'The Lions is not a tarnished product'
Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:01
Former British and Irish Lions back row Scott Quinell believes Lions tours should be a priority in world rugby and therefore allowed even more time to take place in the calendar.
The former Welsh star, speaking to the Wales on Sunday publication, said that he believed the longer tours would help the Lions to gel better as a team and give them a chance to win a series in the Southern Hemisphere, something they have not done since the memorable 1997 series in South Africa.
Quinell, a tourist on that 1997 tour as well as in 2001 in Australia, said: "The concept is right,
"It's just the format that needs looking at.
"When you are selecting players from the four home nations, you need time to come together.
"You need to be able to bond as a group, to understand how the coaches want to play.
"They should have at least 10 games around the three Tests, so that you are looking at 13 to 14 games in total on the tour.
"That would then allow you the time to come together as a group and build what you need.
"To be together just for a few weeks and then expect to play like you would want to in the Test series is unrealistic."
Not everyone of course remains convince by the Lions tours. Following three straight series defeats in 2001, 2005 and now 2009, some have started to question the value of the four home nations coming together every four years.
Quinell however is not one of them. In his opinion, the Lions tour remains one of the true landmark features of rugby union and that its reputation and tradition remains very much intact.
"The Lions is definitely not a tarnished product.
"Its very much a product and a side that has a future.
"If you ask any player when they come back and come off that plane, they would confirm that.
"Brian O'Driscoll said last week it was one of the best tours he’s been on, camaraderie-wise, player-wise.
"There will be another group of players looking in four years time to see if they can stake a claim to wear that coveted jersey.
"There have been thousands of fans out in South Africa and millions of people back home wishing them well on this tour.
"So the appeal of the Lions remains undiminished and it definitely still has a place in the rugby calendar and a big place at that."
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