Lions: Henry to receive ARU apology
Graham Henry can expect an Australian Rugby Union apology following a beer-spraying incident after the Lions’ tour opener against Western Australia in Perth.
The Lions coach had just started an interview in the players’ tunnel when beer was thrown over him by a spectator watching from behind a wire fence.
Henry, whose birthday coincided with the Lions’ record 116-10 win, dried himself off then returned to complete his media commitments.
He has played the whole incident down, but ARU general manager John O’Neill will apologise to him personally after witnessing events at the WACA.
‘‘I was watching at the time and was straight on the phone to three of our event management people and two ARU officials. They were back to me with details within half an hour,’’ O’Neill said.
‘‘I will be ringing Graham personally to apologise. Whether it was a West Australian or Lions supporter, it should not have happened at all.’’
Another five-figure crowd will be at the Dairy Farmers’ Stadium in Townsville tomorrow when Henry’s Lions take on a Queensland President’s XV.
The tourists completed preparations for that game today, training in mid-morning temperatures of around 80 degrees on the tropical north Queensland coast.
Having run Western Australia ragged, scoring 18 tries and hardly breaking sweat, a much-changed Lions side is braced for an infinitely tougher test.
Only England centre Will Greenwood is retained from the WACA romp, which means just five players - Lawrence Dallaglio, Martin Johnson, Jonny Wilkinson, Mike Catt and Phil Greening - won’t have featured in either of the first two fixtures.
Dallaglio is continuing his recovery from a knee injury suffered five weeks ago, while Greening has started intensive treatment on knee ligament trouble in an attempt to get him fit before the Test series against Australia kicks off.
Lions skipper Johnson’s punishing season with Leicester and England has meant a well-deserved rest, but he is likely to feature in next Saturday’s appointment with Queensland Reds, probably alongside Wilkinson and Catt.
Early tour replacements Martin Corry and Gordon Bulloch both feature among tomorrow’s 22, having flown in from Canada and the USA respectively, Corry gaining a start, despite his 24-hour journey.
‘‘He will be jumping out of his skin to play,’’ said Henry. ‘‘His attitude will be about 150%.’’
Corry launched himself into training today, still coming to terms with the speed of events that saw him summoned across the Pacific.
‘‘As soon as I was on the plane, I just wanted to fast-forward time,’’ he admitted.
‘‘It is a great opportunity for me to be here on a Lions tour, and I am match-fit and raring to go.
‘‘Things have been going at 100 miles per hour, and I have been trying to put some reason to it all, but this is the pinnacle of my career. I am looking forward to getting straight down to business.’’
With just five games to go before the June 30 opening Test, Henry will get a first glimpse of candidates like Wales wing Dafydd James and England scrum-half Matt Dawson, together with Scottish forwards Tom Smith and Scott Murray.
‘‘I have no doubt that this game will be a tougher test than last Friday’s,’’ Henry added. ‘‘There are 10 guys in the side who have played Super 12 rugby, and these people are seen as the future of Queensland rugby.
‘‘We’ve only got a short period of time before the first Test, but the opening match gave us something concrete to work from, which is very important.
‘‘For us, there has never been a problem with our endeavour. There has been a problem with our foundation, but we cannot get that ready until we have played a number of games
Few of the President’s XV were Queensland Reds Super 12 regulars this season though prop Fletcher Dyson apart and the Lions should register another comfortable triumph.
Super 12 player of the year Phil Waugh, meanwhile, has been named among a 24-man Australia A squad for tomorrow week’s clash against the Lions in Gosford.
The group also includes ex-Brisbane Broncos rugby league star Peter Ryan, together with experienced Wallabies Nathan Grey, Chris Whitaker, Tom Bowman and Patricio Noriega.
Australia A squad: Backs M Bartholomeusz, R Graham, S Staniforth, G Bond, L Inman, N Grey, J Holbeck, J Huxley, M Edmonds, S Payne, T Hall, C Whitaker. Forwards T Murphy, B Cannon, C Blades, R Moore, P Noriega, J Harrison, J West, T Bowman, P Waugh, P Ryan, D Lyons, J Williams.
