British Lions Management Have The Edge

The British Lions have already arrived in South Africa for their summer 2009 tour. And while this will be the shortest summer tour the Lions have ever been on, there is no doubt it will prove to be one of their most exciting trips down to the Southern Hemisphere. However, as the summer tour approaches the Lions may have an added ace of their sleeve to improve their chances in South Africa, an opportunity that you have not thought about it. Our friends over at Heaven's Game know what that secret edge is, check out what they have to say.,

With all the posturing done, squads picked and then picked apart by a line of journalists across the globe. The Lions are ready and raring to go.

Make no mistake this is it for Rugby Union this year. Wales may have won a world championship in sevens, The Bulls or Chiefs will win The Super 14, Leinster The European Cup and Ireland the Grand Slam. Whilst all are great achievements they do not sit anywhere near what winning this series means for The Lions players and fans.

Ask any of the Irish players if they will look upon their season as a failure if they lose this test series and it would amazing to hear one say no.

NZ and Australia have been jumping up and down trying remain in the rugby public's eye, whilst the Super 14 final will play second fiddle to The Lions playing a bunch of unknowns called The Highveld XV or Royal XV at the uniquely named "Bafokeng Sports Palace" in Rustenburg with close to 42,000 fans there to cheer them on, 20,000 of those will be Lions fans.

Take a look at Jim Telfer in '97 in the video - everything he says still stands true.

For The Lions, passion and teamwork will be needed by the bucketful for them to get the series win. The Bok's will be good, but, you get the feeling - not good enough.

The South Africans are nothing but confident as a race. This confidence occassionally leads to arrogance and should The Bulls despatch The Chiefs in the Super 14 they will be flying.

What the Lions have is a management team that is bred on success, the Springbok management may well be its weak link and that is where this series will be won.

How Peter De Villiers stands up to a level of scrutiny he has never been under before will go a long way to determining the outcome of this series. The Lions management have the edge of that there is no doubt and with that edge may well come glory.