Warren Gatland is urging his British & Irish Lions team to silence their detractors in New Zealand with a “bold and courageous” performance in Saturday’s first Test. The Lions head coach also insists the visitors will take the game to the All Blacks and will not be distracted by the “trash talk” aimed at them in the build-up.
Gatland and his opposite number Steve Hansen have indulged in regular verbal sparring this month but, having confirmed his matchday 23 for Eden Park, the former is now hoping to enjoy the last laugh on the field. “Let’s let the rugby do the talking because there’s been enough trash talk already,” said Gatland, after confirming the Irish flanker Peter O’Mahony will captain the Lions.
“I’m not worried about Steve, he can say whatever he likes. If I’m getting up his nose that’s a nice position to be in. Let’s get excited instead about what could be a fantastic series for the Lions, New Zealand rugby and the New Zealand public. Unfortunately there have been a couple of sideline things that have taken the focus away from that.”
Gatland was an eight-year-old kid when the Lions last won a series against the All Blacks and his knowledge of Kiwi rugby has taught him the Lions will not win Saturday’s opening encounter by aggressive defence alone. “The message to the players even before we came out to New Zealand was that to play the All Blacks you have to be bold and take risks.
“Yes we are playing to a structure as every team does, but we have been giving the confidence to the players to bring in an offloading game when it’s appropriate. We know we have got to be courageous coming here and play some positive rugby. We feel our set-piece is getting better from game to game and we’ve improved defensively. We just need to bring that other element into the game, which is playing with some flair, taking some risks and being bold.”
Having included Liam Williams and Elliot Daly in his back three ahead of Leigh Halfpenny and George North respectively, Gatland believes the Lions may yet surprise the All Blacks with ball in hand and rejects the notion the tourists play a negative style. “I think we’ve played some lovely rugby,” he countered. “We struggled at the start of the tour but we’ve scored nine tries to three in the last four games.
“Hopefully we can be strong at set-piece and strong defensively at the weekend, and when the opportunities arise we can get in behind the All Blacks and finish the opportunities we create. We’re not going to be talked into playing Barbarian-type rugby when we’ve got certain weapons we can use to our advantage.”
“I think we are in a healthy state but we are under no illusion how difficult the challenge is going to be on Saturday night against the best team in the world. With their record at home and particularly at Eden Park, where they are unbeaten since 1994, it’s going to be a step up from anything we have experienced. But we are pleased with our own progress and the development that has gone on in the last few weeks.”
