Wimbledon fans astonished by Sue Barker treatment after BBC presenter's return
Sue Barker's Wimbledon attendance left BBC commentator Andrew Castle and fans at home astonished on Tuesday. Barker was in attendance at Centre Court as Cameron Norrie was defeated by Carlos Alcaraz to end British hopes in the singles draw.
Barker became a staple of Wimbledon coverage having reached the tournament's semi-final during her playing career before becoming the face of the BBC's broadcast. The French Open winner anchored coverage for 22 years before stepping down from the responsibility but returned for an on-court interview of Andy Murray in his final appearance.
And now, on occasion, Barker can be spotted in the SW19 crowd but on Tuesday caught long-time colleague and ex-British No.1 Castle off guard. The legendary BBC presenter had not been among the announced guests of the day.
"Is that Sue Barker up there?" Castle asked co-commentator John McEnroe. "Where's Sue? What is she doing up there? I didn't see her on the list."
Cameras later returned to Barker in the crowd amidst a brief pause in play. It emerged that she was was seated in the members' enclosure rather than the Royal Box.
"Ah, [she's in a] box. Nearly in the Royal Box," Castle said. "That's the Royal Box over there. Maybe next time. Member's enclosure. Not bad."
And some fans on social media appeared to share the indignation that Barker had not been afforded a place in the tournament's most prestigious spot. One supporter said on X: "If anybody should be in the Royal box, it's Sue Barker!"
"Disgraceful that Sue Barker isn't in the Royal Box," added another. One user suggested string should have been pulled: "Surely @AndrewCastle63 Tim can get Sue Barker into the royal box with his contacts? She's a Wimbledon legend."
A further social media user suggested a reason for Barker's seating. "Sue Barker keeping her name off the list so Castle can't track her down. Played," they said.
Behind the scenes, tennis legend Billie Jean King caught up with Barker however, and snapped a picture of the pair together. "Look who I found: the legendary Sue Barker," she said on X.
"Sue won 15 WTA titles, and then enjoyed an incredible 30-year sports broadcasting career."
Speaking at the end of her time presenting Wimbledon in 2022, the 69-year-old had only positive words to say about her time working in broadcasting.
Barker said: "What a wonderful time I've had working on some of the biggest sporting events around the world. I will miss it terribly, but after 30 years I feel the time is right for me."
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Scotsman
26 minutes ago
- Scotsman
New Hearts signing lifts lid on second Tynecastle chance and why he turned down move 4 years ago
Defender delighted to get 'another bite of cherry' with Jambos switch Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... There is an air of contentment around Hearts defender Stuart Findlay as he mulls over the last couple of years. Tynecastle already feels like home for the 29-year-old, who has settled in seamlessly ahead of the new season. Maybe it was just always meant to be that he would end up at Hearts. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad After all, he's been a transfer target for the Jambos on more than one occasion. Robbie Neilson tried to bring him to Gorgie four years ago and he's persistently been linked with a transfer. Finally he had the maroon and white scarf above his head last month when a season-long loan with Oxford United was brokered. It was his former manager at Kilmarnock in Derek McInnes who got the move over the line. The duo teamed up well at Rugby Park and Findlay was keen to follow him east to Hearts. Football has been enjoyable for the centre-half under the gaffer. That hasn't always been the case after he ended his first spell at Killie to join Philadelphia Union over in the States four years ago. Stuart Findlay has reunited with his ex-Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes at Hearts. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group) | SNS Group 'I'll be the first to admit, when I had the option to leave Oxford on a loan to go back to Kilmarnock, I didn't have many options, I've been totally honest with you,' said Findlay. 'When Derek McInnes came in for me at Kilmarnock, he was a manager that obviously I respected greatly, it was a club that meant a lot to me. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It worked at the time, and I think for him to get me from where I was two years previous to where I was at the end of his tenure at Kilmarnock, I think it would be an absolute madness for me not to want to continue that working relationship. 'I think he's a manager that knows what my skill set is, he knows how to get out of me, and as I said, when I got the chance to learn off him again, it was something I just generally couldn't knock down. 'Not only that, to then come to a club with the stature of Hearts. I had maybe the chance a few years before I moved to America, but now that I'm here and I see what the club's all about, I'm delighted to get another bite of the cherry. And to be able to do it with an extra four or five years experience behind me, I think not only me, but the club's going to benefit from that.' Hearts defender Stuart Findlay at full time after the Premier Sports Cup group stage win over Stirling Albion at Forthbank Stadium. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group) | SNS Group Findlay is asked to expand on what could have been in 2021. 'Yeah, I don't think it was any secret, I think it was Robbie Neilson who was the manager, I was very, very close to going there,' he continued. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'But I think the opportunity that I got in America was something at the time I couldn't knock back. It was a massive, massive opportunity which maybe just didn't work out football-wise the way that I did, but it's not something I regret. It's something that I might have never got the chance to do again, definitely wouldn't have got the chance to do again, it's something I had to explore at the time. 'But as I said, there's always that little gnawing feeling in the back of your head of what could have happened if I'd went elsewhere. So to be able to come here, I think a better player to what I was back then, with a manager who fully knows what I'm about, it can only be a positive for me.' Such has been Findlay's form in Scotland, there are a few left puzzled why Oxford have not granted him more chances. His contract expires next summer and there is next to no chance of a return. Findlay is incredibly candid on it all. 'It's a bit of a strange situation that I've got with Oxford,' he explained. 'I would first admit the year that I was down there I didn't set the heather alight. I was really disappointed, I maybe wasn't in the right place mentally and physically that I wanted to be when I was at Oxford, but these things happen, football players take dips at certain times. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I thought they'd maybe made their mind up that that just wasn't the idea for them, I can't blame them because I didn't produce the way I did. But at the same time when you've got a manager who wants you as much as the gaffer here did, I think both clubs were happy to get something done in the meantime. 'I can't worry about what other clubs are wanting, I just only worry about the club where I am, and that's Hearts, and I just really want to have a good year for Hearts now.' Hearts defender Stuart Findlay at full time after the Premier Sports Cup group stage win over Hamilton Academical. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group) | SNS Group The Jambos - and McInnes - are happy to have him. He's been part of a team that won all four Premier Sports Cup group games comfortably ahead of the Premiership opener on Monday night at home to Aberdeen. Excitement is building in Gorgie after last season's underwhelming campaign. 'I don't think you realise how big a club Hearts is until you're involved in it,' said Findlay. 'Obviously you come to Tynecastle once or twice a season, you know they're a big side. But until you come here and you see how passionate the fans are. And not only that, just the demand for success at a club like Hearts is something that I'm really happy to be a part of. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'When the manager spoke to me, we were both wanting to come here because we both knew what success looked like at Hearts. It's something that we both aligned ourselves with. So we're going to have to back it up and make sure we put in the performances to reach the ambitions.
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Why Scotland is going full throttle for tractor sports
Early roots MHAIRI grew up under the watchful eye of her dad Ewan Cameron, an agricultural engineer whose five British championship titles between 2003 and 2019 set the bar high. 'Dad started in a Fordson Major in 2003, then Smokey II came along in 2005. He drove it to five British titles – three of those back to back,' she said. She would help in the family workshop from an early age, handing tools to her dad as he tweaked carburettors or re jetted the turbo. She explained: 'You've got to understand the machine inside out if you want it to perform – the drag can achieve the equivalent of 100t.' Passing the helmet WHEN she turned 17, Mhairi officially took over Smokey II. 'I should have started at 16, but lockdown held everything up,' she said. Since then, she's finished third in the British championship every year. 'It's getting tougher as teams are putting more money into tractors,' she added. 'We run on standard Shell V Power diesel. We tried race fuels but found they corroded the fuel pump if it was left in.' Under the hood sits a 6.6 litre six cylinder Ford engine, breathing through a custom-built turbo. A TW gearbox transfers torque to a 97/TW rear end, all Ford made parts. Over winter, the Camerons re jigged the intercooler for better airflow and installed a higher flow turbo. 'We skipped Scorton this spring rather than haul 300 miles and risk testing new parts under pressure,' said Mhairi. At BA Stores in Aberdeenshire in late June, wet Friday conditions meant no grip off the line. 'I just couldn't get traction – these conditions are out of our control though,' she recalled. Saturday brought a drier track and a podium finish. 'We placed third, and I was chuffed. It shows our winter changes work.' (Image: Rob Haining) A tight knitted crew IT'S a true family operation. Ewan drives their 2012 Iveco articulated lorry, which doubles as a mobile workshop and living area when at events. Mhairi's brother James, 30, assists with mechanics; sister Anna, 24, handles track side logistics; and mum Wendy sorts logistics, meals and morale. Family friend Eric Robertson has engineered the most recent clutch and helped for the past five years. 'We're up at dawn on event days, prepping, checking tyre pressures, topping up,' said Mhairi. 'Between events, the tractor might never leave the transport lorry. We'll inspect seals and look for leaks. Prevention is better than cure when you're on the track.' Off season and between events, Mhairi works at a neighbouring arable farm. She's on her way to getting a shot of driving the combine harvester this year. Bringing in the next generation MHAIRI is passionately committed to widening the sport's appeal. At Brechin – her favourite venue – the public can wander right up to Smokey II in the pits. 'Kids see the tractors up close and their eyes light up,' she said. 'They run 'garden pullers' for ages 8-12 on ride on mowers, limited to 350kg. From age 12, they graduate to 600 kg compact diesels – think car engines in little tractor frames.' She's clear about the barriers newcomers face. 'People look at the cost – frames, engines – and bail before they even begin. But you can start small, learn the ropes, and build up. The community's welcoming – there's always someone ready to help you out.' As the lone woman in Scotland's pulling circuit, Mhairi encounters occasional underestimates. 'Often people judge you initially but when they see you out on the track, they realise it doesn't really make any odds that you're a woman,' she admitted. She hopes her presence will encourage more women to suit up. 'We need diversity out here. I think more people, including women, need to be introduced to the sport. Women, men, kids – it's all about the tractor in the end.' Tech on the horizon LOOKING ahead, Mhairi expects tractor pulling to embrace advanced analytics: 'In the future, I see the sport including a lot more data handling and technology being used to identify issues sooner and workout where things need improvement. It will make it a lot more competitive and allow more people to attend the events,' she said. Xtreme Force KEVIN Carnegie's foray into tractor pulling is rooted in a lifetime of farming and family enterprise. 'I left school at 16 and went to Elmwood College in 1986 to study agriculture,' he recalled. 'When I left college, I went and worked on the family farm under the DM Carnegie name, based here at Brechin.' By 21, Kevin had secured his HGV licence and spent five years driving a fuel tanker for the family firm, Carnegie Fuels. 'Then, at the age of 25, I took on the running of Carnegie Fuels. At the start we only had two lorries delivering fuel and today we have 13. We also run Carnegie Transport and farm 40 pedigree Highland cows, with around 120 in total including youngstock at Balrownie Farm.' His passion for tractor pulling grew over two decades, but everything changed in 2018. He said: 'I knew of a tractor for sale in Holland which we now call Xtreme Force – originally it was called Red Impact. In my first season with Xtreme Force in 2019, I ended up winning the British Super Sport 4.5 tonne Championship, so we were off to an absolute flyer.' Under Kevin's guidance and with performance tweaks, Xtreme Force became a powerhouse. 'My son Ryan now drives that tractor and this will be his third season. Last year, Ryan was 2024 Super Sport British Champion with Xtreme Force so we have had good success with it.' Introducing Xtreme Green THE team's second machine, Xtreme Green, competes in the Pro Stock category. 'We purchased it in December 2022 from Holland – originally it was called Neighbours Nightmare,' explained Kevin. 'I was crowned British Pro Stock Champion with it in my first season in 2023,' he added. The tractor pulling season typically kicks off in May and wraps up at the end of August. At the most recent BA Sports Scottish Championship Tractor Pull in late June, the team put in a staggering effort. During the first British championship points round at Scorton, Kevin put a conrod through the engine block and, alongside his crew, tore down, rebuilt and reassembled the engine in just 28 hours. 'We only had around five hours' sleep that night,' he laughed, 'but by Friday afternoon we were up and running again, competing that evening.' Operating under the banner of the Xtreme Tractor Pulling Team, Kevin's right hand man is his son Ryan: 'Ryan is heavily involved in day to day running of Carnegie Fuels and I'm more in the background assisting him. We both drive the tractors.' Youngest son Dylan (26) also plays a vital role, 'helping to get the tractors ready on the day of pull events'. Martin Ross of Ross Agri Services Ltd, a long time fixture in the sport and director of both the British Tractor Pulling Association (BTPA) and the Scottish Tractor Pullers Club (STPC), has been 'a big part of my success' by sharing technical know how. Bruce Birnie serves as head mechanic, while mechanics Ryan Irvine, Rhys Bailey and John Allison keep the machines in peak condition. Long time Carnegie Fuels driver Alan Adam doubles as a mechanic and tyre pressure guru. 'Even with the sun, tyre pressures change, Alan also takes the sledge to the events with our articulated lorries under the name Carnegie Transport.' Between the pulls MAINTENANCE between pulls is a finely-tuned ritual. 'Depending on how the tractor performs, we may need to replace parts, most of which come from Holland,' said Kevin. Each between pull service involves topping up fuel, refilling the water injection tank and intercooler with 100 litres of cool water, and changing three to four litres of engine oil – a process that takes around 30 minutes. On Xtreme Green, which features unlimited RPM, engine over revving is a constant risk, as with any pulling tractor. After every pull, Kevin emphasised: 'We take off the oil filter to check for metal filings. If I find any, that's game over for the day.' How far it's come 'EVERY year the sport develops,' Kevin reflected. 'This is our seventh season with Xtreme Force and that tractor probably produces 400-500hp more than when we started, but everyone's doing the same. We're limited only by litre capacity – how you tune the tractor, the size of the turbo, tyre pressures, weight distribution… those are the secrets.' Track conditions add another layer of complexity: clay circuits are watered and rolled to be hard yet pliable, with no pulling allowed in rain. Events often span two days to accommodate weather delays, but 'we go there with the intention of winning the British Championship'. A real community TRACTOR pulling thrives on camaraderie. 'The Scottish Club, run by Martin Ross and Alex Rearie, is very approachable and keen to encourage new entrants,' Kevin noted. 'While it's fierce competition on the track, everyone helps each other off it. The more competitors we have, the sweeter the win.' He praises Martin's ambassadorial role and believes the sport has a 'great family feel' – an outlook echoed by every team member who pitches in. Jim Whitecross caught the bug for tractor pulling back in 2016 when he and partner Suzanne attended the Eurocup finals at Great Eccleston. What started as a day out quickly became a life-changing obsession. 'I'm no engineer on paper, but I've been modifying things all my life – cars, motorbikes, quads, you name it,' said Jim. 'That's what drew me in – this sport is very much about modifying.' By the time they'd driven home, he was hooked. 'We had to give this a go,' he recalled. With nothing suitable for sale in the UK, he spotted a listing in Denmark. 'Within a month of spectating, we were on our way to Denmark to buy our first tractor.' The tractor had 2 RR meteor engines running on alcohol, so Suzanne named it Gator, after Burt Reynolds' moonshine-running character in the film of the same name. From 2016 to 2021, Jim developed Gator, changing the fuel and ignition systems and gradually improving performance. His efforts paid off as he and Suzanne won the British Championship title at the end of the 2021 season. From tanks to turbines HIS current machine, Gator 2 Lynx Edition, runs in the Light Modified class. 'They call it 'light' based on weight, not modification,' Jim explained. 'There are three categories: Light Modified (2500-2700kg), Modified (3500-3700kg), and Heavy Modified (4000kg). Some of the heavy modifieds can generate over 10,000hp.' After their 2021 championship win, Jim sold off the old tractor – much of it went to Germany – and began his most ambitious project yet: building a turbine-powered tractor from scratch. 'When I first decided to build a jet engine tractor, I knew I wanted four engines, though I hadn't even picked which ones yet,' he said. 'Everything on this build is bespoke. I did all the drawings and calculations myself.' The result: four Rolls-Royce Gem turboshaft engines, originally developed for the Westland Lynx helicopter in the 1970s until decommissioned in 2019. The four engines are linked through two custom-designed gearboxes. The gearboxes components were manufactured by Ross Agri Services and Philip Engineering machined the gearbox casings based on Jim's own specs and drawings. 'I sourced the engines from Harry at Jet Engine Trader in Derbyshire,' he explained. Once the military decommission an aircraft they sell off the spare engines. This gave Jim the chance to purchase engines which cost £1 million when new – reliability is key. 'And using Rolls-Royce engines doesn't get any better.' Each engine weighs around 220kg. For safety, the turbines are encased in 30 layers of Kevlar, as mandated by the rulebook. 'It's the same material used in bulletproof vests. If anything goes wrong, the casing contains potential debris.' It took Jim two-and-a-half years to complete Gator 2 Lynx Edition. 'I just don't understand why more people don't build something like this. Most people are gobsmacked when they see it, but for me it's just normal.' Helping at the events are Jim's son Kevin; turbine specialist Marc Buchan who refurbishes jet engines professionally; and Rob Ingles and Harry Thomson, who handle all the electronics. 'Once a tractor is built, the next challenge is improving performance and reducing weight to create movable weight to improve balance,' Jim said. Testing on track HE describes 2024 as his 'training year', running the tractor at about 94% power while learning the start procedures. 'We're on a timer. Most tractors get three minutes from the nod from the track marshal to be hooked and ready to pull. Turbines get six, but we do it in just over three. We don't like the crowd waiting,' he added. To streamline the process, Jim starts one engine in the pit and uses it to drive on to the track, then once hooked to the sledge he starts the other three. 'The day before the opening 2024 event at Scorton in Lancashire, none of the engines would start – turned out all the circuit boards were fried,' he recalled. 'I had a black-tie event that night. Once I got back late, I threw the boilersuit back on, and the next morning we set off early to Harry who made the boards, got them fixed, and made it to the event just in time.' Once scrutineers gave the green light, Jim managed a couple of steady runs. 'There's no way to practise beforehand. We can't simulate the sledge – it's not like you can just drive this near 5000hp machine down the road! 'So the first time I drove the tractor was in front of the Scorton crowd.' Surprisingly, he didn't have to put a spanner on the tractor all season. 'That's unheard of in this sport. Reliability-wise, it's been great.' Tyres last about two to three years, depending on wear. 'I sharpen them before every event – the treads are small to allow for high wheel-speed friction. If I used standard tractor tyres, I'd just shear the drivetrain.' Much of the fabrication was done locally. Ross Agri Services produced components, and Philip Engineering in Elgin machined the gearbox casings. Tractor pulling may be a hobby, but it ties closely with Jim's family business. 'We love competing in Scotland – Brechin and BA Stores are favourites because we get to catch up with locals and customers,' said Jim, who runs Power Washing Services Ltd Laurencekirk alongside sister Liz. The business was started by their dad, Jack, in 1983. Today Jim's children – Nick, Kevin and Rebecca and Liz's son Callum – are also involved. Jet-fuelled ambitions LOOKING ahead, Jim sees a bright future for the sport nationally, and with increased spectator numbers at every Scottish event, the Scottish Tractor Pullers Club events are the favourite ones on the calendar for most competitors.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Why Andy Farrell is favourite to lead the Lions again despite letting golden opportunity slip
After plenty of good, and a little bit of bad, the ugly arrived for the British and Irish Lions in the third Test. On a wretched night, it was a wretched performance, the tourists beaten in just about every area by an Australian side better adjusting to conditions of a kind that few involved had ever seen. And so a golden opportunity has been missed – confirming many of the assumed truths about this Lions crop. Andy Farrell had set the lofty goal of going unbeaten in Australia and completing the first series sweep since 1927, a scenario that looked likely after edging the second Test at the MCG. But Lions tours are tough. The Wallabies have plenty of talent and showed real fighting spirit. By contrast, Farrell's men looked tired at times, while the easing of the stakes with a series secure may have been a factor. 'I hope not,' Farrell said on that front. 'Otherwise we are not being true to ourselves in everything we talked about this week. I certainly hope not. Subconsciously I guess I will never know the answer to that question.' So the 2025 Lions are a good side, but not a great one; a team capable of fantastic highs and passages of thrilling rugby but without an 80-minute showing to really be proud. They threatened to run rampant in the first half in Brisbane, but thereafter, with Will Skelton back amongst things, Australia won four of the five remaining 40-minute periods in the series. Overmatched opposition they were not. The Lions, though, set high standards and asked to be judged on them - in that context, they did not succeed, and they will be disappointed to go out on a damp squib. Those facts should not at all take away from what the Lions have achieved in Australia. It is a real feat to secure a series with a game to spare – this was only the second time it had occurred in the professional era. Given the limited opposition the Lions faced in the warm-up fixtures, the intensity they found in that first Test was impressive, with Farrell's bold selection calls backing up his faith. The brutal toll of Sydney was clear for all to see but the Lions had already experienced some rough luck on this tour, from the loss of captaincy contender Caelan Doris on the eve of the squad naming through to the Garry Ringrose situation before Test two. It has been not been perfect by any means but Farrell and his staff merit huge credit for the way they have kept the Lions squad together. It remains quite the logistical feat that the tour ran so smoothly – even a broken bus on the day of the third Test only delayed the Lions by a couple of minutes. The wider team beyond the rugby coaching and playing unit were highlighted by Farrell as a key part of the Lions' success. 'Not only are they fantastic at their jobs but they are bloody good people who muck in,' Farrell said. 'Everyone knows the logistical nightmare that this tour could have been but these boys think that it is easy because of the people that we've had on tour. Not just the coaching staff, every single member of the staff has been a pleasure to work with.' While he has slightly dodged the question, the thought is that Farrell will probably desire the head coaching role again in four years' time in New Zealand. His love for the Lions has been clear throughout this trip, and the Englishman is exceptionally well liked by his players and members of the hierarchy. A Lions cycle is a long time in a fast-moving sport threatened again by behind-the-scenes noises made by proposed breakaway league R360 but it would be stunning to see Farrell's stock plunge in the intervening period, even if there are a few niggling concerns over an Ireland side coming out of a glorious peak. This Lions team should probably have won this series 3-0, yes, but speak to his squad and the admiration they have for Farrell is clear. 'He doesn't treat you like a schoolteacher in any way,' Tadhg Furlong said. 'He treats you like a man. He gives you responsibility, and it's up to you to take it. He gives you a freedom, and it's up to you to be a good man within that, or a good teammate within that. That's what I respect about him. You look up to Faz.' The ability to instil collective buy-in has been a theme of the tour. Farrell has a natural presence and charisma, not necessarily needing to say much to inspire. Players who haven't featured in the Tests have beamed their pride nonetheless; those not involved have done all they can to help out the side. 'He's been really good at getting everyone closer,' Huw Jones explained. 'I don't really know how he's done it but it's worked. 'He's very calm and relaxed a lot of the time and when he's on, he's pretty intense. He sees everything so he's prepared to call you out in the middle of the session if something's not good enough. He sees it all and he'll then have it clipped up and you'll see it in reviews. There's no hiding place, his standards are so high. He knows exactly what he wants from everyone.' Selection criticism is a natural by-product of a venture like this but much of Farrell's work in that regard looks strong in retrospect. He may reflect that he could have refreshed his pack, particularly, for the affair in Sydney but those involved had earned the chance to go again. Tadhg Beirne, something of a surprise selection for the first Test, was named player of the series; the impact made by a beefed up bench at the MCG was pivotal. The arrival of Owen Farrell, too, added an extra competitive edge and experienced head to a squad that probably needed it - though his third Test showing was not his best outing. Suggestions of an Irish bias do not necessarily stand up to real scrutiny given how strong the men in green have been over the last few years and how many of them stood up in the heat of battle. It is impossible to avoid such an accusation, anyway. The idea of a neutral coach plucked from outside of the coaching staffs of the four unions in a neat one in theory, yet the international and club games are vastly different. Of those currently coaching the unions, Steve Borthwick is tracking well and, like Farrell, has the benefit of a Lions tour as an assistant. A strong next two years and World Cup with England, which looks increasingly within reach, would see him really press his candidacy. But much the same could be said of the man in possession, and right now it would be a surprise if it is not Farrell coaching the Lions in New Zealand. 'Everyone knows what I think about this concept,' he said late on Saturday night. 'I love everything that the Lions is about and I've thoroughly enjoyed the last eight weeks. There's always ups and there's always downs but the inner circle is a special place to be. 'We all know how hard it is to be successful on a Lions tour against a good side like Australia. When we get a bit of time to ourselves we will be unbelievably proud of what we have achieved. Lions tours are tough. The legacy for us is in that changing room. The togetherness of the whole group has been an absolute delight.'
