Lions greatest XV: No.8

The position in the middle of the back row is tactically one of the most influential on the pitch, because the ball is either in the hands or at the feet of the No.8 more often than any other forward, and The Lions selectors have had their pick of some of the greats of the post-war era.
Being a tactical linchpin in attack and defence, who works in close concert with the scrum-half at scrums, lineouts and in the loose, puts a premium on No.8s having skill as well as athleticism.
However, the history of  The Lions in the modern era also shows that No.8 is a position that can be shaped to fit the skill set and strengths of a player, just as long as they manage to be in the right place at the right time.
Nick Cain, chief writer for The Rugby Paper says:  “When it came to all-round skills no-one had a bigger or better array than Mervyn Davies, the London Welsh, Swansea and Wales No.8, who made the Test position his own on the victorious 1971 and 1974 Tours, playing eight Tests in all, four against New Zealand, and four against South Africa, to finish with a ledger of five wins, two draws, and only one loss.
“‘Merv the Swerve’ was always comfortable on the ball, and had the mobility and handling to be an excellent link between forwards and backs. A wiry 6ft 5ins, Davies was also an outstanding lineout forward, with the All Black legend Colin Meads admitting that he had the New Zealand lineout ‘licked’.
“When it came to athleticism, even Davies did not have the physical attributes of Andy Ripley, his English rival for the No.8 jersey on the 1974 Tour.
“Ripley’s ground-eating 400m stride and high knee lift made him a one-man cavalry charge, but, although he scored five tries in eight starts in SA, his ball skills were not quite good enough to unseat Davies.
“The next two series were lost by narrow margins, with the hard-bitten Irishman, Willie Duggan, claiming the No.8 Test berth against the All Blacks in 1977, while in South Africa in 1980 it was shared by the Welsh duo of Derek Quinnell and Jeff Squire.
“When The Lions got back on the winning trail in 1989, they were well-served against the Wallabies by the bear-like strength of Dean Richards, the Leicester and England No.8.
“Richards was not the fastest, but he had uncannily good anticipation and great mauling power, and he retained the Test shirt on the 1993 Tour of  New Zealand.
“In 1997 Tim Rodber was another to rise to the occasion, with the raw-boned Northampton and England No.8 hitting the Springboks so consistently and brutally hard in the tackle that they avoided his channel like the plague.
“The stonewall defence built around Rodber and Scott Gibbs laid the foundations for The Lions to win the first two Tests, and with it the series.
“In 2001 in Australia The Lions had a formidable No.8 carrier in Scott Quinnell, but the Welsh powerhouse was unable to drag them over the line as the injury hit-tourists stumbled at the final hurdle.
“It was equally close in 2009 in South Africa, but The Lions were ultimately undone by their First Test reverse, despite the hard yards made by their Leinster and Ireland No.8, Jamie Heaslip.”
In 2013, The Lions hope to make history in Australia, and you can be there watching the modern giants of the game try and emulate or even surpass, the great players of the past.
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