Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt hopes that the upcoming British and Irish Lions series will be a ‘celebration’ of the game rather than a repeat of the 2017 and 2021 controversies.
The famous touring side will head down under later this month ahead of a three-Test series with Australia in July and August.
Andy Farrell’s men will be looking for the Lions’ first series success since they last visited Australia in 2013, with 2017 ending in a 1-1 draw against the All Blacks and the Springboks emerging 2-1 triumphant four years later.
Lions controversies
Both those tours had their fair share of controversy, however, from the late All Blacks penalty that was overturned in the third and deciding Test to Rassie Erasmus’ hour-long criticism of referee Nic Berry which landed him a hefty suspension.
There was plenty of fallout from the Lions’ trips to New Zealand and South Africa, but Schmidt hopes that the atmosphere is slightly friendlier this time around.
While there will be no quarter given on the field, Schmidt wants that to be put to one side when off it.
Appearing on the Kick Offs and Kick Ons podcast the Wallabies head coach was asked whether he would have a beer with the Lions, even after the first Test when the series has only just started.
“I hope so”, was Schmidt’s response, an answer which divided the two interviewers, Wallabies greats Matt Giteau and Drew Mitchell.
Giteau is very much against the idea of socialising with the opposition before the series has finished, saying to the Wallabies head coach: “You would like to do it? I would hate to do it as a player.
“In a three-Test series, I’m like unless we’ve won it I don’t want to pretend I like them.
Mitchell’s opinion differed, however, adding: “Really? I would love it. I used to hate it when they used to say no.”
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Schmidt then explained his reasoning, pointing to the previous tours and the incidents which have perhaps left a sour taste in the mouth.
Celebrating the game
“I just think there’s been a little bit of bitterness in the last couple of Lions tours and it would be good to be able to celebrate the game, as much as you compete on the field,” he said.
“If that’s possible. Obviously, I’ve coached with Andy Farrell for a long time, I coached Andrew Goodman and worked with Simon Easterby for half-a-dozen years.
“A lot of their coaching staff are people I know well so I would hope that it’s a series where we do celebrate the game and play it to its utmost, but at the end of that, we get to build some of those friendships that last through the decades.”
As Schmidt mentioned, he knows a lot of the Lions coaching staff well having worked with them while in Ireland, but he insists that it does not change anything in terms of the job at hand.
“He’s (Farrell) a good bloke. For me, it cannot be about the coaches, so it is all about the players and what you can do to help them to best help themselves and help each other. That’s all coaching is,” the Wallabies head coach added.
“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t emotionally connected. I am up there and I am living every moment from a distance but I’m just trying to support the players as best I can.
“My relationship with another coach or whatever, I don’t think it’s important.”
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/joe-schmidt-offers-olive-branch-to-the-british-and-irish-lions-after-bitterness-of-new-zealand-and-south-africa-tours
