The results and the struggles of the tour so far should be no surprise. Even the All Blacks would struggle.
So much of the attention seems focused on how poorly they might be doing, we seem to have forgotten to just celebrate they are actually here, sharing the history of the occasion and our rugby culture, our national game. For many Lions rugby fans, it will be a trip of a lifetime, coming here and enjoying a New Zealand and rugby cultural experience.
Good on the Lions for taking on the ultimate challenge, travelling the length of our country, and taking on the best teams we have - and we get to sit back and watch - great stuff! Hopefully though, the visiting fans don't turn on the radio and listen to hosts like Martin Devlin (a soccer man), whining about the Lions being whingers (that is embarrassing, and very un-McCaw like).
Don't get me wrong, I love seeing us smash the Lions, the mighty empire with their massive populous and economic clout, coming down here to little antipodean NZ, and getting a life-lesson from our Kiwis.
The question is, can they learn the lessons?
When rugby turned professional in 1995, everyone said New Zealand would now find out what professional sport is all about . . . hahaha, you little Kiwis think your All Blacks are so great, no one else takes rugby seriously, you wait and see what will happen now - you'll get creamed. Well, here we are 20 years on, and we have just won the last two World Cups, and the divide between NZ Rugby and the rest is bigger than ever.
What it shows is that yes, the coaching and support structures around the All Blacks are important, but what is absolutely crucial, and what will secure our ever-lasting position at the top of world rugby, is our grassroots.
The Lions can tip as much money as they like into their high-performance support, but it's all too late, all the player development is complete. It doesn't matter how much you pay these guys now, it won't make them better players.
The opening game against the Barbarians typified it all. The Lions players all looked a million dollars; even during the week in their casual polo shirts, tight as possible, muscles bulging - but in the great words of Jake the Muss, "too much weights and not enough speed".
Joe Marler is a classic, looking like a peacock, trying to make himself look as tough as humanly possible, with the bad boy beard, tats, and even the Mohawk - I bet Jake would love to get a hold of him.
Compare that with a Kiwi prop like a Tony Woodcock, coming off the farm in Kaukapakapa, quiet and looking pretty normal, but tough as hell and all the skill to go with it - ah yes, brought up playing good Kiwi Saturday morning rugby, beautiful grassroots.
I made the drive up to Whangarei to get amongst a good old-fashioned tour match, and got off the beaten track along the way for a good dose of grassroots club footy too - a gnarly match where Dargaville hosted Wellsford. After watching the game, it reinforced to me, and was no surprise later, to see the bunch of Kiwi no-names fire up against the Lions - and have the skill to go with it.
As good as the All Black coaches are, I just can't imagine Shag teaching young Nehe the 'Skudder Step'. Nehe and so many others, have developed their skill base just playing in our great environment of New Zealand.
South Africa is the only other country that has had the same history and quality grassroots systems - one hopes their country's politics eventually settles back down.
Well done all Kiwis, regardless of what happens on the rest of the tour - we should all take pride from the global success of New Zealand rugby. I can't wait to get to the cauldron of Rotorua tonight - it will be a great celebration of cultures and sport, all the best to both teams and fans.
New Zealand is a unique country, keep up all the grassroots work you do, supporting in the background, we all play a part in the system - keep sowing the seeds and we will forever reap the harvest . . . other Kiwi sports can follow suit too.
If we ever drop the ball with our grassroots culture, we will never get our global rugby dominance back.
*Marcus Agnew is the health and sport development manager at Hawke's Bay Community Fitness Centre Trust and is also a lecturer in sports science at EIT.
