On reconnaissance in Australia: Warren Gatland
Related links
Teams
Also see
Warren Gatland is hoping the Wallabies allow their players to feature in the British and Irish Lions' warm-up games ahead of their three-Test series in June.
The Lions will prepare for the opening Test against the Wallabies in Brisbane on June 22 by taking on four of the five Australian Super Rugby teams and head coach Gatland is keen on getting his troops battle-hardened by facing full-strength sides.
But that requires the cooperation of his Wallabies counterpart Robbie Deans and the Australian Rugby Union in allowing the Wallabies to play for their franchises en masse.
Gatland is in Australia inspecting the facilities his team will be using Down Under and said he believes his team need to be properly tested before facing the Wallabies, that was why they chose to face Super sides rather than run up cricket scores against lesser opponents
During their 2001 tour to Australia the Lions ran in 199 points while conceding just 16 in their opening two matches against weak Western Australia and Queensland Presidents XV teams.
"From the experience that we learnt from four years ago, it's all about preparing for the Test matches so the harder the games are the better prepared we're going to be," Gatland told AAP on Sunday while checking the facilities at AAMI Park where the Lions will play the Melbourne Rebels.
"If Robbie will let as many of the Wallabies play in those warm up games, that will help us prepare.
"We found in South Africa we were undefeated in the warm-up games but, because there wasn't a lot of the South African players playing, we weren't tested as well as we could have been."
Comments
trinats2 says...
APV1:
It might happen, that's why Aus won't risk playing their main players in warm up games !!!
Posted 11:50 15th January 2013
APV1 says...
@ Trinats2 - you bite too easily sometimes. In the past there have been accusations that the warm-up games have been used to target certain individuals and weaken the Lions squad.
But that would never happen. Would it?
Posted 15:28 14th January 2013
Trinats2 says...
APV1:
"Oz players to try to injure as many Lions as possible"
Why would we try to intentional injure players ? Is this a pommy mentality (or kiwi Tactic !!!) or maybe you are referring to the O Gara punch up ? ( it was Not to take him out, just to shut him up) Even his own team mates would punch O Gara ! Great player, but obnoxious person (well after a few drinks he was !)
As I said before a fully fit Aus side, no worries, if we pick up injuries it will be tight and lions could win one game !
Posted 00:08 12th January 2013
APV1 says...
I suspect the warm-up matches will be used by the peripheral Oz players to try to injure as many Lions as possible, as is the general rule for these sorts of things.
@ melkdave - is it so very different to mould 4 international teams into one, from moulding 12 AP teams into a national one? Or the Pro12 teams into national squads? The theory is the same, isn't it..?
Posted 17:15 11th January 2013
melkdave says...
Would be nice to have full strength warm up matches,but i cant really see it happening tbh,Lions should win the series ,but it wont be easy,no Lions victory ever is.Its the most demanding and rewarding thing for a coach in world rugby.Having to mould players who usually try and bash eachother into submission,into a coherent team/squad with just one objective and purpose,with no rivalries.Wales also should really have won last summer,A wallaby team depleated by injuries,and little preparation when compard to past years,and they just imploded,no form ,no intensity ,and a gameplan easy to counter imo.Australia did very well last year considering,found some more class players,and found a team spirit,and a willingness to battle to the end for eachother.So never think a Lions series victory wil be easy.
Posted 14:51 09th January 2013
makemehappy says...
@Jonathan1 - Wales were not arrogant last June. Nobody thought they were favourites, unlike the Lions, who clearly will be. Wales were optimistic, but no more. Where did you get that theory from?
Posted 13:34 09th January 2013
Trinats2 says...
APV1:
Not sure what Dingo would do, I don't think he even knows what he'll do.
Excuses ? Can't see anything but a Wallaby win, even if Deans is still coach !!!
Posted 21:56 08th January 2013
heart_of_oak says...
The Aussies will put out a damn good team whether they have key players out through injury or not. I used to think they didn't have strength in depth but have been proved wrong on this point. We must not make the mistake of underestimating them if they have a few injuries.
Having said that, I'm totally with Rugby Rockstar on this. I want our lads to beat the best they have in Australia. I don't want to hear after the event, that if we beat a team depleted by injuries, that we'd have lost to a full strength side.
Posted 20:41 08th January 2013
APV1 says...
Maybe Dingo will want his test players tested against the Lions first too...
@ Trinats2 - excuses starting already? Shame on you.
Posted 13:54 07th January 2013
rugby_rockstar says...
Oh come on, Gats, when do the host nation EVER play their full strength provincial teams???
Anyway, the lions tour is supposed to be tough, its what makes it so legendary. Do you really want to win the series because a key wallabie got injured playing for Queensland? I certainly don't. I wanna win and win fair and square. No arguments.
Posted 13:25 07th January 2013
lorenz78 says...
So Australia should help the Lions being better prepared - and not having players available for their own training / or rest, plus risking injuries..?
Why don't the Lions look for pre-test matches against New Zealand super rugby teams?
Posted 11:22 07th January 2013
Jonathan1 says...
Lions too arrogant. Just like Wales last June. Wallabies to win which pains me greatly- more Aussie propaganda! Just dont believe that the Lions have the depth. A few injuries and they will struggle.
Posted 22:29 06th January 2013
runnrugby says...
Well Pococks gone to the Brumbies so the Western Force will be at full strength
Posted 22:28 06th January 2013
Trinats2 says...
froggy73:
Exactly what I thought.
Who said the Wallabies will be running out a first side against the lions ? Wallabies will be resting their players for the Rugby Championship !!! They beat the current 6 nat champs in Wales and Eng in Eng with a 2nd or 3rd string sides.
Just glad France are not part of the Lions !
Posted 21:30 06th January 2013
TVaddict says...
@froggy73
Part of the condition of Gatland getting the lions job was that he'd stop coaching Wales for the duration and properly focus.
It would be much better, both spectacle wise and in terms of preparing the team, with full strength teams, but sadly the Aussies will never do it.
Posted 21:16 06th January 2013
Isograford says...
lol Good luck with that Warren. Australian players already drop like flies from injuries as it is.
Posted 18:01 06th January 2013
froggy73 says...
This guy should rather focus on Wales for the 6N rather than on a Lions game taking place in 6 months. Or does he give up already with Wales ?
Posted 17:06 06th January 2013
stumpy says...
Why would this interest the Wallabys? If it was a tour to NZ to South Africa, then fair enough. But Australia have not got much depth, so the risk of injury is too great. If the Wallabys get a few injuries, and just a few of their big names do not play, then they are in massive trouble as shown in the losses to Samoa and Scotland.Besides, super rugby sides are among the best club sides in the world, and will still provide good WARM UP GAMES and be firm enough opposition to test the Lions.
Posted 16:24 06th January 2013
NHsaints says...
Still...if the Lions turn out to be any good at all they'll still likely run cricket scores past the warahtahs, melbourne rebels and western force if last season is anything to go by...
Posted 15:51 06th January 2013
RugbyLeRoux says...
Dear Robbie,
Please help give my team every advantage possible when gearing up for some of the most important test matches of a player or coach's career.
Many Thanks
Warren
Posted 15:13 06th January 2013