Ronan O'Gara's Tour Diary: A couple of things happened in the last week to make you appreciate that you've little to moan about, least of all when you're lucky enough to be a member of a Lions' touring squad. Last Wednesday, on the day of the Taranaki game, I was one of those who went to a local rehab centre for old age pensioners and people suffering from mental addiction illnesses, and then subsequently to visit wards in a local hospital.
We saw a mixture of everything; all ages and all different illnesses, from the not-so-serious to the very serious. It was quite an eye-opener and an example of the community activities which are a much bigger part of this Lions tour than the one to Australia four years ago.
I suppose the interaction with the people is more feasible here. Although New Zealand is a vast country, the population size is quite similar to Ireland's. You can get out and meet people whereas in Australia it's simply too big to make any kind of impact.
The performance against Taranaki was a good one, and Charlie Hodgson played very well, in fairness to him. We destroyed them in the second half and plenty of fellas put their hands up, especially Charlie. You have to be happy for him. He's had a rough enough season and it was good to see him show what he's capable of.
The following day, a sheet of paper came though the door with the team and replacements for the Maori game last Saturday. I was going to be on the bench, practising for a couple of days with Stephen Jones. We got on very well together, and had a good laugh. Steve's a very easy-going lad, very laidback. He reminds me a little bit of Mal.
Lawrence was invited to present the jerseys on the day of the Maori game in the team hotel. I believe he's the first current player to do so. As you'd expect from him, he gave an unbelievable speech. Emotions were pretty high when we left the hotel to take the coach journey to the ground. He spoke extremely well. There was a real feeling of a Test-match atmosphere in the ground and during the game, and standing up to the haka was another turn-on for the game.
New Zealanders have really bought into this tour and everywhere we've gone we've been warmly greeted. But I thought the crowd was a little bit more abusive in Hamilton. Maybe when you're subbing you're more conscious of these things, especially when you're warming up.
It was good to get on and sample it for 10 minutes or so. When you're subbing you don't expect to get on in the first half unless there's a blood injury, and that's exactly what happened to Stevie. I got a few passes away and one kick away, and felt good out there.
I was dying to get back into it in the second half, especially as I felt I could make a difference, but I suppose any sub feels that. In any event, I wasn't brought on. Clive had said he would not be making many changes beforehand and you have to accept that.
Watching it from the sidelines only reinforced the point to me that you can't win games by trying to play ball in your own half of the pitch in the middle of winter. Although we could have won it at the end, we turned over the ball too many times in our own half or our own 22. Realistically we're going to have to improve in territory and the breakdown if we're going to go on and win the Test series.
Losing to the Maori was deflating for the whole squad. We had a good video session the next day analysing where we went wrong but sometimes video sessions are unrealistic. It all looks so easy compared to when you're out there in the middle of the pitch.
The proof will be in the next few games, and how we regroup. Whether we have learnt from our mistakes. Geech came in afterwards and said how previous Lions squads he's been involved in have lost games like that on tour and come back to win the first Test or even the Test series. He told us we were a very good group of Lions but whether it will be a great group of Lions will be determined over the next few weeks.
Sunday had another heavy scene. We'd gone back by coach to Auckland on Saturday and the next day we had a meeting before heading on to Christchurch at which Lawrence and Simon Taylor said their goodbyes. Lawrence at least seemed well prepared for it by that stage whereas Simon was pretty devastated.
He's a quiet lad and I haven't had the chance to get to know him very well on either Lions tour. For it to happen to him two times in a row is particularly hard and it's terrible he didn't get to play at all on this tour.
Yea, I've little to complain about by comparison. It's hard to know when the next chance might come but I've just got to keep the head down and work hard until that opportunity arrives, and then make the most of it.
(In an interview with Gerry Thornley)
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