2017 - Looking Forward to New Zealand

It's time for my final blog post about the Lions for a while. It was one heck of a tour and one that will be remembered for a very long time by fans, players and coaching staff for all the right reasons.

The 2013 Lions tour of Australia was a tremendous success and a win-win for all who were involved. The series win definitely sealed the Lions' forseeable future - if the commercial success off-the-field hadn't already, being a boon for the Lions' sponsors as well as bringing in plenty of money into the decelerating Australian economy.

Will Gats be back to take on his country of birth - or could he even be coaching the enemy by then?

And already talk has started for the 2017 edition, when the Lions tour New Zealand and take on historically their biggest challenge, the All Blacks. Warren Gatland's name has been floated around as a potential coach - unprecedented in Lions history. 4 years is a long time and it is difficult to see if Gatland can stomach another 4 years coaching Wales let alone another Lions tour - especially considering the vitriol he received from the press after dropping Brian O'Driscoll.

Shane Williams probably won't face the All Blacks again in a Lions top as he did in 2005

Whatever happens, the 2017 Lions tour of New Zealand is likely to be quite different from previous tours of New Zealand. As alluded to before in a previous post, it is quite possible that we will see shorter tours and Super Rugby teams playing the Lions, rather than the provinces given that the tour will likely take place in the middle of Super Rugby and the standard of provincial rugby nowadays.

You can read about it here - http://twominutessport.blogspot.co.nz/2013/06/possible-2017-british-irish-lions-tour.html

Will Christchurch be ready to host a Lions test in 2017 - the CBD only just reopened a few days ago.

Even with a shorter tour, the Lions tour of New Zealand should be commercially successful for both parties - just as it was in 2005. New Zealand has always been a popular destination for rugby and non-rugby followers so combined that with a massive rugby tour that only comes every 12 years and you have a guaranteed recipe for success.

What about the playing personnel?

Always a question for the very curious but intriguing nevertheless. 4 years is also quite a long time in world rugby and there will be plenty of new talent emerging on the scene during that period who will book their places in the All Blacks and Lions - but there are a few who have emerged this year already who you'd think are dead certs to be involved in 2017 if they're fit.

The success of the Lions this year is also testament to the recent rise of both Welsh and English rugby and many of this year's stars should be back in 4 years time.

Boyish looking Owen Farrell should be at his peak come 2017 - Alex should be thereabouts too

George North (25 in 2017), Stuart Hogg (25), Owen Farrell (25) and Manu Tuilagi (26) will almost certainly be back in 2017 as will Leigh Halfpenny (28), Sam Warburton (28) and Alex Corbisiero (28). Jamie Roberts, Jonathan Davies, Dan Lydiate, Sean O'Brien and Toby Faletau should also be back even if they'll be close to their 30s with Roberts just over 30 - Northern Hemisphere players tend to last a bit longer than their Southern Hemisphere counterparts for some reason and their experience will be invaluable if they can maintain their form.

What about their opponents, the mighty All Blacks?

A few players have stood out this season in Super Rugby and in the June internationals as potential starting All Blacks in 2017.

Steven Luatua will be at the peak of his powers in 2017

An experienced Dane Coles (30 in 2017) could hook the scrums with Ardie Savea (24), Steven Luatua and Sam Cane (both 26) forming the back row and Aaron Smith (29), Aaron Cruden (28), Julian Savea (26) and Israel Dagg (29) featuring in the backline.

Question marks will hang over the likes of Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith and of course the great two, Dan Carter and Richie McCaw who will be well into their 30s in 2017.

Will New Zealand's greatest rugby player be around in 2017? He will be 37 by then - might be a good way to bow out?

There is a possibility at least one of those 4 could very well make it - it would be very enticing indeed for those guys to extend their careers long enough so they can say they played in two Lions series like George Smith on Saturday, but with professional rugby being so hard and the depth in New Zealand rugby being pretty strong, you wouldn't put the mortgage on it.

Whatever side the All Blacks put out - and whoever coaches it - it will be a mighty challenge for whichever Lions side turns up in the Southern winter of 2017. Bring it on!

But here's to a fine Lions tour of 2013. Here's my one enduring memory.