WHEN I set off on this great adventure into the world of sports-writing, I had one burning ambition, fuelled by reading the tour books written by the great Vivian Jenkins and JGB Thomas. I yearned to cover a Lions' Tour to New Zealand or South Africa.
Lions Tours are not what they once were. The 1950 party in New Zealand and Australia were away from the British Isles for over four months. No global jet travel back then, but, weeks onboard ship either way, giving the squad time to bond and work-out how they would play it. Of course, they couldn't train properly, but, it was surely less-stressful than being cooped-up in an aluminium tube for 24-hours solid.
Traditional Lions Tours allowed the players to properly see the countries they were visiting, and, with the longer duration and greater number of games, it gave more people a better chance to see the tourists.
In today's professional game, the clubs hold the whip hand, they will not agree to their players being absent for so-long. I well remember interviewing Gordon Brown in his Troon home one August, he was newly-returned from one of his three ions' Tours. It was nearly Christmas before he pulled-on a West of Scotland jersey for the first time the following season.
There is also the legend that, after the 1955 Lions Tour to South Africa, Jimmy Greenwood played only nine games the following season: four Scotland internationals, the two national trials, a couple of games for the North and Midlands and one game for his club Dunfermline. Changed days indeed.
Any way, Lions tours have largely passed me by. But, I have not yet given-up on my dream. The schedule for the 2017 Tour to New Zealand was announced yesterday - now, after that one, I could put away my lap top quite happily.
MInd you, before the tour kicks-off, in June, 2017, the potential Lions will have to go through: the "Summer Tests", which are a prequel to - the 2015 World Cup; then it is back to domestic league and European cup action, before the 2016 Six Nations, then back to the climax of the domestic and European club season.
The shortest of short breaks will then follow, perhaps after an overseas end-of-season tour. Back to the domestic grind in August, 2016, then the Autumn Tests, Europe, the 2017 Six Nations and, if you're lucky - the 2017 Lions Tour.
Some of the London-based rugby writers, at the end of each Six Nations, like to play a game, picking their Lions squad, if a tour was about to happen. You can bet, whatever squad they picked after this year's 6N, will bear no relation to the hypothetic squad they will pick after the World Cup, or the one they will pick after the 2016 6N, or the one they will pick after the 2017 6N.
When the genuine squad is announced, in May, 2017, these writers will pontificate, and announce their XV for the First Test, which will probably only contain ten or twelve of the actual XV which takes to the park. It is ever thus.
Still, yesterday's announcement of the tour schedule is a timely reminder, the Lions Tour is coming over the horizon. I had maybe better start firming-up my plans.
SAD to see Colin Gregor hanging-up his boots. Colin was a good player, sadly, just falling short of the top-drawer quality which ight have won him full Scotland caps. However, he has been a marvellous servant to the SRU in terms of his commitment to and work for the Sevens squad.
Enjoy your retirement wee man.
The shortest of short breaks will then follow, perhaps after an overseas end-of-season tour. Back to the domestic grind in August, 2016, then the Autumn Tests, Europe, the 2017 Six Nations and, if you're lucky - the 2017 Lions Tour.
Some of the London-based rugby writers, at the end of each Six Nations, like to play a game, picking their Lions squad, if a tour was about to happen. You can bet, whatever squad they picked after this year's 6N, will bear no relation to the hypothetic squad they will pick after the World Cup, or the one they will pick after the 2016 6N, or the one they will pick after the 2017 6N.
When the genuine squad is announced, in May, 2017, these writers will pontificate, and announce their XV for the First Test, which will probably only contain ten or twelve of the actual XV which takes to the park. It is ever thus.
Still, yesterday's announcement of the tour schedule is a timely reminder, the Lions Tour is coming over the horizon. I had maybe better start firming-up my plans.
SAD to see Colin Gregor hanging-up his boots. Colin was a good player, sadly, just falling short of the top-drawer quality which ight have won him full Scotland caps. However, he has been a marvellous servant to the SRU in terms of his commitment to and work for the Sevens squad.
Enjoy your retirement wee man.
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