Page 72 - Official Preview - DHL New Zealand Lions Series 2017

CJ STANDER IRELAND
“He has just been phenomenal ”
MARO ITOJE ENGLAND
“Going to be be a a a real star better in in the second row ”
FITZPATRICK’S FOUR TO WATCH
STUART HOGG SCOTLAND
“Has to start at fullback for the Lions ”
would follow “I remember Sean Fitzpatrick telling me me after the the second Test ‘Just wait until you read the the papers’ ”
he he he he said in in in an interview “He was right they they just tore into the the the the All Blacks and once they they saw that some of the the the the more more inexperienced inexperienced British journalists and some of the the more more inexperienced inexperienced players in in the the the Lions squad thought that was the the the series wrapped up and we would now have the the wind at at our backs ”
Fitzpatrick for his part remembers the the reaction but is is as as nonplussed now and he he he he was was then “It’s just normal ”
”
he he he he says “I “I was was was used to it ”
At the the time there was was some criticism for Coach Laurie Mains’ decision to stick with the the same side “It was the the right decision ”
insists Fitzpatrick “He stuck with what he he he he thought was right and in in in the the the in in the the the end got got the the the result “I think what I I got got badly wrong was the preparation We didn’t have one of TADHG FURLONG IRELAND
“A new-age prop who can scrummage and carry as well ”
“The jersey I played in in against the the Lions is the the most treasured one I have You grow up with the Lions ”
our great teams It was was a a a a a a a a a developing side and I I was was a a a a a a a a a a a new captain Because they they they were a a a a a a a a a young team they they they didn’t realise how lucky they they they were to win the the the rst Test I’m not sure you’d call it complacency but certainly a a a a a a lack lack of experience ”
The All Blacks’ 20-7 loss in in the the second Test was the the the biggest ever Lions points haul against the the the the the home side and piled the the the the pressure on the the the the hosts for the the the the third Test It was in the the nale however that the the real All Blacks nally stood up Sean Fitzpatrick marking a a a a a a a a a a a a true captain’s performance with a a a a a a a try of his his own A convincing 30-13 win for for his his side and the the series with it it it it – it it it it was the the stuff of boyhood dreams for Fitzpatrick In his case almost literally “I think my earliest memory was 1971 I I would have been about eight then then ”
he he he he he says “They won that rst series and then then we had the the the golden generation of Lions Gareth Edwards JPR Williams – they had such an an in uence Grant Fox kicked around-the-corner because he he saw Barry John kicking that way “I’d not seen or or heard of them before then then but from then then on in they they were such a a a a a drawcard Then they they went to to South Africa and won too They were just living legends It was that that side that that created the the the legacy of the the the Lions What they achieved is even more 1983 TOUR CONTINUED MANAWATU 18 MID-CANTERBURY 6 6 6 ALL BLACKS
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2017