Michael Cheika reveals receiving fan threats during Israel Folau saga

For me, we don’t have the depth, particularly in the halves and the front rows. You noticed it most against the Force and a little against the Reds.

When we are replacing our players at 50 we are replacing them with players that are not good enough to make the run on team on a team that finished 9th or 5th in Super Rugby. When the Lions make their replacements they are replacing them with run on players from the nations that are 3rd, 4th and 6th ranked in world rugby.

But, looking at your figures Nic, it doesn’t appear that it is a new problem. And I have a solution for future Australian tours. And that is, make future tours to Australia an Oceania tour. In the lead up the Lions wouldn’t play a team like Argentina before they leave but, on the way would play Japan, Fiji, Samoa or Tonga and/or a Pasifika selection - the best of their available test players - with this last game played in Australia (maybe Townsville). We would have less games here - perhaps not all the SR clubs or perhaps not the AUNZ and Pasifika selection (which is only really there because we lost the Melbourne Rebels).

Some of those tests against other Pacific Nations could be played in Australia - they will attract good crowds anyway - much of the crowd is the touring crowd anyway and Australia has large Polynesian communities. A Lions vs Tonga game at Western Sydney Stadium would fill that ground. A Fiji vs Lions game in Brisbane would fill Suncorp. We spread the game a bit wider, we get development opportunities for our lower tier Oceanic playing nations. It might mean that RA take a bit of a haircut on the total revenue but it might not be that big.

I would also suggest that the Lions could maybe tour the Americas in the same/similar way. So Argentina would get the 3 tests at the end but, on the way, the Lions could play Canada, USA, Chile and/or Uruguay (all have played at World Cups) and then three tests against Argentina. I imagine the Provincial sides in Argentina would struggle just as much (if not more) than the Australian ones, but this way, the Lions get international opposition all the way down. And I imagine a Lions Test in New York or Vancouver would draw a decent crowd.

With SA vs NZ touring series coming up - the Lions coming to Oceania and the Americas during those times might be a good way for the two TRC partners Australia and Argentina with a pretty good alternative.