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It was a very quiet rugby weekend, at least on the men’s international front, where no tests were played after the best part of two months where you couldn’t move for them.
Still there was plenty being discussed, and opinions thrown about on all matters rugby.
Here’s ATR’s favourite soundbites from the week just gone.
“Everyone knows what I think about this concept. I love everything that the Lions is about, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the last eight weeks. There’s always ups and there’s always downs but the inner circle is a special place to be. Read into that what you want.”
Andy Farrell hints he would be up for a Lions return in 2029:
“Ten minutes later she video calls me and I was like, ‘S***, what’s going on?.’ I saw a baby on the video call, so she had it in the car on the way to the hospital. They’re both strong and healthy, so happy days. I knew it was good Juju, I knew it was good Juju, so I knew we were going to have a good day.”
They says a baby brings good luck. It certainly did for Bundee Aki and the Lions in Brisbane:
“We’re working through how the funds are flowing through on the back of the tour now, but it’s certainly exceeded expectations. It’s been a good opportunity for us to reset the balance sheet.”
Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh confirms that their bean counters can breathe easy:
“It should be like-for-like, so international matches or at least league or competitive matches. One thing I think is easy to scrap off are the friendlies. You can get rid of the friendlies, which can’t count, that’s an easy one to do.”
Nigel Owens doesn’t like friendly matches being included in a playing ban, which is the case for Dan Sheehan’s ban after his no-arm hit on Tom Lynagh:
“There were a group of players… it was driving me insane. You know, on good money, turning up, checking in, checking out. Happy if they’re playing, happy if they’re not playing.”
If you’re going to fling mud, Stuart Lancaster, tell us which Racing players its aimed at:
“Obviously Will (Skelton) played 60 minutes (in the third Lions test), Nela (Tupou) played 60-odd in Sydney. It feels like a long time ago; it wasn’t even a week ago. So, they’re fine and Bobby (Valetini) did a really good run yesterday, so our ambition is that he’ll train fully with us this week.”
Australia coach Joe Schmidt is confident the big guns will be firing in South Africa:
“The boys and girls in Fiji realise that now with the Drua you don’t have to leave the Islands. Some will still go, and we are only one team and can’t take every promising player, and while you can reduce the flow, you cannot eliminate it. At the Drua we just aim to be better on and off the pitch every year and if you look at the Fiji side then we supply around 50 per cent of the squad.”
Mark Evans, the Fijian Drua CEO knows home is where the heart is:
“Let’s go back to South Africa. The South African tour was one of the worst tours ever, the worst games of international rugby I think I’ve ever seen. The way that both management teams conducted themselves was disgraceful.”
Matt Williams is his usual, restrained self when asked about the 2021 Lions tour: