British and Irish Lions: Sam Warburton says players must call out ‘unacceptable’ errors as tour pressure intensifies | Rugby Union News

Players from the British and Irish Lions have to call “unacceptable” errors to improve standards before the test series in Australia, according to former captain Sam Warburton.

The Lions of Andy Farrell sometimes worked during a 21-10 victory against NSW Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday.

Despite a third successive victory on Australian soil, there were 14 errors in the treatment of tourists who overshadowed certain signs of encouragement, including two trials for the Huw Jones outdoor center and impressive sets.

The captain of the Lions twice Warburton thinks that the burden must be on players rather than coaches before the start of the three test series against Australia to improve standards and keep each other to account.

“I think it’s better when he comes from players rather than coaches,” he said Sky Sports.

“You must be able to send the rocket, you have it. Players need someone to say that it is unacceptable.

“Players can take a little more staff now when it comes from coaches. But if this is internally motivated by players, I think it has received much better.

“But, I heard (the former lion and the current assistant coach Johnny Sexton was quite direct in some of his comments to some of the players.”

The Lions will face Act Brumbies in Canberra on Wednesday, then an Australian invitation and New Zealand XV in Melbourne next Saturday before the first test in Brisbane on Saturday July 19, live Sky Sports.

While some of the parties who faced Waratah may not appear in this first test, former Lion Will Greenwood also recognized that errors will have submitted the coaches.

“Andy Farrell will be frustrated that they (the players) were not settled themselves,” said Greenwood.

“I just wonder when you learn with each other, you don’t quite know yourself, some players who could be more energetic in a Wales or a Scottish jersey, do not necessarily go and demand these ridiculously high standards than they would normally do it, because they always settle in the shirt.

“They could say:” It’s my first blow in the shirt, do I want to be the one who shouts to everyone? “But in fact, I would say:” Be you “.”

Former Scottish captain John Barclay echoes the thoughts of Warburton and Greenwood and stressed that the Lions team of coaches hopes that errors will not become “contagious” throughout the team.

“Part of this forced passes and some are basic errors,” said Barclay Sky Sports.

“But it seems to be slightly contagious. When you stack the handling errors on each other, one after the other, you cannot exert pressure on the game.

“This is what you want to do in any team, you want to put pressure on the opposition. Each time you drop the ball, the pressure valve stands out and you bring the other team there.

“What I would say that if it was not for the fray, it could have been a very different game. The melee was so dominant, five melee penalties. If it was the opposite, this game has a slightly different complexion.

“It’s great on the one hand, they have a strong scrum and a strong alignment, you expect the one against a young team of inexperienced Waratahs.

“But they have to withdraw these mistakes from their game.”

What is the next step: British and Irish Lions Tour in Australia on Sky Sports

Sky Sports will exclusively show the tour of the British and Irish lions in 2025 in Australia, with the three tests against the Wallabies and six warm -up matches to show exclusively live.

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