Top 14 : Pierre-Louis Barassi de retour avec Toulouse

I enjoyed the way the Lions played, I enjoy Finn’s style (and Smiths work), most similar in threat since Carter but with more lovely ball skills/size, but mostly it was about their intent to take it to everyone, at anytime. Admittedly we didn’t see too much of that when the didn’t think they were dominant, but when it was a jockey for dominance they backed themselves. So from one who’s only seen from the 93 team this was certainly a step up.

And boy, that’s against a strong looking Australian team. I’m not relishing playing them in the RC.

In the professional age the British and Irish Lions have found themselves pitted against the reigning world champions on all but two occasions – in 2013 in Australia and again this time. From 1997 onwards, the Lions have had to beat the current top dogs. That’s the measure of what previous Lions sides have been up against.

That is a pretty crazy stat though, and you can see where some might have confused it for being the purpose of Lions tours. If the north becomes dominant enough to win consistently in the future, well, I can’t help but think how the tours to the ‘non winning’ SH might look to them then!

Ppersonally the referees and assistant refs need to be tackled on this issue.

Had they dealt with it early in the game, he might have changed or been yellow carded for repeat offences.

Not Aussie.

If you look at the whole era though you’d have to say that Farrell probably would have been a better coach for 21 series selecting mainly Irish, and Gatland would have been better this year, giving the team reasonable expectations and no player bias towards what looks like fading Irish players.

I mean if you want to think of the likes of Sione and DVdM as part of the “era” of their rugby. Personally I wouldn’t, but they do matter and where selected.