LIONS ROAR LOUDEST

Michael from Trentham

What more glorious tribute can I bestow on the Wellington Lions provincial rugby team other than mention it here.

As a past executive member of the Wellington Lions Supporters Club, I am in raptures right now except for one biggly niggle.

So we not only won the Ranfurly Shield off Hawkes Bay, but will hold onto it for at least the next 10 months, but we also won the national provincial championship for the first time in 22 years and in appearing within that time in 8 finals.
Taking the Shield from HB was very pleasing as I did travel to Napier one year for a Shield clash only for the Lions to be denied victory in the very last moment by a drop goal from way out.

And beating Canterbury on their home turf in the NPC final by outfoxing them and outperforming their tough forward pack, was a joy to behold.

Here is the niggly bit. WE got a measley three players out of our top 15 Lions side in the AB Fifteen to play two matches in the Northern hemisphere when we should have had up to 12 in this 28-player strong squad.
Our players were hard done by which is another gripe I have against the ABs head coach who had a big say in the team's composition. Don't forget Wellington had a record or near record unbroken run of wins including pulverising Waikato and Auckland in the competition's knock out phases.

Just a thought to finish off, the head coaching job for the Lions has become vacant for the 2023 season. Will Tana Umaga be a contender?