The 2017 Lions tour of New Zealand had it all.
There were thrills, there were spills and there was controversy aplenty during Warren Gatland’s men’s six-weeks Down Under.
The Irish contingent acquitted themselves well throughout the tour.
Sean O’Brien, Tadhg Furlong, Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton started the final game of the tour and delivered some of the team’s best performances throughout their tour.
BBC Rugby reporter Chris Jones named Johnathan Davies as his player of the series, but he also had some glowing praise for the human-wrecking balls that are Sean O’Brien and Tadhg Furlong.
“Honourable mentions for Sean O’Brien, who until an injury in the 3rd Test was a force of nature on the flank, Maro Itoje, whose energy and aura saw him become a cult hero with the Lions support, and Tadgh Furlong, who announced himself on the world stage,” said Jones.
Nobody could argue with that.
Furlong and O’Brien were two of the Lions most consistent players throughout the tour. They constantly delivered with Furlong an immovable object in the scrum and also winning some crucial turnovers.
O’Brien was as explosive as only Sean O’Brien can be.
The only pity was that he had to go off in the drawn final test due to his thumping collision with Jerome Kaino. If he stayed on the pitch, who knows how the game might have ended.
Jones went on to name Rory Best as the Lion’s best tourist, as a result of his fiery displays with the Lions midweek side, and the overall influence that he had on the squad.
“Rory Best, the experienced Ireland captain, led the midweek side with distinction in often-difficult circumstances. Off the pitch, by all accounts, Best was a driving force behind the squad bonding socially – which is good to hear,” said Jones.
It’s a true testament to the leader that Rory Best is.
The Sunday Times verdict on the series wasn’t as pretty a sight for Irish eyes, and particularly not so for Peter O’Mahony.
“A little exposed by the Test spotlight,” was The Sunday Times’ seven-word verdict on the Munster man’s tour.
O’Mahony may not have been at his best in the first Test when he was taken off after 53 minutes, but the fact that he made 13 tackles in that game, as well as dominating the line-out surely deserves more.
Harsh.
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