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McGeechan: Anyone not think it's right?

May 14 2008

It was like the phases of the moon or the ebb and flow of the tide. Without so much as a flicker of controversy or exasperation from a single scribe, Ian McGeechan duly took up his post as the British and Irish Lions coach for 2009.

Was there any other candidate? Outsiders don't work, for reasons of identity. Outsiders ensconced in home national teams don't work, as Graham Henry found out in 2001. Not only for reasons of identity, but also for reasons of discord between the units and a lack of understanding as to how to bring it together in the context of the Lions.

Home coaches of national teams don't work, for reasons of over-identity - favouritism, to put it another way. And it would be churlish to imagine that any non-national coach would have the credentials to take on such a prestigious job.

So what you need is a proven coach, with national team credentials, preferably a dollop of Lions experience, and a tactician adroit at bringing out the best in a team, whatever the team and the situation. Was there any other realistic choice? I can't think of one.

McGeechan has barely a scratch on his record. Success has followed him as a coach as it did as a player, both with Scotland and the Lions. His record speaks for itself: two Lions tour victories out of four as a coach, one out of two as a player. He has taken Wasps from strength to strength even through the transitional phase after Warren Gatland's departure. He turned Northampton Saints into nigh-Premiership winners. He guided Scotland adroitly through one of the roughest of patches. Even on the disastrous 2005 tour, his was the midweek team that emerged unbeaten

And all the while, and this is the absolute clincher as if any other proof was needed, McGeechan has remained staunchly true to rugby's finest traditions. He has moved from amateurism to professionalism seamlessly, a true bastion of all that has so oft been forgotten about our beautiful game.

There are no rants, no finger-pointing from 'Geech'. You would suspect that Tana Umaga's tackle on Brian O'Driscoll from the last tour would have merely been played down had he been in charge. An unpleasant incident, for others to deal with, but no need for a nasty taste in the mouth as a result.

Can anyone imagine players under him being as disgruntled and careless as those who would bring down the Lions tour of 2001? Such has been his consistent calm and assuredness, even Austin Healey might have pulled his head in under the Scot's canny guidance.

His mission statement for the 2009 tour to South Africa has been the breath of fresh air that all of us so desperately wanted to hear. Fewer players. Fewer unnecessary support staff. More fun. More actual touring rather than the construction of a pompous and exclusive showboat cavalcade such as we saw in 2005. He will be ably assisted by Gerald Davies as tour manager as well; another good appointment. The two will work well together and help exorcise the ghosts of tours recently past.

In fact, the over-riding feeling is that the whole touring party and its anticipated 50,000 travelling fans will work well together with McGeechan at the helm. After the import of 2001, and the professional of 2005, the new Lions have returned to one of their most hardcore former cubs for guidance, and we will see them regain their pride.

By Danny Stephens