. I’m sure next year’s manager Andy Farrell will find it equally difficult to leave out his Irish players. But as an Englishman and former England backroom coach, he will look much more balanced. He also benefited from serving as an assistant coach on the Lions’ last tour, which will make a big difference.
I coached the British and Irish Lions in 2005 but I wasn’t in the right frame of mind after winning the World Cup with England two years ago.
Andy Farrell (pictured) has taken on the role for next year’s tour and is the perfect choice.
The British and Irish Lions will be aiming to beat Australia like they did in 2013.
Farrell is 100% the right coach for the role. Building on Ireland’s performances in recent years, it will be interesting to see how quickly he can get his ideas across, especially on the attacking side of things. Leading the Lions is a truly difficult role.
In my opinion, it is almost impossible to avoid the feeling that you are giving away some of your rugby intellectual property by passing on your knowledge to coaches and players on other teams.
The 2025 Six Nations will be a stern test for Lions selection. However, based on the Autumn Nations Series, which concludes on Saturday between Ireland and Australia, I would pick Ireland’s No8 Caelan Doris to captain the Lions.
He will be part of a strong Irish contingent in our team. I would like to urge Farrell to double down on this point and not be tempted to pick a captain from another country just to appease. The cruel reality is that only a handful of English players have been named as starters for the Lions over the past four weeks. This sums up the state of English rugby both on and off the pitch.
I don’t think there are many players across their country that have the confidence of the Lions, which is worrying.
On previous tours, Scotland had been underrepresented. But I’m sure that will change in Australia next year. Their captain Sione Tuipulotu is their best inside center to date.
I thought the midfield combination with Hugh Jones was really good. Gregor Townsend and Steve Tandy were involved in the last Lions tour of South Africa as assistant coaches and feel they should be in that mold once again. To me Scotland look like a very good team. Don’t forget that they put Australia aside and the Wallabies beat England and beat Wales.
Scotland are playing good rugby, but I think there are two factors holding them back from real success in the Six Nations. It’s the forward pack and the mental ability to participate in the entire tournament. This is why I think a combination of their backs and Irish strikers, sprinkled with English and Welsh talent, would be a good combination for the Lions.
Wales are clearly having a hard time around the world as a team. But there are talented players in Tomos Williams, Jack Morgan and Dewi Lake who could succeed on a good team.
Flanker Jack Willis, who is currently unavailable for England because he plays club rugby in France for Toulouse, has undoubtedly become my Lions XV.
I know he’s not playing international rugby at the moment because of the outrageous RFU ruling on foreign players, but he’s undoubtedly the Lions’ first choice.
Of course, the French season clashes with the start of the Tour. But as I’ve argued all along, coaches want to draft the best players possible. And Willis falls into that category.
The same goes for Owen Farrell and Henry Arundell in Paris Racing 92. However, Farrell is currently injured and both players were part of a racing team that is currently struggling.
Ireland should have a strong squad in their starting XV and I would make Caelan Doris captain of the team.
Jack Willis is currently unavailable for England but is set to join the British and Irish Lions squad on a flight to Toulouse.
But Willis is playing incredible rugby. The fact that he is not only automatically selected for a team as good as Toulouse, who have won the European Cup a record six times, including last season, but also serves as captain at times, says a lot about him. Willis will bring strength and determination to the Lions.
Australia showed this autumn that they will be no pushover. The Wallabies under Schmidt have outstanding talent, particularly in their backline. Their packs are also formidable. But I think Farrell believes the Lions can overpower Australia. They won’t want to get caught up in a loose game.
Rugby needs a brilliant Lions series against Australia. Especially after the last series in South Africa in 2021 was played behind closed doors due to coronavirus. And I’m sure that’s what we’ll see.
Australia’s resurgence under Schmidt may not be the fait accompli some had predicted. But no matter who Farrell selects, the Lions should win.
