Dallaglio on Lions
By Paul
July 5 2013
LAWRENCE Dallaglio believes the British & Irish Lions will shake off the controversy over Warren Gatland's team selection to claim a first series victory in 16 years.The England World Cup winner played all three Tests the last time the Lions returned home triumphant - when they beat South Africa 2-1 in 1997.
The current Lions are all-square at 1-1 against Australia ahead of Saturday's decider in Sydney, but this week's build-up has been marred by the non-selection of talismanic Irish centre Brian O'Driscoll.
O'Driscoll, on his fourth Lions tour, had been considered a leading candidate for the captaincy after Sam Warburton was ruled out through injury, but despite starting the previous two Test matches, he hasn't made Gatland's squad.
Dallaglio though, believes Gatland's men have bigger issues to focus on if they are to emerge successful in Sydney - and he is backing them to do just that.
"It will be tough and momentum seems to have shifted with Australia," said the former no.8. "The series has lived up to all the expectations and has gone down to the wire in both games but I have no doubt that, from a Lions perspective, we can be on the right end of the result this weekend.
"There is a lot of controversy over the team selection because clearly by not selecting Brian O'Driscoll it has effectively ended his Lions career. "But I'm sure if you asked him before the Lions tour started that he'd be playing in two Lions Test matches he'd have been very happy with that. "I think the Lions issues are much more closer related to the forwards and that's where they need to do the business this weekend if they have got any chance of winning.
"It will be tight. I'm a man of confidence and I believe they can win their first Lions series for 16 years."
Dallaglio was speaking ahead of the J.P.Morgan Premiership Rugby 7s which kicks off on August 1 at Kingsholm with rounds at Franklin's Gardens and Allianz Park and the final at The Rec. For tickets and more information, visit www.jpmorgan7s.com or follow @jpmorganrugby7s on Twitter.
Dallaglio on Lions
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Date: 05/07/2013 15:15
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RFU Podcast: England prop Corbisiero is ready for "game of a lifetime" in Sydney
Posted by: UnofficialEnglandRugby (IP Logged)
Date: 05/07/2013 15:30
Alex Corbisiero preparing for the Third Test
ENGLAND'S Alex Corbisiero is back in the British & Irish Lions starting line-up for tomorrow's third Test against Australia.
We're in Sydney to speak to the loose head prop who says the team are focused on raising the intensity of their game another notch in the series decider.
He tells us: "It's the game of a lifetime, the sort of opportunity that may never come round again."
We also catch up with England's Manu Tuilagi - on the replacements' bench for the big game - and coach Graham Rowntree.
Elsewhere Lawrence Dallaglio runs us through the newly-released fixture list for the Aviva Premiership and the JP Morgan Asset Management Premiership Sevens.
And we look back to the Rugby World Cup Sevens, catching up with England Women's 15-a-side head coach Gary Street who's full of praise for a side with plenty of future potential.
For the full interviews, check out today's RFU Podcast. Here you can listen to the weekly podcast or subscribe via itunes and have it delivered straight to your inbox each week.
The RFU Podcast takes you inside English rugby from the grassroots to the elite. Click here to listen