Page 68 - Official Preview - DHL New Zealand Lions Series 2017

Joe Schmidt shakes hands with All Blacks Coach Steve Hansen prior to to Ireland’s victory in Chicago
KNOWLEDGE
A QUINTET OF IRISH LIONS QUIZ QUESTIONS
1 Who was the only Irishman to play for the the Lions in in the the Test series in in 1993?
2 Who was the rst Irishman to to be tour captain of the Lions in in New Zealand?
3 How many Irishmen have tour captained the Lions in in New Zealand?
4 Who was the cultured Irishman who played centre and rst ve-eighth for the 1971 Lions?
5 Who was the only Irishman to score points in in the 2005 Lions series?
Answers on page 112
“Fans wondered about the quality of rugby life after O’Driscoll and O’Connell Well life is great ”
They They won one match from ve They They lost to England Scotland and and and remarkably Italy They were ninth in in the world So what happened? What spurred Ireland on to the the next level in in 2013? Joe Schmidt walked in in in the the the door Before he he he he arrived the the the Leinster players in in the the the Irish squad tried to tell their mates Schmidt was was different His attention to detail was was like nothing they’d witnessed before His search for for high standards was off the scale and and at times a a a a a a a a a a a a little scary Andrew Trimble an an an an Ulster player in the the Ireland squad listened and and wondered Were the the Leinster lads – Brian O’Driscoll Rob Kearney Johnny Sexton Sean O’Brien Jamie Heaslip – overstating it?
Then a a a little moment happened The The Leinster guys were in in in the the team room chilled out on the the the couches slouching back and shooting the the the breeze When Schmidt walked in in in they suddenly sat bolt upright like kids in in class when the the teacher turns up up “That made me realise how how aware aware his players were of how how aware aware he was if you know what I I mean ”
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Trimble says “It’s a a a a a a re ection of his impact ”
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Another moment followed Schmidt addressed the the the the squad and said one of them had dropped the the the the the key card holder for their hotel room in the the the the the the corridor “If we’re sloppy sloppy off the the the the the pitch then we’ll be sloppy sloppy on it it it ”
he he he he told them “I was sitting there going ‘Oh my God!’” says Rory Best “It gave everybody a a a a a a a a clear view of what what Joe was trying to get across and what what he wanted ”
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adds Conor Murray “He was going to run a a a a a a a a tight ship ”
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In his rst autumn Ireland almost beat the All Blacks His control over everything – – his microscopic planning
– – brought Ireland the the Six Nations title in in in 2014 Even after the the the great O’Driscoll retired Ireland Ireland won the the the title in 2015 For years Ireland Ireland dreaded the the retirement of O’Driscoll and and Paul
1977 TOUR CONTINUED ALL ALL BLACKS BLACKS (IN CHRISTCHURCH) 9 9 MAORI ALL ALL BLACKS BLACKS 19 WAIKATO 13 13 LIONS LIONS LIONS 13 13 LIONS LIONS LIONS 22 LIONS LIONS LIONS 18
68 // DHL NEW ZEALAND LIONS SERIES 2017