Lions tradition must continue, says Henry

Graham Henry

After having been on both sides of the ledger, Graham Henry last night reiterated his belief that the Lions need to survive.

With the band playing in the background from an adjacent room, Henry was signing from a Lions songbook last night when he explained that world rugby would lose a significant event if they were dropped from the international calendar.

"The Lions have to survive," Henry implored after his side's 31-19 win last night. "The Lions bring something special and every tour is a major occasion. It's essential they tour. I still have a bit of Lion in me because it's a special team.

"The players in the UK say that it's the peak of their rugby careers to be selected for the Lions and it would be disappointing for that to be taken away."

Considering the Lions secured a profit, albeit a small one, despite spending 7 million ($18 million) and despite losing the series 3-0, it's hard to see rugby bosses pulling the pin on something that has caught the imagination of this country since they first hit these shores as a combined British and Irish side in 1930. It was the major talking point in New Zealand throughout the six weeks they were here - and even six months before they touched down at the end of May.

The way the country not only embraced the Lions tour but also coped with the presence of as many as 20,000 fans and staged generally well-run games convinced Henry that New Zealand was more than capable of hosting the 2011 World Cup - although he made a Freudian slip when he referred to it as the 2001 World Cup.

He might have had memories of 2001 in his mind when he led the Lions to Australia, only to lose the series 2-1. But 2001 was something that he was thankful for last night.

"I think 2001 was a blessing," he explained. "I wouldn't be sitting here today if it wasn't for that because it pushed me back to New Zealand quicker than it would have."

Henry has clearly taken this All Black side to a new level and although it was an error-ridden performance last night, as well as one punctuated by the referee's whistle, the All Blacks can take great heart from a 3-0 series victory.

"It's very pleasing to win the series 3-0," he said. "I think we played some very good rugby, particularly in the first two tests. To score five tries [last night] was pleasing but it wasn't as good a game as the first two."

It was always going to be difficult to live up to what happened in Wellington. The fact skipper Tana Umaga was sin-binned in the seventh minute set the tone for the night, although it sparked the All Black machine into life.

"We scored 14 points [while I was off] so obviously the boys don't need me," Umaga joked.

That is patently not the case and Henry and Co will hope Umaga leads the All Blacks in France in 2007, considering Henry described him as the "player of the series".

He won't be there, however, when the Lions tour here again in 12 years' time. A tour that should take place.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY