Balshaw adds voice of discontent
July 23, 2001

Bath and England fullback Iain Balshaw on Monday became the latest member of the British Lions team to criticise the tactics employed by coach Graham Henry during this summer's tour of Australia.

One of the fringe players on the tour, Balshaw condemned Henry's methods Down Under where the Lions lost the Test series 2-1 to the Wallabies.

He joins a number of Lions players, including Austin Healey and Matt Dawson, in laying the blame for the Test series disappointment at the feet of Henry and team manager Donal Lenihan.

Balshaw told the Daily Mail newspaper that he was so unhappy at being forced to play out of position that he even considered flying home early.

"The management just didn't allow me to play my game," he said. "Everyone knows that the damage I caused during the Six Nations came from deep positions or wide out in space on the wing.

"Instead I was required to run up and down where the opposition flyhalf and inside centre can be found. I'm not the world's best crash-ball exponent so I couldn't see the point of being asked to run down the middle."

Balshaw had hoped his fine form for club and country would make him one of the stars of the Lions tour.

"I fully expected that I would play the best rugby of my life and that the Lions would be an unforgettable and successful experience for me," he said. "Instead it's already history." - Sapa-AP

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices