Former British and Irish Lions tourist Gordon D’Arcy has named the three players that caught his eye for “powerful carries” versus Argentina last Friday, but he also described two other players as “may not be Test-starter contenders”.
The retired Leinster and Ireland centre, who travelled on the 2005 Lions trip that Clive Woodward led to New Zealand, went along to the Aviva Stadium fixture as a first-time fan who revelled in being amongst a crowd very different from what he had been used to.
“Not just Irish – there were Scottish and Welsh people, as well as a large English contingent, all clad in red,” he wrote in his latest Irish Times column. “People laughing, mixing, enjoying pints. Former rivals, now united by the strange alchemy that is the Lions.
“It was my first time experiencing the Lions as a supporter… The atmosphere was striking – less about expectation, more about shared support. That’s the thing with the Lions: success is rare, but it doesn’t dull the experience for players or fans.”
Moving onto the action that unfolded in the 24-28 defeat for Andy Farrell’s Lions, D’Arcy managed to find some things to cheer. “The Lions looked like a team in its first week together. There were glimpses of cohesion, some excellent individual moments, but not yet a complete performance.
“It was promise without an end product…”
“Passes were mistimed. Lineouts misfired. Offloads came too early or too late. Argentina were sharper at the breakdown and the Lions struggled to build tempo. That said, there were positives.
“Bundee Aki, Duhan van der Merwe and Tommy Freeman all made powerful carries. The ball was moved with ambition. There were moments of connection, and the crowd fed off them, almost willing the Lions into something more. But ultimately, it was promise without an end product.”
D’Arcy went on to argue that the performance which Farrell labelled in the aftermath as “unacceptable” might be exactly what the Lions squad needed before they flew to Australia the following day.
“The result sharpens minds. Players such as Fin Smith and Jac Morgan may not be Test-starter contenders, but they got first crack and others will now have their turn. Expect selection to get tighter, intensity to rise and performances to improve.
“There are only two matches the Lions must win on this tour. This wasn’t one of them. But it did set the tone. The Test jersey is now up for grabs and for many players, the clock is already ticking… The Lions may have lost to Argentina, but the tour – the real tour – starts now.”