Lions think Israel Folau is the Wallabies" weak link

It is, though, only an appearance because, with the Lions, even a side as obviously richly talented as Sam Warburton’s, you never can tell how successful a team-building process of less than a month will have worked out.

That is both the beauty of the Lions and their constant difficulty, never helped by the absurdly truncated time together they are given by those who profess a love of this grand, but still unsuccessful, coming together of four countries.

That said, the Lions do see prospective weaknesses among the Wallabies, not through any lack of ability in any of their players, but because they have been cocooned in camp ever since the Lions have been in Australia, while the tourists have grown battle-hardened.

Then there is Robbie Deans’ Wallaby selection.

The Lions believe they can grind down even a pack bulked up to try to withstand the physical pressure, as well as exploiting the unfamiliarity – positionally and in personnel – of an undeniably glittering Australian backline.

The remarkable Israel Folau is an obvious starting point, the youngest player to represent Australia at rugby league when aged 18, but an Aussie Rules exponent for the past two years before coming to rugby union at the start of the southern-hemisphere season.

He has made 15 15-a-side appearances for New South Wales, 14 of them at full-back. So Deans picks him on the wing and here the Lions sense they could exploit a weakness.

“He is some talent with how he finds a way to get his hands free to offload the ball and make things happen,” said Lions defence coach Andy Farrell.

“But he has played on the wing once. I spend a good percentage of my time with our wingers making sure they fully understand what’s needed of them. They are a massive cog in the defensive system and they have to get it right.

“Playing at full-back is different because you can find a way into the game but, as a winger, it’s different and you have to find a way far more within the team’s system. That’s less easy, though with the quality he has, I wouldn’t put it past him.”

As Stuart Lancaster has shown as England coach, wings and full-backs in modern rugby can be interchangeable.

When Steve Hansen was Wales coach, the match programme described the wings as “right full-back” and “left full-back”.

Article source: http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby/top-rugby-stories/scotland-30-29-italy-strokosch-steals-it-for-scots-1-2973810

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Lions think Israel Folau is the Wallabies" weak link