Jason Robinson: British & Irish Lions vs Australia. 1st Test

[mrcalarsenal]

@OneBigRetard - agreed, awful manager but if he had any experience he may have done better.

Personally, I'd like to see Nick Mallett take the reigns as head coach with Wayne Smith as assistant. Get the current defence, scrum and attack coaches out ASAP.

The RFU need to pull their finger out, specifically Rob Andrew.

[TomUK7]

If we have a British and Irish Lions which is so widely respected why is the football establishment so uppity about having a combined team for olympics? Of course we all know the answer to that don't we?! Because rugby unites and football bites!!!!!

[WinstonTizzer]

the best bit about this piece is when you look at the physical size difference between Jonno and Robinson and the awesome first try that followed a few minutes later. What inspiration led to that!

[mrcalarsenal]

Martin Johnson was the best captain England have ever had - and will be for a long, long time I feel. So inspiring it's not funny.

Not only that but the sheer amount of honours he achieved too.

[OneBigRetard]

@mrcalarsenal

Shit manager though

[doylustheboy]

Johnno - "even if you don't fuckin' want to, you do it for everyone else......" awesome. Yes I'm British (1/2 Irish 1/2 English so a mongrel), but I support England as I grew up here, and so bring on the usual tedious comments, but for me Lions Rugby is THE best, the personification of what the game is.........Southern Hemisphere jessies will never understand :0)

[kathirosex]

That is one hell of a team talk from Johnno.

[kingdaniel69]

ARU were intimidated by the amount of red they saw at the ground so consequently gave thousands of gold t-shirts out for tests 2 and 3.

You're only wearing gold 'cos it's free!

Can't wait for 2013.

[mcs1hr]

I was there - that was quite a weekend in Brisbane.

Three days of drinking in the aptly named "Victory" pub and a ticket for probably the Lions greatest ever victory, featuring the best try I've ever seen by O'Driscoll.

It felt like everyone at the Gabba was supporting the Lions.

It's almost 10 years ago now, but it feels like yesterday,

"...and we sang as we watched him waltz right through the Wallabies, you'll go a Waltzing O'Driscoll with me."

[19HARK]

That shot was where Robbo walked around Latham the Aussie fullback who won Aussie player of the year. The tour fell apart half way through the 2nd test when the Aussie centre hit Richard Hill with an elbow and knocked him unconcious!

[shadowbasay]

hehe grame henry won the game for you cos of nz spirit :o

[MADDIXT]

cant wait for the 2013 tour!

[chewblued]

I recall all the shite about Robinson not being able to adapt to the rigours of test rugby union..the usual shitty narrative that union is more demanding than league which of course is utter bullshit but it serves a purpose for the union media..of course Robinson did perform as all league people knew he would

[somerandomer]

@chewblued in fairness, there are far more league converts that haven't made it in union than have. guys like robinson and sonny bill williams stand out, but they are exceptional. Union and League require different skill sets, so it's no surprise that some guys don't make it. That doesn't make union more demanding, but elements of the game are very different.

[trousercough]

Billy Whizz! What a player

[tamaolemaa]

Graham Henry had more success with the Lions than some other guy by the name of Clive. That was a sensational Australian side at the top of their game, and it was a pretty good effort for the Lions to win the 1st test and then take the 3rd test right down to the wire. 1999-2001 was the most successful period in Australian rugby history (yes, even better than 1992-1994)

[stacpollaidh]

I'm so happy to read good banter on here about RUGBY not the usual vitriolic, racist, prejudiced crap that usually ensues after watching a clip like this.

[crazzzyyyfoooolll]

Keith Wood, Jonno, Richard Hill, Neil Back, Dayglo, Howley, Jonny, Drico and Jason Robinson. How the feck did Henry butcher this team?? Just like he butchered the NZ at the last WC and how he will again this year.

[crazzzyyyfoooolll]

how Henry butchered this team is beyond me. Rob Howley, Drico, Jonno, Richard Hill, Jonny, Jason Robinson and Keith Wood. I remember the red card worthy Grey tackle.

[usernamealredytaken]

FUCKING IN & OUT!

[dartmoordog]

Best of the Lions tours....AUSTRALIA. The one to go to if your a Lions supporter.

[30760005]

Whether you like him are not, Martin Johnston is a born leader of men

[nomatesman]

anyone got the complete try without the cut to matt dawson or the split screen?

[Ballyhook]

Probably the only time the english and irish really get on. Lol

[Tehui1974]

I'm a kiwi, and this was a good Lions side, a great Wallabys side, and one of the most toughest series I've seen. The main disappointment of the tour were the couple of Lions players who wrote personal colomns criticising the coach for flogging the players too hard. Talk about seriously undermining the team.

[hedropsforglory]

@Tehui1974 No, this was a great Lions side and the major disappointment was Henry being picked to coach it (see his "joy" at Robinson skinning Latham) and that Nathan Gray got away with smashing Richard Hill out of the series - never losing a test with him, never leading a test without him. Cynical filth.

[battlecry82]

i'm English and i can't tell you how much i miss watching Keith Wood play rugby - the 'raging potato'... this was a team that should have won, they had class in every position... In fact we would have won if Hill hadn't been taken out by Nathan Grey...

[mcs1hr]

I was there....between the posts at the end where Jason Robsinson scored after a couple of minutes. Without a shadow of doubt, the best game in terms of performance, result and atmosphere I've ever been to. And last but not least, BOD's try.....what a great try. I've bever seen better.

God I love Lions tours.

[GrungeRocker1000]

Martin Johnson is the Greatest Captain of All Time!!

and Keith Wood is the Greatest Hooker of All Time!!

[life2lifele55]

@GrungeRocker1000 johnson was good bu eales would get my vote as best captain

[GrungeRocker1000]

@life2lifele55

Honestly I think Eales was the best line out jumper Lock ever!!

[25pappy]

@GrungeRocker1000 Eales was nobody

[waspsrugbydude151410]

@25pappy because nobody's perfect

[romrb2]

I remember this like it was last week. I remember being excited about Balshaw being on the tour! ... and Wilkinson was 22 y.o. Now they're all retired, or nearly. Bloody depressing. The London 7s was good today though!

[docgonzales]

that Rimmer from Red Dwarf gives a good speech doesn't he?

[buzzer2222]

'97 South Africa.... if it werent for O'Gara though....

[docgonzales]

@buzzer2222 wouldn't it have been a drawn series if o'gara didn't give away a penalty? it was 25-25 if i recall correctly when he did the deed

[nickthefox72]

true.the bokkas played well but dirty.cant all be ogaras fault.they cheated throughout the 2nd testmatch

[CREvoTheGreat]

when was the last time the lions won a series?

[altyris1]

@CREvoTheGreat 1997 Against the Springbok. Though it has to be said that both the 2001 and 2009 tours were really close.

[MrSydneyKing]

@CREvoTheGreat, Too long too remember. 97 I think in SA, 89 in Aust, and sometime in the 70's in NZ.

[hanros98]

richard hill was the difference

[MrSydneyKing]

Hand up who wants to punch Matt Dawson. What a twat.

The Lions should be lined up and shot for losing this series. They had it in the bag.

[Poptheprolapse]

Balshaw came on for Perry later in the match.

[jimbobjimminy]

Holy shit I've just realised how much I miss Keith Wood :(

[badboy300568]

@jimbobjimminy we all do and i'm english

[dannycatch]

Matt Perry was fullback

[Bucketheadhead]

Rory Underwood was I think

[hendrixreincarnation]

If Robinson Was On The Wing,

Who Was At FullBack?

[benjicash]

Probably Perry, it was either Perry or Balshaw. Neil Jenkins was in the squad but doubt he was at fullback

[STHFGDBY]

Irish And British Lions Im sooooo proud of you all tonight. You lost but you were fantastic... Roll on next leg.. We will win..

Major ( Irish Fan )

[BalancedWhiteNoise]

Sure you will...ROTFLMFAO!!!

[Designerboy66]

Great series!!!

But the Wallabies won it 2 to 1 :)

[andrew20781]

This is what its all about. Roll on the next tour down under.

[087brain21]

was that grame henry the new zealand couch??

[AdaptorPlug]

Yes it was, I think he was tour manager. Not the most popular if I remember correctly.

[waveneyd0105]

He was the Wales coach at the time and head coach of the Lions tour with responsibility for the coaching/selection/training. I think Donal Lenihan was the tour manager with all the logistical responsibilities.

[AdaptorPlug]

Excellent info. I remember Donal having a weep in the dressing room after the last match. He seemed to be the guy commanding the respect.

[benrfc]

@AdaptorPlug Someone's got a massive Henry grudge 

[OneBigRetard]

@AdaptorPlug

He seemed to be out of depth.

[Bucketheadhead]

He was a bit of a prick, but no doubt, Martin Johnson was a great captain.

[66Nico]

I was there- one of the best games ever to witness. The Lions were superb. BOD's try was also fantastic. We were robbed in the second Test with Hill's injury. Still, great series...

[Baudacity]

sadly it went down hill from there...

[MatthewCostelloe15]

Billy whizz in three yards of space...Deadly

[Raichu234]

go on Martin Johnson! xx

[williamwills]

yeah they did 2-1, all 3 games were cracking though.

[the0chap]

didn't australia win the series?

[00TurnerFace00]

No wonder England did so well with Jono as skipper

[HelloIamBarnsy]

@00TurnerFace00 *Britain.

[00TurnerFace00]

@HelloIamBarnsy Ah yes, I remember the lions winning the world cup :P

[yehg123]

leader!

[sheepy90]

huge difference between a leader and a manager, as a leader he was one of the best ever.

[mrtonyis]

Well said Sheepy90

[Ciaranmoore2004]

Johnson - dc about coaching abbilities, that speech...my my

[MAORITANE05]

robinsons try ..amazing

[malachycaldicott1]

Johnson is such a great leader.