• Welcome to the forums of Green & Gold Rugby.
    We have recently made some changes to the amount of discussions boards on the forum.
    Over the coming months we will continue to make more changes to make the forum more user friendly for all to use.
    Thanks, Admin.

Lions Tour 2025

Wilson

Tim Horan (67)
Can someone explain me to me the beef with ONeill and the North.
There were a variety of clashes over the years but it all came to a head over the 2003 world cup.

Vernon Pugh (Welshman, former IRB chairman) wanted to take it off of Australia and New Zealand and give it to the French (who were ready at late notice having recently hosted the Football world cup). To do this he sprung a clean stadium requirement on them late notice, the kiwis were unprepared and had to pull out from the matches they were going to host, but O'Neill had prepared for it and was ready for Australia to step in and host the whole thing.

It is more complicated than that and there were a lot of dynamics at play around the shift to professionalism, but that's what I've always been aware of as the biggest issue. Most of the major players from that period are dead or dying though, it's hard to see how it could have much ongoing impact. There's plenty more recent issues for them to all fight over.
 

cyclopath

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
There were a variety of clashes over the years but it all came to a head over the 2003 world cup.

Vernon Pugh (Welshman, former IRB chairman) wanted to take it off of Australia and New Zealand and give it to the French (who were ready at late notice having recently hosted the Football world cup). To do this he sprung a clean stadium requirement on them late notice, the kiwis were unprepared and had to pull out from the matches they were going to host, but O'Neill had prepared for it and was ready for Australia to step in and host the whole thing.

It is more complicated than that and there were a lot of dynamics at play around the shift to professionalism, but that's what I've always been aware of as the biggest issue. Most of the major players from that period are dead or dying though, it's hard to see how it could have much ongoing impact. There's plenty more recent issues for them to all fight over.
So, more of a dick move by Pugh than JO'N?
 

Wilson

Tim Horan (67)
So, more of a dick move by Pugh than JO'N?
A bit, but really they were just both playing the same game and O'Neill won. I doubt the fact that Pugh died of cancer shortly before the 03 world cup helped thing much - there was no chance for any sort amicable resolution once it was all said and done.

If you ask the kiwis both of them were Satan, but as I understand it they were a pretty terrible combo of arrogant and naive at the time.
 

Dctarget

David Wilson (68)
I saw a recent clip with Sam Warburton where he picks his combined Wallabies/Lions 15 and managed to squeeze in Valetini, JAS and Wright.

Starts the interview picking Genge over Bell for loosehead, which is kind of funny seeing how much of a towelling Bell gave to the entire English pack at Twickenham last November.
Genge has been in great form this tour sadly. Guess we'll see Saturday night.
 

Sword of Justice

Alan Cameron (40)
He’s been very good around the park but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by just how all of our teams have done at the scrum to be honest. Should be an area we can, if not target, at least plan to platform attacks out of.
 

K974

Herbert Moran (7)

Enjoy boys this will be last Australian tour on a 12 year rotation be every 20 at best

Personally I don’t like the idea it’s a departure from hisriry

but money speaks and it’ll be want the fans want , given how souless and atmosphere less the grounds are here

Spend huge money to travel to the otherside of the wolds where there is apathy from the lcosls

or go to the south of France in the sunshine in your campervan to the some of the great bear and Citadel grounds world rugby

that combined with the waste of time the mid week and warm up games have become

That could have been avoided instead of playing. Mumbo jumbo au/nz 15 they Fiji Tonga or Samoa could have been given a game



the uk and ireland administration will see as getting one back on the Aussies since the John o Neill days and that bitterness runs deep
 
Last edited:

Adam84

John Eales (66)

Enjoy boys this will be last Australian tour on a 12 year rotation be every 20 at best

Personally I don’t like the idea it’s a departure from hisriry

but money speaks and it’ll be want the fans want , given how souless and atmosphere less the grounds are here

Spend huge money to travel to the otherside of the wolds where there is apathy from the lcosls

or go to the south of France in the sunshine in your campervan to the some of the great bear and Citadel grounds world rugby

that combined with the waste of time the mid week and warm up games have become

That could have been avoided instead of playing. Mumbo jumbo au/nz 15 they Fiji Tonga or Samoa could have been given a game



the uk and ireland administration will see as getting one back on the Aussies since the John o Neill days and that bitterness runs deep
lol, Imagine being so sensitive you have PTSD from JON 25 years ago

The reality is that the 2025 tours is already shaping as the highest attended tour, with more tour packages sold and Lions fans touring then any tour previously, as a results it’s the most profitable and lucrative tour in history by a significant margin…money talks

they’re not going to trade that away in so people can travel in fucken campervans and Ryanair lol
 
Last edited:

K974

Herbert Moran (7)
lol, Imagine being so sensitive you have PTSD from JON 25 years ago

The reality is that the 2025 tours is already shaping as the highest attended tour, with more tour packages sold and Lions fans touring then any tour previously, as a results it’s the most profitable and lucrative tour in history by a significant margin…money talks

they’re not going to trade that away in so people can travel in fucken campervans and Ryanair lol
That’s my exact point they can travel in camper and and ryanair

so it would be a far greater money spinner

Its not me on about John o neill I’m just telling you what the north admin think

you are shooting the messenger here
 
Last edited:

Tomthumb

Ken Catchpole (46)

Enjoy boys this will be last Australian tour on a 12 year rotation be every 20 at best

Personally I don’t like the idea it’s a departure from hisriry

but money speaks and it’ll be want the fans want , given how souless and atmosphere less the grounds are here

Spend huge money to travel to the otherside of the wolds where there is apathy from the lcosls

or go to the south of France in the sunshine in your campervan to the some of the great bear and Citadel grounds world rugby

that combined with the waste of time the mid week and warm up games have become

That could have been avoided instead of playing. Mumbo jumbo au/nz 15 they Fiji Tonga or Samoa could have been given a game



the uk and ireland administration will see as getting one back on the Aussies since the John o Neill days and that bitterness runs deep
The fans want France to not demean Test match rugby by picking a C team to travel to NZ
 

Major Tom

Trevor Allan (34)
That’s my exact point they can travel in camper and and ryanair

so it would be a far greater money spinner

Its not me on about John o neill I’m just telling you what the north admin think

you are shooting the messenger here
And play games a 9pm at night and wait all game for a beer. It’ll be amazing!
 
Top