England and Lions flanker Tom Curry has argued that the Lions didn’t implement an “obvious game plan” in response to South Africa’s tactic
The Lions got their test series against South Africa off on the right foot in the first match, having come from behind at half time to secure a 22-17 victory in Cape Town, but it was only downhill from there.
Embed from Getty Images“It’s just the fact that their game plan is very obvious and we didn’t implement a game plan that was… obvious. Do you know what I mean?” revealed Curry to The Telegraph.
“To combat the aerial battle and their kicking game, we needed to be better as a group at imposing ourselves. We just came off second best in a lot of things and that made it more difficult. We could have gone into those games better prepared, I think.
“Clarity is a massive part of that. I wouldn’t say it’s the be-all and end-all. You’ve got to turn up and actions mean more than any words.
“But we had an opportunity and we missed it. It’ll be a massive learning curve because those opportunities don’t come around very often.”
hool – where the master in charge of rugby was their uncle and former England international John Olver.
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Tom Curry picks his dream back-row
Blindside-flanker: Richard Hill (England)
The flanker was “first on the team-sheet,” according to Martin Johnson and Sir Clive Woodward. Praised by Jeremy Guscott for his “work rate”, it is no wonder the forward scored so many points.
Curry said: “I have to go Hilly. As a mentor growing up from 15 he has to be in my team. His reputation and how good he was as a player, I think he’d be really fun to play with.”