Sir Graham Henry far from impressed with Lions back-rower - Ruck

Sir Graham Henry far from impressed with Lions back-rower

Sir Graham Henry suggested that Warren Gatland should drop Alun Wyn Jones along with Lions second row partner George Kruis for the second Test against the All Blacks in Wellington next weekend.

He told Brian Moore’s Full Contact show on the Daily Telegraph website: “I would imagine the Lions would change their middle (second) rows for the next Test.

“I think the two English boys (Maro Itoje and Courtney Lawes) will start the game.



“I thought No.8 (Taulupe Faletau) was absent in the first Test and I don’t know if anyone else can add to what they’re doing there.

“The Lions will believe they can do it and this group of players have got some belief.

“They created some chances early in the first and second halves and had they taken those chances it could well have gone right down to the wire.

“The Lions have to go into the second Test thinking they’ve got a sniff here and though the All Blacks go in strong favourites the Lions have a chance but they’ve got to play out of their skins.


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“The Lions played with a huge amount of spirit and their defence was superb. They got beaten by a better side and it’s simple as that really.

“They got beaten at the scrum, they got beaten at the breakdown the All Blacks took their try-scoring opportunities, the Lions didn’t.

 “The Lions have to go into the second Test thinking they’ve got a sniff here and though the All Blacks go in strong favourites the Lions have a chance but they’ve got to play out of their skins.



“The second thing is getting quick ball from the breakdown. It’s a different mentality of being very positive at the breakdown and it’s a huge part of the game. The Lions got beaten decisively at the breakdown and I think that may have been a key factor of the game.

“And the other thing is the back-three got flaky on the high ball and that where Rieko Ioane scored his second try. Liam Williams and the two wingers struggled with the high ball. Watson, Williams and Daly are better than that.

“The back three for the All Blacks did make a couple of mistakes but generally they were very solid, whereas he back three of the Lions struggled as the game went on under the high ball.”

The Lions defeat in Auckland also showed the gulf between in ability between the southern and northern hemispheres to take try-scoring chances.