Don't let Schmidt take Lions for a ride

THE Lions are being taken for pussycats by Australia coach Joe Schmidt.

- NICK CAIN

Contrary to the assurance given by Phil Waugh, the chief executive of Rugby Australia that “it is important that Test stars play for their franchises against the Lions”, Schmidt is still boxing and coxing.

Having declared in May that he would “safeguard” his 25 leading Wallabies for the Test series, Schmidt has been under heavy fire for a mercenary approach that cuts the ground from under the entire touring concept. The whole aim of rugby union’s cherished tour culture is to have a seven-week nationwide trek of Australia, with the Lions playing its best provincial teams as a prelude to a three-Test series.

Reneging on this principle brings Rugby Australia and the Lions into disrepute, not least because huge sums of money are paid by travelling Lions fans in particular, but also host nation supporters, to see the whole tour, or parts of it, and not just the Test series. A devaluation of provincial matches raises the spectre of mis-selling, when a service is sold to a customer through misleading information.

It may have prompted Schmidt to row back on his safeguarding claims, with the Kiwi making the minor concession this week that he would release Wallabies squad players for provincial or invitational sides. This was on the premise, according to Schmidt, that, “we don’t want to deprive someone of playing against the Lions if they are not going to get the Test jersey”.

Schmidt also made another niggardly adjustment regarding provincial matches against the Lions being potentially useful rehab for Wallabies who are returning from injury, saying: “To get a game under their belt before they actually come into the Wallaby camp may be the most advantageous situation”.