Page 17 - Barbarians v The Lions

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW
DHL NEW ZEALAND LIONS SERIES 2017 // 17 17 PROFILE
Warburton in in in action for Wales taking on on on on the the All Blacks in in in in in the the 2016 Test in in in Wellington
the the Lions is is easier than the the same role with his home nation “I think he’s right there ”
Warburton says “With the the the Lions I found in 2013 the the tour runs like a a a a dream from a a a a player’s point of view You don’t have to to lift a a a a nger when travelling from hotel hotel to to hotel hotel Everything is planned for you you Your Your bags are taken taken to your room Your Your nutrition is taken taken care off The quality of of our our our environment – – the training facilities and all – – is rst-class “Everything off the eld is is looked after which I imagine has changed a a a a a a a a a a lot over the years when Captains had a a a a a a a a a bigger in in uence on what happened off the eld From a a a a a a a player’s point of of view you just have to worry about playing ”
Just as the the Chiefs experience made him wary of all the the the non-Test tour matches the the All Blacks Test Test taught Warburton a a a a a a a thing or two as well “I know how tough playing KNOWLEDGE
THE LIONS CAPTAINS?
1 Name the last four (starting) tour Captains in in a a a a a New Zealand Lions series?
2 Warburton was the rst Lions series-winning captain since whom?
3 Who was the last (starting) Lions Captain to come from Wales?
4 Name the the two men to Captain the the Lions in in 2005?
5 Which of the four home nations has provided the most Lions Captains?
Answers on page 64
back-to-back games against the All Blacks is ”
he he he says “I played all three games out there last year and it was very tough tough “It’s a a a tough tough xture list I I think guys
might play in in two or or three maybe four games before the rst Test You’re going to to have to to run a a a a a a bit
further than you you would in in a a a a a Six Nations game so you you need to nd nd that extra kilometre of tness tness ”
And it’s it’s not just tness tness levels that need to increase – it’s it’s also
the the challenge of the the breakdown “The one thing I I really noticed when I I played last year was how good the the the All Blacks were at at the the the the clean out Whenever they brought guys
in at at the the the the breakdown they committed someone from the the the the opposition Too many times we’ve seen the the the Northern Hemisphere guys
go into rucks and not commit the the opposition They just sit sit over the the ball That sometimes works when you’ve got a a a a a a one-man ruck and you’re over the ball ball to get quick ball ball – that’s great But when you’re sending two two or three guys
guys
into a a a a ruck two of those guys
guys
have to to be active against someone on on the the deck cutting their defensive line “That’s what I I found was was really dif cult I I was was trying to poach over there and getting taken out of of play off the the ground legally through a a a a a ruck There weren’t many times I was just getting hit and bounced back out out out of the defensive line When I I I was was was taken out out out I I I was was was out out out of the game It was was was extremely effective That’s something we’re going to to to have to to to look at at at to to to try and up our attack a a a a a bit
more ”
But the two-time Lions Captain also
knows he he he shouldn’t get ahead of himself – after all there awaits a a a a a a a a a a a a a New Zealand Provincial Barbarians team hungry to to to push their opposition to to to to to the the very limit History will be made tonight how that history is is written remains to to to be seen WARBURTON BY THE NUMBERS
caps for Wales 2 SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP WINS
5 He is only the fth Welsh Lions Captain Test tries 49 TIMES HE HAS LED WALES
22 THE THE AGE HE HE HE TOOK THE THE WALES
CAPTAINCY
Lions Test Appearances
78 tackles made in the 2017 Six Nations GETTY IMAGES