The Darwin Awards

Two men and their dog were found dead in a remote part of the Australian Great Sandy Desert the other day. These men had set off in a 31 year old Land Rover along a particularly unforgiving track, without enough water or petrol to even reach the next filling station. They had not told anyone where they were going or how long they would be gone. They did not take any maps, nor was their vehicle equipped with a 2 way radio. They had only a mobile phone with them and I doubt whether Telstra has service in that area.

Now, without going as far as saying these men deserved to die, the gene pool is surely better off with them removed.


Moving on to another person the gene pool could do without; Clive Woodward has announced his 44 man Lions squad for their annihilation at the hands of the All Blacks in a couple of months time. This number may increase to 45, 46, or 47 depending on whether a number of England has beens, who haven't played in ages, can prove they are fit enough to sit in the stands with a red blazer on. It is also worth noting the Woodward's entourage includes no less than 26 coaches.

The headlines yesterday were of course devoted to Jonny Wilkinson, in so much as the fact he has been left out of the squad, but has he? Well basically no. If he can prove his fitness between now and then, he will be included, the other fly halves though have been told that they will not be automatically looked over if Wilko is fit. I have written about whether it is a good idea for Jonny to play or not before and my opinion is still the same.

There has been some dissent from the other home nations that Woodward has favoured his home country. Despite the fact that England are no longer a very good rugby side, 20 of the squad are English, 11 Irish, 10 from the Grand Slam winning Welsh side, and 3 Scotsmen making up the 42nd, 43rd and 44th members of the tour. There are more players in the squad from Sale Sharks as there are from Scotland, leading some people to suggest a bias towards Zurich Premiership teams. These people did obviously not watch any of Scotland's 6 nations tests this year.

It is easy to see where Woodward is going with his selections; he is trying to get a mix of youth and flair that the Welsh have shown us this year, and combine it with the experience of his England buddies who know what it takes to win. He is going with a tried and tested formula, he thinks that experience is what he needs to win a third test decider in the biting wind and rain in Auckland.

I think though that Woodward is still clinging too much to 2003. His England team no longer exist. There are still a number of those players included in the squad, but many of them have not been playing for England, or have not been playing regularly at all. The squad may have a core of players who have experience and know what it takes to win, but at the same time, the inclusion of these players can also create a team that the All Blacks will know how to beat. With many experienced players in the side, the All Blacks could well be thinking better the devil you know than the one you don't.

I can only consider that there were not more Welsh players in the side because Graham Henry knows many of the players from his time as Welsh national coach, and would therefore know their weaknesses. All the same though, Woodward's squad does not surprise me but I honestly think he is off the mark.

Verdict: clean sweep to the All Blacks