
Five things that should make Lions fans confident
That was Brian O'Driscoll's assessment of the British and Irish Lions in 2017 before he presented those selected for the first Test against New Zealand with their match shirts.
Standing on the verge of another series, preparing to take on Australia rather than the All Blacks, the touring team face kinder odds than they did eight years ago. That said, Joe Schmidt is bound to have cooked up cunning plans.
Despite five victories from five fixtures and an aggregate scoreline of 42-11 in their favour on Australian soil, the Lions have not had things all their own way. By this stage, though, they have gelled and established attributes on which to hang their hat as a side.
Finn Russell: The world's form fly-half?
This tour should have quashed any remaining impressions of Finn Russell as an impulsive maverick on the pitch. Serene is probably the best way to describe his tour so far. To borrow cricketing parlance, the Scotland fly-half is seeing it big.
Matthieu Jalibert enjoyed a fine 2024-25 campaign with Union Bordeaux-Bègles, while Damian McKenzie, George Ford and Tomás Albornoz have all excelled of late. Russell, however, looks to be completely in tune with his game.
His decision-making at the gain-line has been allied with crisp distribution. Take these two clips from the victory over the Reds. Jamison Gibson-Park feeds Bundee Aki at first-receiver and Russell loops around his centres to receive a pull-back from Huw Jones that goes behind Elliot Daly.
Russell slows his stride to tempt Tim Ryan and lifts the ball into the path of Duhan van der Merwe as the Reds left wing bites in:
Later in the same half, from a similar strike move, Russell has Van der Merwe arriving on his right shoulder again. This time, the pass goes across Van der Merwe to Daly and Tommy Freeman scores:
The Lions ran the same pattern in the opposite direction against the Brumbies. Russell works the overlap – which James Lowe would waste – with a rapid take-and-give across the face of Freeman to Blair Kinghorn:
Ryan Lonergan, the Brumbies scrum-half, threw something different at the Lions by shooting up to cut off passing lanes. Russell remained entirely unruffled. An expert at deceptive body language, he feigns a looping pass towards the near touchline here before sending Tom Curry into the space vacated by a jumping Corey Toole. That gives Curry time to release the offload:
Solid, even stinging defence has been another feature of Russell's displays. Interestingly, tactical kicking has been conspicuous by its rarity. Russell has only put boot to ball 11 times so far and did not do so once against the Reds. The Lions kicked 30 times against the Western Force, but only three of those were struck by Russell.
There was a glimpse of how the 32-year-old can tease back-field coverage in Canberra as he dropped to the pocket and pinned back the Brumbies:
These days, the ability to control territory in a patient and assured manner is one of Russell's biggest strengths. Expect it to come to the fore once the Tests begin.
Jamison Gibson-Park: An ideal foil
With Antoine Dupont still recovering from the knee injury he suffered in the Six Nations four months ago, Jamison Gibson-Park has a strong claim to being the best scrum-half in the world.
His passing range from the base of rucks and will challenge the Wallabies defence in a different way and give Russell more time. Andy Farrell encourages his scrum-halves to change direction and zip back against the grain on the back of impactful carries. That approach has been prominent for the Lions. Maro Itoje's try against the Reds was a good example…
…as was Ollie Chessum's score against the Brumbies:
While there has been plenty of width and ambition to the Lions' attack, a short passage against the Brumbies hinted at how they can narrow things up and plough close to the fringes. Gibson-Park is integral, feeding Chessum behind the run of Tadhg Furlong and then launching Joe McCarthy two phases after that:
Intuitive support play in broken-field situations is another asset. Simon Easterby will ask the Lions scrum-halves to be leaders in defence and to maintain width in the front line, with Gibson-Park's kicking also critical. And this is where he and Russell can really confound the Wallabies.
In this next passage, Gibson-Park calls his forwards around the corner…
…before looking to set up another ruck on the openside:
This is a reasonably strong indication that a box-kick is on the way. However, Russell calls for a pass and the Lions open up the pitch, with Kinghorn feeding Dan Sheehan on the near touchline:
An explosive charge follows and the Lions are away:
The partnership between Gibson-Park and Russell has the hallmarks of a classic Lions connection. If it fires, one imagines, it will steer the side towards a series triumph.
An 80-minute scrum
For an idea of how dominant the Lions scrum has been, both in the Argentina game and on tour, they have won 10 penalties from 37 put-ins according to Stats Perform – a figure that includes re-sets. Five more put-ins have resulted in tries. Despite understandable teething problems with the set-up, which have led to a few penalties, the Lions should be pleased.
One suspects that Ellis Genge and Andrew Porter will form a formidable double-act at loosehead prop. Even if a question mark remains at tighthead, Furlong contributed to a destructive scrummaging display effort against the Brumbies. Barring the Reds match, when it got a little scruffy, the Lions have tended to rip through Australian scrums in the final quarter.
Clearly, the Wallabies are likely to offer more resistance. But the tourists should have the tight-five depth to squeeze this area as the 80 minutes goes on.
Versatile forwards
From the initial squad announcement on May 8, it was clear that Farrell wanted adaptable forwards that would allow him to impart width. Every one of the specialist back-rowers on this tour – Jack Conan, Tom Curry, Ben Earl, Jac Morgan, Henry Pollock, Josh van der Flier – has spent time hugging a touchline. Sheehan has licence to do the same, with McCarthy and Chessum given chances to open their stride as well.
Even in the absence of a wrecking ball back-rower, which are reasonably rare anyway, the Lions should have punch and passing expertise in the pods of three and four that set themselves in the middle of the pitch. Genge and Porter are important in that regard. Defensive decision-making around the breakdown has also improved since the loss to Argentina, which was characterised by organisational lapses.
The element of surprise
Having rejigged his back-five combinations liberally, Farrell has made the Lions a moving target for Schmidt and his analysts. There will be scope to mix things up with the make-up of his match-day 23 as well, either deploying two back-rowers on the bench if a hybrid is picked at blindside flanker or opting for a six-two split of forwards among the replacements.
And then there is the concept of layering, which can be applied in various areas. For example, the Lions ran a four-man pod off the second phase following goal-line drop-outs against Argentina. From goal-line drop-outs against the Waratahs, they twice set up a four-man pod before the fly-half, Marcus Smith in this instance, darted to the other side of the ruck with Huw Jones:
Against the Brumbies, the Lions were stringing together back-to-back phases with four-man pods. There have also been some intriguing – if messy – line-out plays. Lowe rushed up to join this line-out against the Brumbies, dropping the transfer from Itoje:
A midfield switch between Aki and Conan is worth keeping in mind. It was run twice, leading to turnovers on both occasions:
But it could be the precursor to something more complex; either a multi-phase strike or a complex wrinkle such as the blindside wing blasting through to take the ball on another angle. Andrew Goodman is renowned for devising strike moves. Farrell will undoubtedly have a curveball or two in store.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
24 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
England's opponents STILL desperate to escape World Cup kiss-gate drama: 'Stained' Spain want to win Euros final to relive the moment sleazy FA chief Luis Rubiales 'stole' from them
When England line up against world champions Spain on Sunday, they'll do so not only for silverware – but against the backdrop of a story that has, in many ways, transcended football itself. The last time these two teams met in a major tournament final, the furore that followed – protests, boycotts and even a hunger strike – overshadowed the historic achievement of Spain's victory on the pitch. Where celebrations and street parties should have erupted, the country instead found itself gripped by national unrest and a #MeToo movement that shook the very foundations of Spanish society. From a footballing perspective, tensions had been building for months ahead of the 2023 World Cup final – most notably with the protest of 'Las 15', a group of players who made themselves unavailable for selection in September 2022. Their decision was a stand against poor player welfare, with particular focus on head coach Jorge Vilda and his management style. Among their concerns were his questionable tactical acumen and alleged controlling behaviour. Vilda was reportedly known to enter players' hotel rooms at night to talk, ask who they were meeting for coffee, and inspect their shopping bags. He was also widely viewed as a stooge of Luis Rubiales, the President of Spain's Football Federation. Despite the absence of 12 of the 15 players and the turmoil behind the scenes, Spain fought their way to the final and triumphed – beating England 1–0, despite Mary Earps ' penalty save. And then came the moment that set everything ablaze – when Rubiales kissed midfielder Jenni Hermoso as she made her way to the stage to lift the trophy alongside her team-mates. The fallout was seismic. Rubiales insisted the kiss was consensual; Hermoso said it was not. Initial reaction to the incident on the country's most popular late-night radio sports show, 'El Partidazo de la Cope', ranged from shrugging indifference to outright defence of Rubiales. 24 hours later, the programme's host, Juanma Castano, issued a solemn apology, saying he 'didn't consider the difference in power and it's true that it's a boss kissing an employee'. The world took sides – and so did Spain's players. 81 of them, including all 23 World Cup winners, announced they would not return to international duty while Rubiales remained in post. His mother went on hunger strike in support of her son. Within a month, the Federation yielded. Vilda was dismissed, and Rubiales eventually stepped down. Montse Tome, Vilda's assistant, was appointed head coach – the first woman to hold the role. Rubiales would later be found guilty of sexual assault, though acquitted of coercion. Netflix later released a documentary entitled 'It's All Over: The Kiss That Changed Spanish Football', and the story continued to dominate headlines, sparking a wider cultural movement. Now, almost two years on, Spain stand on the brink of another major final. But a sense of unresolved tension lingers – a tug-of-war between the desire to focus on football and the reality that the process of healing and rebuilding trust remains unfinished. Keira Walsh, England's midfielder and a former Barcelona player with close ties to many in the Spain squad, spoke candidly on Thursday: 'Experiencing what it was like in Spain, I think they probably could have had more,' she said. Now, Spain are in a tug-of-war between the desire to focus on football and the reality that the process of healing and rebuilding trust 'The way our league jumped after we won the Euros, if you compare it to Spain, it probably wasn't the same. They had just won the World Cup, and they could have had more support. 'After the game there was all the controversy, and I don't think there was enough spotlight on how incredibly they had played. It was all about everything else and as a professional that was difficult to see.' Tome has faced her own challenges – chief among them earning the trust of a squad that once viewed her as part of the old guard. Some of that mistrust stemmed from her public support of Rubiales, applauding him when he declared he was 'not going to step aside'. Notably absent from her Euros squad is Hermoso – the official line due to 'competition for places', though the decision has raised eyebrows. But there is a sense that the players want the focus to return to the pitch, rather than remain off it. After all, they boast one of the most formidable midfields in the women's game, led by Patri, Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas. Patri, who returned last year from a two-year exile alongside Claudia Pina after receiving assurances from the RFEF that changes would be made, has lit up this year's tournament – as has Pina. As former player and veteran journalist Sandra Riquelme put it: 'The price to pay has been very high, just ask Jenni Hermoso. But without justifying it, if it has served to bring about the biggest change in the history of Spanish football, then good has come of it.'


Daily Mail
24 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Viktor Gyokeres finally gets his wish as Arsenal-bound striker boards private jet to London after going on strike at Sporting to seal £64m move
Viktor Gyokeres has boarded a flight to London after Arsenal reportedly reached total agreement for the transfer of the Sweden star. The Gunners had been in prolonged negotiations with Sporting Lisbon for the forward's transfer, and are now believed to have agreed a deal, with personal terms not an issue. Gyokeres' agency, HC Media, shared footage of Gyokeres boarding what appeared to be a private jet to make his way to the English capital to finalise the move. More to follow.


The Independent
26 minutes ago
- The Independent
Lionesses praise Spanish trio before Euro 2025 final
England 's Ella Toone believes the Euro 2025 final against Spain will be won or lost in the midfield. Spain's formidable midfield includes two Ballon d'Or winners, Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas, along with Patri Guijarro. Toone, Keira Walsh, and Georgia Stanway are expected to form England's midfield, having faced Spain in the World Cup final. Toone described the Spanish trio as 'very talented' and remarked 'they are tough to play against'. Walsh stated that England will not focus on nullifying just one Spanish player, acknowledging the collective threat of their midfield trio.