Lions Tour 2025

[Major Tom]

After watching a thrown together team on the weekend just gone it's killed a bit of buzz about this one even though it definitely means more than an invitational side.

Lions 51/10

Great experience for a few of them though. Oates and McLeod will definitely gain a bit from it.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

That's undenaiable and like I said this game means more. I just think in terms of a contest it's going to be very lopsided.

Hope I'm wrong.

 

[Tomikin]

Im hoping they really buy in and have a right crack.. want to see 100 percent effort even if its not matched by skill

 

[KentwellCup>ShuteShield]

Want to ignore but it's too fun.

Everyone will be so concerned by a bunch of what will be 90 year olds by 2037 think. They must be so powerful and forceful in their endeavours which have seen two tours to Australia since that Oneill fella terrified the north.

Can someone explain me to me the beef with ONeill and the North.

 

[Wilson]

Can someone explain me to me the beef with ONeill and the North.

There were a variety of clashes over the years but it all came to a head over the 2003 world cup.

Vernon Pugh (Welshman, former IRB chairman) wanted to take it off of Australia and New Zealand and give it to the French (who were ready at late notice having recently hosted the Football world cup). To do this he sprung a clean stadium requirement on them late notice, the kiwis were unprepared and had to pull out from the matches they were going to host, but O'Neill had prepared for it and was ready for Australia to step in and host the whole thing.

It is more complicated than that and there were a lot of dynamics at play around the shift to professionalism, but that's what I've always been aware of as the biggest issue. Most of the major players from that period are dead or dying though, it's hard to see how it could have much ongoing impact. There's plenty more recent issues for them to all fight over.

 

[cyclopath]

There were a variety of clashes over the years but it all came to a head over the 2003 world cup.

Vernon Pugh (Welshman, former IRB chairman) wanted to take it off of Australia and New Zealand and give it to the French (who were ready at late notice having recently hosted the Football world cup). To do this he sprung a clean stadium requirement on them late notice, the kiwis were unprepared and had to pull out from the matches they were going to host, but O'Neill had prepared for it and was ready for Australia to step in and host the whole thing.

It is more complicated than that and there were a lot of dynamics at play around the shift to professionalism, but that's what I've always been aware of as the biggest issue. Most of the major players from that period are dead or dying though, it's hard to see how it could have much ongoing impact. There's plenty more recent issues for them to all fight over.

So, more of a dick move by Pugh than JO'N?

 

[Wilson]

So, more of a dick move by Pugh than JO'N?

A bit, but really they were just both playing the same game and O'Neill won. I doubt the fact that Pugh died of cancer shortly before the 03 world cup helped thing much - there was no chance for any sort amicable resolution once it was all said and done.

If you ask the kiwis both of them were Satan, but as I understand it they were a pretty terrible combo of arrogant and naive at the time.