Simple switch can kill three birds with one stone for Lions
There are areas where this Lions squad is stacked and positions where they appear spread a little thin on the ground.
Out-half, for example. For all the British media fawning over Finn Russell, the talented Scot has been associated with too many no-shows on big days for comfort — a good few of them involving Lions head coach Andy Farrell and his chief out-half adviser for this tour, Johnny Sexton. Fin Smith and Marcus Smith, the other 10s in the squad, are skilful but unproven. Russell has lots of admirers but still lots to prove. Pic: INPHO/Billy Stickland
Back row is another area worthy of scrutiny. There is no shortage of quality among the back-row options available but very little height to go with it.
Tom Curry, Jac Morgan, Josh van der Flier, Ben Earl, Jack Conan and Henry Pollock all have the essential back-row options of speed over the ground and being good over the ball but none of that group is what you would call an elite lineout option.
This could become a problem as back row is, arguably, where the Wallabies are best equipped to take on the Lions, and they are not short. Henry Pollock is a dynamic backrow but not the tallest. Pic: Getty Images
Meanwhile, move up a row to the engine room and the Lions are particularly well stocked for what is required. Tour captain Maro Itoje is locked in as a Test starter but the battle for who gets to pack down next to him will be intense between Joe McCarthy, Ollie Chessum, James Ryan, Scott Cummings and Tadhg Beirne.
That is a high quality selection of second rows but some are better suited to partnering Itoje than others. The best second row combinations tend to be one over-sized enforcer and one lighter, more agile lock who tends to be the lineout expert — think Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield from the great Springbok side of the mid-to-late 2000s. Joe McCarthy and James Ryan both fit the enforcer role in the second row.
In this Lions squad, Itoje fits the Matfield brief and he needs a big lump alongside him — especially with Farrell looking to dominate Australia in the front five, an area where they have traditionally struggled.
McCarthy, Chessum, Ryan and Cummings all have the enforcer thing going on but Beirne (the most in-form and effective of all the second rows selected) does not.
That is not the Munster man's game — Beirne is all about workrate and game-changing moments rather than getting bogged down in the trenches, he likes to stay loose and free to pounce on possession, and winning turnovers has become his trademark. Tadhg Beirne would add an extra lineout option if he was picked at blindside flanker instead of in the second row.
Farrell knows just how crucial Beirne's contribution can be and has leaned on him heavily since 2021, which is concerning in its own way because he turns 34 in January and will be pushing 36 come the next World Cup.
But that is for down the road; for now Farrell will want to get Beirne into his Test side and will be mulling over the fact that the slot next to Itoje may not be the best fit.
That means moving Beirne to the back row, specifically the blindside flanker No6 role, where the Kildare man has featured regularly over his career. Tadhg Beirne likes to get around the park. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
And, in switching Beirne there, Farrell will be killing three birds with one stone — getting Beirne into the team, freeing up space for a second-row enforcer and easing the lineout problem stemming from lack of height in the back row.
Beirne is nearing the last lap of a highly distinguished career – one rendered all the more impressive by the fact he was let go by Leinster and reinvented himself with Scarlets.
He deserves to be remembered as one of Munster and Ireland's finest forwards and deserves to make the Test side on what will be his final Lions tour.
One simple switch could make that happen.
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an hour ago
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Extra.ie
4 hours ago
- Extra.ie
Simple switch can kill three birds with one stone for Lions
There are areas where this Lions squad is stacked and positions where they appear spread a little thin on the ground. Out-half, for example. For all the British media fawning over Finn Russell, the talented Scot has been associated with too many no-shows on big days for comfort — a good few of them involving Lions head coach Andy Farrell and his chief out-half adviser for this tour, Johnny Sexton. Fin Smith and Marcus Smith, the other 10s in the squad, are skilful but unproven. Russell has lots of admirers but still lots to prove. Pic: INPHO/Billy Stickland Back row is another area worthy of scrutiny. There is no shortage of quality among the back-row options available but very little height to go with it. Tom Curry, Jac Morgan, Josh van der Flier, Ben Earl, Jack Conan and Henry Pollock all have the essential back-row options of speed over the ground and being good over the ball but none of that group is what you would call an elite lineout option. This could become a problem as back row is, arguably, where the Wallabies are best equipped to take on the Lions, and they are not short. Henry Pollock is a dynamic backrow but not the tallest. Pic: Getty Images Meanwhile, move up a row to the engine room and the Lions are particularly well stocked for what is required. Tour captain Maro Itoje is locked in as a Test starter but the battle for who gets to pack down next to him will be intense between Joe McCarthy, Ollie Chessum, James Ryan, Scott Cummings and Tadhg Beirne. That is a high quality selection of second rows but some are better suited to partnering Itoje than others. The best second row combinations tend to be one over-sized enforcer and one lighter, more agile lock who tends to be the lineout expert — think Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield from the great Springbok side of the mid-to-late 2000s. Joe McCarthy and James Ryan both fit the enforcer role in the second row. In this Lions squad, Itoje fits the Matfield brief and he needs a big lump alongside him — especially with Farrell looking to dominate Australia in the front five, an area where they have traditionally struggled. McCarthy, Chessum, Ryan and Cummings all have the enforcer thing going on but Beirne (the most in-form and effective of all the second rows selected) does not. That is not the Munster man's game — Beirne is all about workrate and game-changing moments rather than getting bogged down in the trenches, he likes to stay loose and free to pounce on possession, and winning turnovers has become his trademark. Tadhg Beirne would add an extra lineout option if he was picked at blindside flanker instead of in the second row. Farrell knows just how crucial Beirne's contribution can be and has leaned on him heavily since 2021, which is concerning in its own way because he turns 34 in January and will be pushing 36 come the next World Cup. But that is for down the road; for now Farrell will want to get Beirne into his Test side and will be mulling over the fact that the slot next to Itoje may not be the best fit. That means moving Beirne to the back row, specifically the blindside flanker No6 role, where the Kildare man has featured regularly over his career. Tadhg Beirne likes to get around the park. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile And, in switching Beirne there, Farrell will be killing three birds with one stone — getting Beirne into the team, freeing up space for a second-row enforcer and easing the lineout problem stemming from lack of height in the back row. Beirne is nearing the last lap of a highly distinguished career – one rendered all the more impressive by the fact he was let go by Leinster and reinvented himself with Scarlets. He deserves to be remembered as one of Munster and Ireland's finest forwards and deserves to make the Test side on what will be his final Lions tour. One simple switch could make that happen.
