Interviewer: Tell me about the Lions, what does their tour mean to you?
JdV: It’s going to be huge, it’s something I’m excited about. Hopefully I can be part of it but I won’t keep my hopes too high after the disappointment of what happened to me early in the last World Cup.
Those were always going to be the two big events in my career, a Lions tour and the World Cup. Those are the competitions you want to play in.
After the World Cup, the next biggest thing is probably the Lions. Or maybe even bigger than the World Cup because it’s only there every twelve years. Not a lot of people get that opportunity. If I were involved that would be fantastic, but I’ve planned too far ahead too many times and ended up disappointed, so I’ll just take it game by game and hopefully be ready by the time the Lions start the Test series against South Africa.
Interviewer: When would you have first been aware of the Lions as a boy, which era? Which was the first Lions tour you can remember?
JdV: Well, I wasn’t born for it but the one we all read about was the 1974 Lions tour to South Africa. That one certainly seemed to capture the public attention, maybe because of the outcome!
Interviewer: Which first one do you remember vividly?
JdV: 1997. I was still at school then. I had watched videos of the 1974 tour, but their visit in 1997 and those games when I was growing up, were the ones I remember. I went to those games in 1997 and I remember it felt odd that the Springboks were two nil down after two Tests. But it didn’t put me off. It is really a fantastic thing to be part of, I’m sure.
Interviewer: What makes it so special?
JdV: I think it’s the uniqueness of the Lions, the fact that they come here only once every 12 years. Putting four nations together and having them play for the same cause, the same goals, I think that’s a challenge in itself as well. It is one of the best teams in the world, if not the best, so it’s just one of those special occasions. For me, it’s like playing the All Blacks at Newlands; that for me is a special occasion, and playing against the Lions will be a special occasion, just like playing for the Barbarians was. These are things that not every rugby player can do, and can say that they’ve done in their career.
Interviewer: Is there a sense of unfinished business in South Africa with the Lions after what happened in 1997?
JdV: Yeah, I would say so. The fact that we lost the previous series means now we have to rectify that. So the team that gets selected has to prove a point. Twelve years ago, the Lions were a better team than us, so even though it is totally different players this time, we still have to try and put that right.
Here are some of Paul O’Connells thoughts since meeting up with the British & Irish Lions for the first time yesterday.
“We need to do justice to the Lions jersey, I don’t think we did that in 2005,” said the Irishman.
“We need to do the Lions proud over there and see what happens after that.”
O’Connell was in the trenches as Brian O’Driscoll led Ireland to their Six Nations Grand Slam this year and it is that success and that of Munster in the Heineken Cup that he thinks has given the squad some extra steel.
“We have a lot of players who have been a bit more successful,” he said. “Ireland got the Grand Slam at last, the Welsh have two.
“For a lot of those players, being on a successful Lions tour is the next level.”
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However this sort of thing rarely goes off without a hitch, so if you spot any problems, please let us know. Either leave a comment here or email us at info@mymunster.com - Thanks for sticking with us.
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For the second consecutive season the winners of the Magners League title have been confirmed as the ‘Best Supported Team’ of the tournament with the announcement today that Munster Rugby have secured the accolade.
Munster have been playing in front of packed houses at both their grounds during the season, with four fixtures staged at Musgrave Park and five at the newly refurbished Thomond Park Stadium;the Province has sold over 160,000 tickets for Magners League games.
Munster’s average ticket sales reached almost 18,000, moving the Province into the top three,along with Stade Francais and Toulouse, in terms of support for league rugby throughout Europe.
David Jordan, Director of Celtic Rugby said:
“The award reflects both the hard work behind the scenes and the fact that Munster’s loyal fans are turning out in all weathers to endorse a style of rugby that has seen their team become the Magners League Champions this season.”
“The refurbishment of Thomond Park Stadium is a magnificentachievement and I’m sure it will provide a fitting backdrop to the presentation of the trophies later this evening. Congratulations must go to everyone concerned with the Province.”
Stephen Kent, Marketing Director, Wm Magner Ltd added: “We would like to offer our congratulations to everyone at Munster. This award reflects the hard work put in both on and off the field, along with the passion and loyalty of Munster’s fantastic fans. This award, alongside Munster being crowned Magners League Champions for 2008/09, reflects the hunger that exists for the Magners League brand of rugby.”
“We look forward to another sell out crowd at tonight’s game, an exciting game of rugby and to celebrating the title with Munster and their fans following the game.”
Munster veteran Alan Quinlan is set to appeal his 12-week suspension so that he could play in the British and Irish Lions tour.
Quinlan was banned until 9 September earlier this week after a disciplinary committee found him guilty of making contact with the eye area of Leinster’s Leo Cullen in the sides’ Heineken Cup semi-final.
According BBC Sport, Quinlan will attempt to have the ban overturned or shortened so that he could play some part in the tour.
With less than 20 days until the 2009 Lions tour kicks off, HSBC are encouraging fans to log on to www.lionsrugby.com/hsbc, sign the shirt and get behind the squad in their quest for victory over the reigning World champions.
The giant shirt, which is sure to become an iconic sight over the next two months, will spend the next four weeks touring around Ireland and the British Isles, before heading to South Africa to follow Ian McGeechan’s squad as they travel throughout the country.
It will be making appearances in cities throughout England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
With the Lions coaching team, and the squad all signing the shirt in due course, now is the time for fans and supporters to have their name up alongside the greatest rugby players and to truly follow this summer’s British & Irish Lions tour. Celebrities have already started to sign the shirt with current signatures including past Lions Martin Johnson, Will Greenwood, Jeremy Guscott, Gerald Davies, Willie John McBride and HSBC ambassadors Jason Robinson, Gavin Hastings and Gareth Edwards. Everyone can ’sign’ the giant shirt and follow its tour by visiting www.lionsrugby.com/hsbc.
Your name will then be printed onto the giant replica before it heads off to South Africa in June.
Signees will also be entered into a prize draw to win four sought-after trips to go to South Africa for the third and final Test in Johannesburg - with one winner from each home nation.
Paul O’Connell will lead Munster into the Ospreys game on Friday night in Thomond Park (ko 7.45pm) may well see the final appearance in a Munster jersey of Munster’s longest serving players, Anthony Horgan and Frank Sheahan as a well as a last showing for Mike Prendergast, Kieran Lewis, Federico Pucciariello, John O’Sullivan and Michael Essex.
When the game ends on Friday night Munster will be presented with 2008/09 Magners League Trophy.
Munster Squad: D Howlett; B Murphy; K Earls; I Dowling; L Mafi; K Lewis; A Horgan; P Warwick; R O’Gara; P Stringer; M Prendergast; F Pucciariello; Dave Ryan; D Fogarty; M Essex; F Sheahan; T Buckley; M O’Driscoll; J O’Sullivan; D O’Callaghan; P O’Connell; Donnacha Ryan; D Wallace; N Ronan; D Leamy.
Munster legend, John Hayes, has declared he will definitely be playing rugby next season.
“I don’t know, I’ll go for another year anyway,” Hayes, who has missed just nine internationals in as many years, said yesterday. “If I stay injury free, stay enjoying it and as long as the management for Munster and Ireland keep picking me, I’d like to keep playing.
“It’s a great opportunity, I love doing it and I’ll try and stay doing it for as long as I can. It will be good as well to get another crack at the Heinekin Cup. We’ve put so much into it over the years to be successful.
“We’ve had two great days and other disappointments but that’s made it what it has been over the last 10 years or so. It’s a great competition and we can’t wait to have another crack at it. You only have to see Croke Park being packed to the rafters to understand the esteem in which the competition is held.”
