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BBC News
15-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'You are in so much trouble' - Dawson on his 2001 Lions diary
Former England scrum-half Matt Dawson was nearly sent home in disgrace from the 2001 British and Irish Lions' tour because of scathing comments he made about the squad's wrote a tour diary for the Daily Telegraph while in Australia and, in an article published on the morning of the first Test, was highly critical of head coach Graham Henry, saying he did not inspire him and his regime was too strict."I was so far up my own backside and I really, really regret it as it was so unnecessary, thinking I was better than I was," he said. "It was petulant really."Dawson recalls the full story on the BBC's Rugby Union Weekly podcast, where he joined former Lion Jamie Roberts to discuss the British and Irish Lions' top 10 most controversial moments. 'It is unacceptable what you just did' "Deep, deep down I was peed off that I wasn't picked [to start the first Test]. I felt I was in form and had been England captain," said Dawson."From the off it was very obvious who the starting XV were going to be."There was no controversy or news on that tour so when my diary was printed everyone jumped on it."I was rooming with Austin Healey and he was told it had all kicked off back home so when he walked into our room, he said 'you are in so much trouble'."Literally as Austin has said that the phone rings and my mum's collapsed because she's had a panic attack from hearing the news as she knows that her son might be in the thick of it. "It's absolute chaos, so I went up to Graham Henry's room and knocked on his door and said we need to have a chat."The words he said to me were, 'it is unacceptable what you just did, but just to let you know, I know where you are coming from because I don't inspire myself at the moment' - and that was because one of the newspaper headlines was 'the coach doesn't inspire me'."They were his words. It was very open and honest of him." 'I was told I was going home' Lions captain Martin Johnson was influential in persuading team manager Donal Lenihan to let Dawson stay."I was feeling so bad and right in the thick of it, but it didn't affect the team who ploughed on and won," said Dawson."As soon as the game finished I was pulled over by the team manager and told I was going home as it was unacceptable."Martin then said 'no he is not' and said to the team manager that I shouldn't have done it but that is the reality of what has gone on."On the Monday they said I wasn't going home but they were going to fine me what I was paid for the article."They fined me £5,000, thinking that is what I was getting paid for it."They called a team meeting and put chairs around the whole room in a circle, with one chair in the middle."I stood up in the middle and Johnno [Martin Johnson] was keeping a straight face, but you have got all these other idiots killing themselves laughing."I was trying to be sincere but they were laughing. I said 'I am sorry for the unnecessary pressure before the first Test'."I was thankful we won." O'Driscoll dropped for deciding Test in 2013 Roberts was also involved in a controversial Lions Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll played in the first two Tests against Australia in 2013, but was left out for the deciding match, causing shockwaves in the rugby world.O'Driscoll, a Lions captain in 2005, was tipped by many to lead the team for the decider with Sam Warburton out Gatland opted to go for his Wales centre pairing of Roberts, who missed the first two Tests because of injury, and Jonathan injury meant Davies started the first two Tests at inside centre instead of outside centre, and his move into O'Driscoll's 13 shirt put him in the firing line."One thing I have massive respect for with Warren Gatland is that he wasn't one for sentimentality," Roberts recalled."That was Warren through and through. He shut out the outside noise and believed in what his ears heard and eyes saw."BOD [Brian O'Driscoll] by his own admission wasn't brilliant in that Test series. In 2009 he was brilliant and in 2013 he was playing well but not like in 2001 and 2009."I made myself fit and Warren, with the Test series in the balance, saw strength in picking a familiar Welsh spine."He saw past the sentiment and the need to satisfy the four countries and BOD's last Test as a Lions great."Jon [Davies] sat on the bus beside me and said 'I am going to take some stick here' and there was a Facebook page called 'Justice for BOD' with a million likes."Luckily for me Jon took all the flack."Gatland's call came up trumps as a Lions side featuring 10 Welshmen in the starting XV thumped the Wallabies 41-16 to clinch the series, with Roberts scoring the final try. Listen to the latest episode on Rugby Union Weekly to find out where Dawson and Roberts rank those two controversies, and find out what else made the top 10. More from the Top 10 series

The Age
02-07-2025
- Sport
- The Age
‘Those days are gone': Why Waratahs-Lions won't get punchy
I had a back injury before the tour but Graham Henry put a lot of faith in me and said, 'we really want you to come on the tour'. I knew in the back of my mind I would doing well to get a game in. It was a brutal tour from day one. We started going bone on bone, competing for positions really, really early. In the first session we went to, three blokes got split open and needed stitches. I missed the first three games but eventually played against Australia A, and tore my calf after 40 minutes. Dan Luger and Phil Greening also got injured that week, so we hired a car and did a roadtrip up to Brisbane. Stupidly they let us follow the tour, they said, 'we've booked your rooms and stuff, so why don't you just keep following'. Lawrence Dallaglio joined us as well. When we got to Byron Bay no-one could decide if we would stay or push on to Brisbane, so we tossed a coin: heads we stay, tails we leave. It was heads. We ended up spending all our tour money. We all would have preferred to stay on the tour and play obviously, but that wasn't to be. Putting rivalries aside One of the biggest things I learned on Lions tours is how guys who hated each other become firm friends. The English hated the Scots and vice versa, and being from South Africa, I couldn't understand this hatred and the disdain from both sides. It's a game of rugby, lads. But there was this real hatred, they didn't like each other. But what I really love, and it's the beauty of our sport, is when they did come together as Lions, the Irish and the English, the Scots, the Welsh, they were all brilliant. Just flipping good people: good guys, hardworking, funny, proper tourists. Working with different guys you have a perception of, or only see when you're playing against them ... then to actually getting to know them and understand them, that was the real eye-opener for me. The other thing you come to understand in a Lions environment is just the massive challenge of it. You're working with the best of the best, everyone wants to be a Test Lion, and then you have to go to another country and have to quickly get together and become a team. That's tough. It's not easy. The other big thing that blew me away, especially in 2001, is the support. When we came out to Australia, I reckon the whole of Wales was here. It was the most incredible sight, anywhere you went. I still remember Brisbane for the first Test. You walked out the stadium, and all you saw was just red, everywhere. Why the Tahs won't rough up the Lions It has happened in the past, but there is no talk in the Waratahs camp about trying to bash up the Lions on Saturday. Everyone remembers the Waratahs-Lions game in 2001 (when Duncan McRae was sent off for repeatedly punching Ronan O'Gara). And midweek games in South Africa, they were pretty old-school. They were some tough, tough games. You just had to survive them. It was a different mentality. But that's not in the game anymore, to be honest. Those days are gone. It's too fast. You can't get away with it. Which Lions star are you going to rough up anyway? They have so many good players so they don't really rely on one person, do they? Embrace the challenge It will be the biggest game in some of the Waratahs players' careers so we have told the boys to savour the experience. Because it's a Saturday game, the Lions may opt to play their Test team. So it's going to be the best of the best. Waratahs coach Dan McKellar has mentioned a lot to the boys: just embrace it. Don't miss this opportunity to play your best footy, against the best of the best. Don't think it's just going to happen. It's a special day. You're probably not going to get this opportunity again. Suaalii and Jorgensen on another level Having coached them this year, I have been blown away by the talent – and potential – of Joseph Suaalii and Max Jorgensen. There's been a huge learning for Joseph. A lot of people forget how young he is, and he's had to try and find his feet and adapt to it. But the beauty with Joseph is that he's brought another level of professionalism. So there's professionalism, that people think is professionalism, and then there's Joseph Suaalii professionalism – as a 21-year-old. It's that real want from an individual to get better. And now. He doesn't want to wait two years, three years down the line. That's the mentality that I saw up north a lot. Loading For the youngsters here, having somebody like Joseph come in and show that real drive – that's a great example. He'll make his mark in this Test series, no doubt, just with just his physical presence in a Test match. He's a beast. Then you have got Max Jorgensen, who I think is proper special. If he keeps himself on the rugby pitch, he's another one that we could be talking about for years and years to come. He's got everything. Those two will only go to another level. They trust themselves. They believe that they're capable of playing at that level and they're going to go and get it. I love that. I love that mentality.

Sydney Morning Herald
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Those days are gone': Why Waratahs-Lions won't get punchy
I had a back injury before the tour but Graham Henry put a lot of faith in me and said, 'we really want you to come on the tour'. I knew in the back of my mind I would doing well to get a game in. It was a brutal tour from day one. We started going bone on bone, competing for positions really, really early. In the first session we went to, three blokes got split open and needed stitches. I missed the first three games but eventually played against Australia A, and tore my calf after 40 minutes. Dan Luger and Phil Greening also got injured that week, so we hired a car and did a roadtrip up to Brisbane. Stupidly they let us follow the tour, they said, 'we've booked your rooms and stuff, so why don't you just keep following'. Lawrence Dallaglio joined us as well. When we got to Byron Bay no-one could decide if we would stay or push on to Brisbane, so we tossed a coin: heads we stay, tails we leave. It was heads. We ended up spending all our tour money. We all would have preferred to stay on the tour and play obviously, but that wasn't to be. Putting rivalries aside One of the biggest things I learned on Lions tours is how guys who hated each other become firm friends. The English hated the Scots and vice versa, and being from South Africa, I couldn't understand this hatred and the disdain from both sides. It's a game of rugby, lads. But there was this real hatred, they didn't like each other. But what I really love, and it's the beauty of our sport, is when they did come together as Lions, the Irish and the English, the Scots, the Welsh, they were all brilliant. Just flipping good people: good guys, hardworking, funny, proper tourists. Working with different guys you have a perception of, or only see when you're playing against them ... then to actually getting to know them and understand them, that was the real eye-opener for me. The other thing you come to understand in a Lions environment is just the massive challenge of it. You're working with the best of the best, everyone wants to be a Test Lion, and then you have to go to another country and have to quickly get together and become a team. That's tough. It's not easy. The other big thing that blew me away, especially in 2001, is the support. When we came out to Australia, I reckon the whole of Wales was here. It was the most incredible sight, anywhere you went. I still remember Brisbane for the first Test. You walked out the stadium, and all you saw was just red, everywhere. Why the Tahs won't rough up the Lions It has happened in the past, but there is no talk in the Waratahs camp about trying to bash up the Lions on Saturday. Everyone remembers the Waratahs-Lions game in 2001 (when Duncan McRae was sent off for repeatedly punching Ronan O'Gara). And midweek games in South Africa, they were pretty old-school. They were some tough, tough games. You just had to survive them. It was a different mentality. But that's not in the game anymore, to be honest. Those days are gone. It's too fast. You can't get away with it. Which Lions star are you going to rough up anyway? They have so many good players so they don't really rely on one person, do they? Embrace the challenge It will be the biggest game in some of the Waratahs players' careers so we have told the boys to savour the experience. Because it's a Saturday game, the Lions may opt to play their Test team. So it's going to be the best of the best. Waratahs coach Dan McKellar has mentioned a lot to the boys: just embrace it. Don't miss this opportunity to play your best footy, against the best of the best. Don't think it's just going to happen. It's a special day. You're probably not going to get this opportunity again. Suaalii and Jorgensen on another level Having coached them this year, I have been blown away by the talent – and potential – of Joseph Suaalii and Max Jorgensen. There's been a huge learning for Joseph. A lot of people forget how young he is, and he's had to try and find his feet and adapt to it. But the beauty with Joseph is that he's brought another level of professionalism. So there's professionalism, that people think is professionalism, and then there's Joseph Suaalii professionalism – as a 21-year-old. It's that real want from an individual to get better. And now. He doesn't want to wait two years, three years down the line. That's the mentality that I saw up north a lot. Loading For the youngsters here, having somebody like Joseph come in and show that real drive – that's a great example. He'll make his mark in this Test series, no doubt, just with just his physical presence in a Test match. He's a beast. Then you have got Max Jorgensen, who I think is proper special. If he keeps himself on the rugby pitch, he's another one that we could be talking about for years and years to come. He's got everything. Those two will only go to another level. They trust themselves. They believe that they're capable of playing at that level and they're going to go and get it. I love that. I love that mentality.

NZ Herald
29-06-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Ian Foster's book reveals All Blacks coaching challenges
Sir Graham Henry in 2007. Hard to believe now after the World Cup triumph of 2011. But when Henry was reappointed after his All Blacks were eliminated at the 2007 Cup in a quarter-final, the reaction here gave new meaning to the word fury. On radio, Murray Deaker called the team chokers and demanded Henry quit. Laurie Mains, coach of the 1995 World Cup All Blacks, said: 'I am still amazed that Graham Henry has not resigned. It's quite unbelievable.' Undefeated All Black captain Buck Shelford said, 'Ego is starting to control the affairs of Graham Henry. The World Cup was a disaster. It's time to move on. We need a change.' No wonder that in speeches after the 2011 Cup victory Henry might not have been altogether joking when he said if the All Blacks hadn't eventually won the cup, he would have moved to Brazil. In his recent book, Ian Foster has talked about the clashes he had with NZ Rugby top brass including chief executive Mark Robinson (inset). Photosport / New Zealand Herald composite The worst after the event? John Hart in 1999. After losing a semifinal to France at Twickenham, 43-31, the reaction in New Zealand was violent. Hart's face filled the front page of New Zealand Rugby Monthly with the word 'GUILTY' in burning red capital letters across his throat. Jeff Wilson, a player in '99, would say: 'Few criminals have been vilified as much as we were, and, in particular, as much as John Hart was.' What about poor treatment by the NZRU? How Wayne Smith was treated in 2000 was hands down the shabbiest... until Foster's experiences. In 2000, the NZRU refused to allow Smith to have his Crusaders' forward coach Peter Sloane in his management group. Then they misconstrued Smith's feeling that the coaching position should be contestable after his first two years, and allowed a man now universally recognised as one of the world's great coaches, to slip away. How does Foster's treatment compare to Smith's? Having had time to mull over Leading From The Front, which is often startlingly frank, Foster probably had an even rawer deal. A lack of trust? He reached a point where he asked to speak directly to New Zealand Rugby chairwoman Dame Patsy Reddy because he didn't have a lot of faith that NZR chief executive Mark Robinson and head of professional rugby Chris Lendrum would present his views to her accurately. How bad did it become? The team's mental skills expert, Gilbert Enoka says Foster was the toughest of all the coaches he worked with in 23 years with the All Blacks. He needed to be. What Foster dealt with, Enoka describes as brutal. 'We never felt supported by the chief executive and whenever he could he put the boot into us.' Myths legends and lies The British and Irish Lions opened their Australian tour with a 54-7 victory over the Western Force in Perth. What was most noteworthy was that 46,000 people watched the game. The Lions have a fan base to dream of. Non-violent, enthusiastic, and rich enough to travel to the other side of the world to see a game that was always going to be one sided. And it wouldn't be a Lions' tour without the completely false idea being touted that the 1971 Lions played exciting attacking rugby when they became the only Lions to beat the All Blacks in a series. A story by Gavin Mairs, the rugby correspondent of England's Daily Telegraph, on great figures in Lions' history said: 'Importantly, the style that the Lions played in 1971 not only changed the perception of British and Irish rugby, but also changed the way New Zealand played the game.' I reported on the '71 tour, and while the Lions played some thrilling rugby in provincial games, in the four test matches the played a style so dour it wouldn't have looked out of place in the 1950s. Lions flyhalf Barry John was a star on the 1971 tour of New Zealand. Photo / NZ Herald Four years ago – wanting to check my memories of '71 – I grimly sat through the full 80-minute video of the last test at Eden Park, a 14-14 draw. In the first half, although gifted Lions first-five Barry John did pass eight times, while kicking seven times, the ball did not make it once to the Lions wings. Mike Gibson or fellow centre, captain John Dawes, did the kicking if John didn't. In the second half, John got the ball nine times. He kicked every single time. That's nine kicks, zero passes. As they say in the classics, inspirational attacking rugby my butt. Vote with soul I sincerely hope the impassioned words of Manu Samoa international Paul Williams are echoing when the Auckland City Council make the final decision on the future of Western Springs, a call that has the potential to devastate the operations of the Ponsonby Rugby Club. 'Organisations can talk about inclusivity,' Williams told the Herald. 'They have all sorts of fancy words about what makes a club or organisation successful, Ponsonby have lived it.' Former international rugby player Paul Williams (left) has issued an emotional plea for backing on a proposal to keep one of New Zealand's most historic rugby clubs situated at Auckland's Western Springs Stadium. Photo / David Latu After 150 years in existence – and the production of a record 48 All Blacks – rugby has been well served by Ponsonby. But having had an association with the club since 1973, I'd suggest their greatest triumph has been giving, as they are this year, 1000 playing members, from kids to golden oldies a warm, positive environment. Hopefully, that attitude will continue to be embraced at Western Springs. Phil Gifford is a Contributing Sports Writer for NZME. He is one of the most-respected voices in New Zealand sports journalism.


BBC News
24-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
'Best place to have herpes': New Zealand ad wins top prize
"To fix our national pride, the solution is obvious: herpes."That was the pitch made by the charity New Zealand Herpes Foundation last October, when it launched a campaign to make the country the "best place" to have the campaign has been a roaring success, winning a top prize at this year's Cannes Lions awards, which recognise excellence in the creative campaign, which aimed to destigmatise herpes via a faux tourism advertisement video, was awarded the Grand Prix for Good - a category that seeks to highlight work by non-profit organisations and charities. The video starred Sir Graham Henry, the former head coach of the national rugby union it, he touted the past successes of New Zealand and lamented its diminishing sources of national pride - such as an "embarrassingly low" sheep-to-human ratio and pies that are "pushing seven bucks"."We need something new to be proud of; something big and brave to put us back on the map," Mr Henry said as he scrawled the word "HERPES" - in all caps - on a chalk board."It's time for New Zealand to become the best place in the world to have herpes."What followed was another old-school video packaged as a "herpes destigmatisation course", featuring other national icons like former health ministry chief Sir Ashley Bloomfield and professional boxer Mea irreverent humour running through the campaign - which was developed with agencies Motion Sickness and FINCH - has struck a chord with audiences."Forget doom and gloom, there's enough of that already to go around," said David Ohana, communications chief at the United Nations Foundation and a jury president at this year's Cannes Lions."Our 2025 awardee took a taboo topic and turned it on its head – showing that with a great strategy, a big, bold, crazy idea … and humour for days, that anything is possible."Around one in three sexually active adults in New Zealand has the virus that causes genital herpes, though most have mild or no symptoms and can lead ordinary lives, according to the New Zealand Herpes Foundation."Popular media, misinformation, and New Zealanders' awkwardness talking about sex - has led to huge stigmatisation for those living normal lives with the virus," reads a press release from when the campaign was launched last Luxmoore, from the New Zealand Herpes Foundation, told local TV programme Breakfast that millions had seen the campaign, which had "massive cut-through"."The campaign was so funny, I think that's why it worked," Luxmore said.