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Now there are two Remarkables to be seen in Queenstown. One is a group of imposing figures seemingly dominating the winter sport mecca and the other is a very impressive mountain range. Yes, the Lions are in Queenstown, with the fantastic snow-capped back drop that England used to such great effect when Mike Tindall featured in that infamous film starring a former girlfriend while other members of the 2011 World Cup squad introduced themselves to local dwarves as they indulged in the kind of high jinks so in keeping with the land of Middle Earth.
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But enough of one rugby squad viewing a break in Queenstown as an opportunity to rip up their code of conduct and embarrass a whole rugby nation. One thing is certain with the 2017 British and Irish Lions is that they do not have players with egos inflated by a recent marriage into the Royal Family. They will not put Warren Gatland into the ludicrous position of having to defend the indefensible as Martin Johnson was required to do six years ago.
No, much to the irritation of local nightclub bouncers with a penchant for selling CCTV footage, I am confident the Lions under Sam Warburton will enjoy themselves in Queenstown and leave with reputations untarnished. After all, they are on the verge of a series triumph over the All Blacks, the best team in the world when allowed to play with 15 players. To bolster their self-belief has come the “not guilty” verdict for Sean O’Brien which allowed him the same kind of euphoric feeling he got when finally able to wave goodbye to the hyper-active room mate James Haskell.
It is in places like Queenstown that Haskell and his video filming will come into its own. He is a unique character, full of life and self-confidence and a man who can irritate England team mate Owen Farrell by just entering the room. Farrell is under the impression that he is merely a cast member in yet another money making film by Haskell and he probably has a case. When Haskell was left out of the original squad there were many who believed the squad would miss his energy and ability to make conversation with a mirror.
The Lions are at play for a few days before the small matter of trying to back up their win over the All Blacks, something O’Brien’s Ireland failed to do after their Chicago heroics.
That is the challenge facing the Lions and why men like Haskell will be so important this week as the whole squad plays it part in getting the match 23 ready for their shot at rugby history. Now that would be remarkable.
