Didn't the Lions send a schoolboy side over to Argentina to keep their actual players fresh for the finals?
I'd say they've locked in 2nd.
Like most I was stunned when I read the news yesterday morning & (twice) amended my blog piece accordingly. But on thinking about it, it makes a lot of sense:
1. Why subject your players to by some reports a 60-hour round trip unless you absolutely have to?
2. They could win in BA regardless & will surely be backing themselves to do so, but if not then...........
3. Finishing second doesn't necessarily mean playing an away GF: there's no reason why a NZ side (sorry, Brumbies) couldn't make it from 5th by knocking over the top NZ side in the SF (esp if that 5th-placed side is the Tribe & the top the CruSadists, they've ample form in that regard, including twice this year), and.....
4. Even if they do end up travelling to (in alphabetical order
)Canberra, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Sydney or Wellington I'm sure they'll back themselves to emulate their Round 2 win in HamNZ.
So it's obviously a risk but not necessarily as great a risk as it appears at first glance.