Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Brian Moore re-states his belief that the Lions squad has been selected with confrontation in mind.
"When the Lions took a hammering in the first Test on their 1989 tour of Australia, McGeechan made plain the necessity of confrontation in the remaining Tests; both of which the Lions went on to win, securing a place in Lions history as the only side to win a series after losing the opening Test.
"When subsequent games turned rough, McGeechan refused to apologise in the usual mealy-mouthed British way. He and Clive Rowlands, the manager, deflected all criticism, which enraged the Australian press and delighted the Lions squad in equal measure. The fact is, McGeechan likes his players to play on the edge and is comfortable with the belligerent and cantankerous. However, this hidden familiarity with conflict has not always manifested itself sufficiently, as a study of McGeechan's extraordinary Lions coaching record attests."
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