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Date of destiny or doom for Lions?

There was something thrilling about the announcement today of the itinerary for the 2009 Lions tour of South Africa. Even the first match on the trip seems wonderfully evocative and representative of the grand old era of proper tours when the Lions were feted in all the outposts.

The first match is against a Highveld XV, at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenberg. It seems like some kind of up-country rambling fixture which could have come straight out of the list for the 1955 tour of South Africa, one of the great sporting crusades ever undertaken.

Yet if you look at the date, you are brought slap bang up to the present time and given a rude awakening. The match takes place on May 30, 2009.

The forward planners amongst you will already have that date in the diary. It is the day of the Guinness Championship final at Twickenham, so a whole raft of leading Lions-to-be, chiefly though not exclusively from England, will be playing in it. Furthermore, it is by no means beyond the bounds of possibility that the Lions head coach will be engaged too. For my money, Ian McGeechan, of Wasps, is far out ahead in terms of being the likely Lions head coach - with an adopted Welsh double act of Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards alongside him.

But what if Wasps, as they may well do, make next season's final? We face the dire prospect of a tour setting off at half-cock and afflicted cruelly by late injuries.

Personally, I can think of nothing worse and no more wounding manifestation of the endless competing demands of the modern era than rugby's leading showpiece, its last great adventure, the one item on its agenda beloved by everyone, the tour to be followed by 50,000 from Britain and Ireland, being so cruelly crippled in this way.

Freddie: high talent, high risk

This week, we heard hints that the darling of Toulouse and most of France, Frederic Michalak, is having pangs of homesickness at his base in Durban, where he is playing in the Super-14 for the Sharks. Good choice of venue for him, incidentally, because his inability to defend is no problem in an event where you don't have to.

Freddie hinted that he was missing the call of the homeland and missing the jersey of France. God bless him, and I know he does have real talents, but I am sure that opposition coaches are missing him too.

In my book, Freddie's failure to impose himself on games and rather self-centred style handed the 2003 Rugby World Cup semi-final to England on a plate.

The most fascinating aspect of his comments this week is that, so he says, he has received offers from teams in the Guinness Premiership. I would dearly love to know who in the hard-bitten, relentless, unforgiving, results-driven English league is cultivating this ephemeral little French flower.

What do you think? E-mail Stephen at rollingmaul@thetimes.co.uk with your opinion and he'll reply to the best of the letters next week.

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>>>>>LIST OF THE WEEK<<<<<

Ranked in order of class and enjoyability, my six Lions tours as a hard-working reporter, bringing news of these sporting crusades to an agog outside world.

1. 1997 to South Africa

Geech's glory under a physical pounding as a Lions team drop-kicked to victory by our Jerry and featured Tim Rodber at a staggering peak of a fitful career. The Lions took it 2-0 after two games, set against the magnificent panoply of the RSA with wine at £2 a bottle. Great weeks.

2. 1983 to New Zealand

Useless Lions with dodgy backs and injured forwards, "led" by Ciaran "Captain Clanger" Fitzgerald sinking fast and out of his depth in a 0-4 whitewash. But what an epic, wide-eyed intro to NZ as we young hacks rambled happily around one-horse towns and the Lions met real people. And Kiwis. (Sorry, that was unworthy.)

3. 1989 to Australia

The first-ever Lions tour to Aussie, bringing the satisfying sight of an Aussie pack of the usual mouthy young thrusters being thoroughly beaten by a rather naughty Lions team under the angelic Geech. And a glamorous ramble during which good old Aussie got under my skin in a rather nice way.

4. 2001 to Australia

Ferocious, lasting frustration. This was in essence one of the great Lions teams, well led by Graham Henry, and don't let the ranks of the bitter tell you anything different. Yet because of total fatigue caused by the endless season and a horde of injuries, plus one silly pass from Jonny which cost them the second Test, they lost 2-1 to a mediocre and frankly, disbelieving Australia.

5. 1993 to New Zealand

A tour crippled by dismal selection in the tight forwards, a drinking culture which took root in the shadow team and the most disgraceful refereeing decision in the history of sport, with which some Aussie ref called Kinsey robbed the Lions of the first Test and, therefore, the series.

6. 2005 to New Zealand

Not Woody's finest two months because the whole thing sunk under its own weight. The Lions never remotely bonded together and were easy prey to a home team of stature but never world class, in a country where the worship of the All Blacks had reached ludicrous and life-affecting proportions.

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The Stephen Jones Debate

You advise a clean sweep of the England coaching set-up, but don't appear to include Rob Andrew in that. It seems to me that he is a major contributor to the recent (and past) dithering and lack of action, particularly in coming up with a solution about the management. I think Brian Ashton should go, but to keep him waiting like this is disgraceful. I understand Rob Andrew was on holiday during the later stages of the Six Nations. I don't know what role Baron and Martyn Thomas have in this affair, but maybe they also ought to go together with Andrew? Perhaps you might enlighten us about how the RFU is made up and how board members are selected/elected. The WRU seems to have got its act together recently - we could do with some decent advice in England. Jeff Higham

SJ: The workings of the RFU often seem to be a mystery, Jeff, and I understand your confusion. I was under the impression when Rob came in that he would have sweeping powers but he always seems to be reporting to someone or other. There is only one proof of the Twickers pudding - results. If the Johnson era is successful then I suppose the recent grim episodes will be deemed worthwhile.

I would like to suggest Chris Paterson for your list of fly halves whose careers have been blighted by playing out of position. He was a fly half in the beginning and Scotland might have benefited if he had always been played there. Mac Baldwin, Inverness

SJ: I totally agree, Mac. People say that recently he has not set the world alight when reverting to fly half, but the confusion and continual switching must be very hard. I have always thought that Chris has something about him.

As Messrs Baron, Andrew, Ashton and Co seem to be indulging themselves in some Fantasy England Rugby, why shouldn't we? Basically, pick an England squad out of all those sub-standard types who just aren't good enough to get a game. You know: Goode, Varndell, Simpson-Daniel, Lewsey et al, and see how they do against the Six Nations squad during the latter stages of the season. Eligibility is England qualified but passed over for game time, thus, could have been in the 22 but not played. I'd go for: Lewsey, Varndell, Hipkiss, Barkley, Banahan, Goode, Care, Wood, Hartley, Bell, Deacon, Kennedy, Armitage, Crane, Forrester. And benched: Erinle, Hodgson, Ojo, Murphy, Stankovitch, Adams. All that I have seen this season is bad management. Two glaring examples spring vividly to mind: Wilkinson destroyed by the introversion that had been his greatest strength, and Sheridan, surely the model of quiet and lethal professionalism, reduced to a penalty cash-cow by, of all people, Nathan Hines. There are at least fifty English players equal to the task and another fifty who could stand having that greatness thrust upon them. Picking my side was easy. Selection is not and never has been the problem. The problem is the lack of structured, clear and unambiguous leadership, by and of people who understand what the organisation is for, from the top down. Bill Moffat

SJ: Bill, I have to admit that the nice Mr Barnes and myself did exactly the same exercise as you the other day. I think that Brian Ashton's selection in the end, especially in the backs, did not do justice to the strengths of England rugby. Varndell, Simpson-Daniel, Hipkiss, Barkley, Lewsey and Hartley were all, I feel, better than the men England chose.

Thank you for your efforts to keep the great game of union a game for all shapes and sizes, tactics and power, and I hope we can all unite and defeat the ELVs. I was saddened to read an article from a NZ news service stating that the French, Italians and Scots are all keen to try the laws, and it would seem, if this is true, that the united northern front is weakened. However, if England, Wales and hopefully Ireland stand firm we can still ensure the integrity of the game. We just need to be more confident about our real status in the world of union, which is in truth, at the very heart. Without the English, Welsh and Irish there would be no European competition worth having - and we need to be forceful in asserting our rights as the game's core, and banker! Best wishes and please keep up the campaign. Rob

SJ: Rob, if I could put it better than that, I would be very happy! Many thanks and I will be taking your advice, starting in the Sunday Times this Sunday

I've been watching the Heineken Cup quarter-finals (with my head in my hands throughout the Gloucester game), but something that struck me was an apparent inconsistency between application of the advantage laws. London Irish v Perpignan, with penalty advantage for Perpignan and Hodgson's exceptional cover tackle on Plante: Alain Rolland went back for the penalty. In the Saracens v Ospreys game, just before half-time, there was a penalty advantage given to Saracens for offside/going in at the side and Williams's excellent defence just prevented a try - and that's when the referee blew for half-time. In my view Alan Lewis's decision in the Saracens game was correct: the referee played advantage, there was a clear try-scoring opportunity but that was missed (in the same way that a kicker might miss a kick at goal - especially if he plays for Gloucester). Surely it is the clear point-scoring opportunity that constitutes advantage, not the actual scoring of points? Conversely, when a penalty advantage is being played and a drop-goal attempt is missed the referee invariably goes back for the penalty. I have noticed this inconsistency previously and wondered what your thoughts were? It can't help the players not knowing whether they are going to get a second chance to take points. Graham Samuel-Gibbon

SJ: Right on the money. The differences of interpretation between referees are vast, and teams are often unsure how to play it when they have no idea how long the advantage is going to last. And how can they be sure as it is a random call from a random ref? Clarification needed!

"I also then found that not only did semi-useless old England have a whopping 14 in the squad, but that no fewer than eight of them did not start in the final Six Nations matches - hinting that I categorically do not see eye to eye with Brian Ashton when it comes to selection" - S Jones. As somebody who's been reading the Sunday Times for years, the above sentence sums you up totally. You are an English rugby correspondent (from Wales). You are English-centric. Nothing wrong with that. But please don't claim to know anything in-depth about Irish rugby or Irish rugby players. Don't write about the Lions selection like you have an even knowledge of all the players available for selection across the four nations. Your starting point for everything seems to be that English rugby players are best, and it's just a simple question of getting them to perform - but whether they actually perform or not seems totally irrelevant to you. For you, the burden of proof is on the non-English player. It's hard to believe you would have taken so long to embrace Ronan O'Gara if he played in the English Premiership for his entire career. Gary Clifford, Dooradoyle, Limerick

SJ: Well, as you are clearly the global rugby expert on all nations, and not in the slightest bit parochial and inward-looking, I bow to your superior knowledge. Although frankly, as I have never come across you in nearly 25 years of reporting top class rugby in 14 different rugby nations and I have covered six Lions tours without ever learning of you, it seems that you keep a low profile whenever you leave Limerick. By the way, if Ronan O'Gara had played in the Premiership for all of his career he would have become a far better player far sooner then he has.

As a Gloucestershire boy who spent his youth competing with the likes of Coney Hill and Matson, I never thought ANY Gloucester player would ever be accused of being soft! I am sure that still remains the case; I cannot see Dean Ryan or Dennis Betts standing for that. No, the problem is that many of the imports have lost (or never had) the knowledge that comes from virtually fighting for your life week in, week out against inferior sides that would do anything, fair or foul, to win. Or the deep down pride and resolve a local lad has when he pulls on the Cherry and White shirt. Ok, Munster deserved to win on balance, and that balance was playing the referee and getting the best of him; deliberate offside, playing the man off the ball, collapsing and knocking the ball on. Well done them but shame on Gloucester for not doing likewise and even better. George Fairweather

SJ: George, you had that background in rugby and you are still alive? Well done. With respect, I think we are agreeing with each other here.

As a Leicester season ticket holder for the entirety of Andy Goode's career, I would guess that I've watched more of his games than you, Stephen. Goode has two or three excellent games per season, and simply cannot be bothered with any of the others. He has lost us two Premiership finals and two Heineken cup semi-finals. He plays well enough occasionally to keep his far-too-lucrative contract, and that's it. His kicking game is not that good. Yes, perhaps 50 per cent of the time he kicks a long way, but no more accurately than any other decent kicker in the Premiership. His kicking from hand is often dangerously inaccurate. He provides many opportunities for the opposition to counter attack from deep, and against sides like Wasps, Toulouse or the Ospreys even Leicester's defence (coached by the significantly under-praised Neil Back, and doing just as well as the overhyped Shaun Edwards) cannot withstand every broken play attack. Goode is a liability. Roll on Hernandez. David, York

SJ: Phew. David, reading between the lines, you don't rate Andy very highly, do you?

I totally agree about the "centres who should have stayed fly halves" observation, though you don't look beyond England. Graham Shiel would have been a fantastic fly half if he'd been picked there beyond his school days, but he never had the pace to be an international centre. Stuart Mackenzie, Glasgow, Scotland

SJ: Stuart, that's a good one. We've had a raft of others who have suffered.

"You sense that if [Munster] were admitted into the Guinness Premiership they would be mid table." - Stephen Jones. Actually, I don't. I "sense'" that they would win it. Brendan, Cavan, Ireland

SJ: I was being kind, Brendan. Munster's season in events they take seriously amount to around eight or nine full-on games - they would always have two testing teams to play home and away in the Heineken pool (plus one turkey) and then perhaps a quarter-final and a final. Maybe then they'd take their home and away games against Leinster and Ulster in the weedy Magners League reasonably seriously. If they joined the Guinness Premiership, where there are no easy games whatsoever, they would suddenly have to play not eight, but 28 top class full-on games every year. They do not have remotely the staying power or playing culture or, more particularly, the reserve strength to play well in that. Until their culture changed and they signed another 12 players they would struggle to avoid the drop.

On the size and strength issue, you're talking a lot of twaddle, Jonesy. The best players are always those who can read the game better, and are always in the right place at the right time. This is especially so in the midfield. I do concede that smaller players have to be on the top of their game to do well, whereas big guys can wing it with their size. But players with less natural qualities (size, strength and speed) tend to compensate by being canny, sharper and more committed. Alonso, London

SJ: The late John Reason once wrote of Gerald Davies, a prime example of your cannier, sharper, smaller player, that he "had the instincts of the forest animal".

It seems that even some of the Southern Hemisphere are finally agreeing with you in realising that the "franchise" system, and not the rules, is at the core of what is wrong with their rugby. Huw Turner writing this week analysed the missing tens of thousands of spectators in New Zealand S14 rugby and concluded that without major change provincial rugby in that country will wither and die. Huw made an interesting comparison of the tribal intensity and joy of this week's Heineken Cup against the insipid "nobody-cares franchise against franchise" affairs of the S14. For the first time I have seen some sense come from the Southern Hemisphere over improving the game. They need to review the structure and governance of their game, getting back to their club roots to bring back the supporters and intensity and leave the rules alone. Thank goodness a combination of early RFU incompetence at the beginning of the professional era, along with the English clubs sticking together, ensured that we didn't go down the same route as the Southern Hemisphere - and the Celtic nations. Brian Browne

SJ: I don't think my many fans down there will be writing in homage, Brian, but where rugby is concerned you have to feel it in the heart, in my view. Many thanks.

It's pretty bizarre that Argentina have not been regularly involved in the Churchill Cup before. Italy were let into the Six Nations because they won a few friendlies with Wales and Ireland. Argentina have finished third in the World Cup, beaten all four home unions recently and beaten France several times in a row. I think that their natural home is the Tri Nations but we have seen from their treatment of the Pacific Islanders, the contempt in which Australia and New Zealand hold the so-called lesser nations. The suggestion that they should play in Europe and be based in Spain is ludicrous - the only argument in favour of that is that they speak the same language. Most of their players play club rugby in Europe, but how is rugby supposed to grow in Argentina and South America as a whole if they never see their own players play? Stuart Peel

SJ: The Argentina problem is teeth-grindingly frustrating, Stuart. I suppose the Churchill Cup is a start but there never seems to be the will to make the grand gesture.

This area of the e-mail is reserved for your views and boos. E-mail Stephen at rollingmaul@thetimes.co.uk and he'll either agree, disagree, add some insight or come back firing...

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>>>>>HERO OF THE WEEK<<<<<

Ian McGeechan, Wasps coach

And it is not just for piloting the good old Wasps towards the top of the table. Despite pressure from the IRB to silence him, McGeechan came out this week, in his programme article for Saturday's Wasps-Worcester match, with a heavy denouncement of the process and the detail of the attempts by the IRB to force through all the (useless) experimental new laws. I can assure McGeechan that he will not man the barricades on his own.

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The week in 60 seconds

Thursday:

LIONS ANNOUNCE SOUTH AFRICA TOUR DATES

The Lions will play South Africa in a three-match series in June 2009 in Durban, Pretoria and Johannesburg

Report by Times Online

LONDON IRISH OUTLINE THEIR AMBITION TO JOIN THE ELITE

Heineken Cup semi-finalists look to bright future with new sponsor, CEO and training ground in the pipeline

Report by Mark Souster

Wednesday:

JOHNSON WAITS IN THE WINGS AS RFU CONTINUES TO PUT WEIGHT BEHIND ASHTON

Governing body reiterates support for Brian Ashton but intends to have new management structure in place by July 1

Report by David Hands

Tuesday:

'RUTHLESS AND UNCOMPROMISING' JOHNSON HAS WILKINSON'S BACKING

The fly half claims that the appointment of the World Cup-winning captain would be of "huge benefit" to England

Report by Mark Souster

Monday:

HILL RECAPTURES THE FEEL-GOOD FACTOR AGAINST FLAT OSPREYS

Saracens 19 Ospreys 10: there are days when good guys do come first and Sunday at Vicarage Road was one of them

Report by David Hands

PATERSON HAS A RARE OFF DAY AS MUNSTER REACH LAST FOUR AGAIN

Gloucester 3 Munster 16: Chris Paterson misses a string of penalties to deny home side chance of controlling game

Report by David Hands

Sunday:

WOODY: GET HANDS DIRTY, JOHNNO

Former captain must not be distracted by "parasites" and "termites" within the RFU, says World Cup-winning England coach

Report by Stephen Jones

'MARTIN MUST ACT AS AN EXTREMIST, HE CANNOT COMPROMISE'

Martin Johnson must be given carte blanche to do whatever he thinks is right, says his former England coach

Analysis by Sir Clive Woodward

RFU BETRAYAL SQUARELY TO BLAME FOR STRIFE OF BRIAN

The treatment of England's head coach by the game's governing body is a disgrace that cannot be repeated

Comment by Stuart Barnes

ONE TRAGIC DAY ... HOW HAMPSON AND HASKELL'S LIVES CHANGED FOREVER

James Haskell was part of the scrum that collapsed, leaving prop Matt Hampson paralysed for life. The friends recall that fateful day

Interview by Paul Kimmage

HOOK IS A ROCK OF AGES

James Hook may be just 22 but he has the calm head of an old pro - and Saracens better beware today

Report by David Walsh

WILLIAMS THE KEY TO BLUES HOPES

Martyn Williams, Cardiff's openside, must put Toulouse's nine and ten at sixes and sevens in the Heineken Cup today

Analysis by Stuart Barnes

Saturday:

ASHTON IS LEFT IN LIMBO AS RFU RUSHES TO TIE UP JOHNSON'S ROLE

England's head coach may still have to pick the squad for New Zealand before the former captain takes over the reins

Report by David Hands

LONDON IRISH LEAD UNLIKELY ENGLISH TRIO ON CHARGE FOR EUROPEAN CROWN

Saracens and Gloucester face testing quarter-finals in the Heineken Cup but the exiles have the best chance of the three

Report by David Hands

CATT APPLAUDS GOLDEN GENERATION

The London Irish player-coach appears to be ideal for a role with England, but he has only Perpignan on his mind

Report by Mark Souster

Friday:

JOHNSON GETS FULL CONTROL AS HE SAYS YES TO ENGLAND MANAGER'S JOB

World Cup-winning captain has agreed to be team manager, leaving Brian Ashton's future as head coach looking bleak

Exclusive by Mark Souster

WORLD CUP WINNER WHO WILL DO THINGS HIS WAY, OR NOT AT ALL

Former captain has learnt from Leicester's proud history, and Sir Clive Woodward's example, but he has always been his own man

Report by David Hands

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Things you need to know about rugby: No10

WHO SHOULD PULL THE TRIGGER?

A short update on a long saga, as the RFU's pursuit of Martin Johnson grinds on. (And contrary to comments by RFU grandees this week that there are a number of candidates, Johnson is the only one.)

A sticking point has arisen. Twickenham says that they hope that whoever is appointed will agree to take on board with him the whole of the current coaching set-up, led by Brian Ashton.

This is disingenuous. Everyone knows that the top man must choose his own men, so that they are compatible in sporting and even social terms, and it is no reflection on the current coach that Johnson is very unlikely to choose Ashton. The suspicion is growing that the RFU would rather not have to dispose of Ashton themselves, but would rather announce that Johnson has decided to dispense with him.

Not surprisingly, the Johnson camp would rather Twickers do their own dirty work.

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900,000

The amount of money in pounds that London Irish lost in the six months to December

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Suggestions, fan mail and complaints: rollingmaul@thetimes.co.uk