Matt Williams believes that Andy Farrell’s British and Irish Lions restored the image of the famous touring team with their efforts in Australia.
The ex-Scotland head coach has dubbed the 2021 tour to South Africa as an ‘abomination’, slamming the tactics and antics of the respective coaching staffs deployed.
The Test series was marred by Rassie Erasmus’ leaked video, where he criticised the performance of referee Nic Berry during the series opener, while Warren Gatland bemoaned the fact that a South African official was appointed as the TMO for all three Tests.
Still, what annoyed Williams most was the style of play of the Lions and Springboks, who leaned into kick-heavy and forward-dominant tactics during the series.
Worst games of international rugby
Without mentioning that the Springboks had played just one Test match before the series, following the 2019 Rugby World Cup, and the absence of fans in the stadium, the outspoken pundit revisited the series four years ago when asked if the Lions can be proud of their tour in 2025.
“On field, absolutely,” he told Off the Ball.
“Let’s go back to South Africa, the South African tour was one of the worst tours ever, the worst games of international rugby I think I’ve ever seen.
“The way that both management teams conducted themselves was disgraceful.
“Rassie was running on the field as a water carrier. There was a leaked video criticising referees, ringing people up, and the style of rugby was an abomination.
“All they did was kick across the field and chase it. It was, it was not played in a good spirit.
“It was aggressive, I have no problem with it being aggressive but it wasn’t played in the spirit of rugby.”
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Lions restored their image
The 2025 tour to Australia was a polar opposite, according to Williams, who believes that the tourists restored the tarnished image of the event four years ago.
“The Lions are the keepers of the law. They are so special, and they got to keep going, but to suggest that this Lions tour didn’t restore that absolutely tarnished image of what it meant to play Lions rugby is just a fallacy,” he continued.
“They came to Australia, and from the first second, Andy Farrell and his coaching staff made the Lions play a running game. They put the ball in hand, they took chances and made errors, because it’s high-risk rugby but jeez, it was entertaining. It was fabulous to watch.
“They weren’t just doing bombs and chasing through and doing cross-field kicks – there was a variety. People were counterattacking, there was great attack from the backlines, there was great attack from the forwards.
“There was excellent ball carrying, there was ferocious defence, that’s what we want, and it was entertaining and it was engaging.
“A team full of internationals dominated the provincial games, who didn’t have any international players or a couple of old blokes left in it. But when it came to the Test matches, we had a couple of proper Test matches, so yes, that was a successful tour.
“The Lions can be very proud that they took that and restored their image on the field.”