A version of this piece was published in the Irish Examiner on Saturday, June 29th 2013: http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2013/0629/world/picking-weakest-defensive-half-back-youngs-a-big-gamble-235510.html

In the first Lions test Mike Phillips looked a shadow of himself. Some put this to clever Australian strategy at the lineout, nullifying his threat from the fringes. However, with his being dropped entirely from the match day squad it looks more likely that a knee injury that he had apparently been managing for some time finally got the better of him.

Ben Youngs’ selection ahead of Conor Murray for Melbourne is an interesting choice by Gatland given that Murray would have slotted quite naturally into the lineup as something close to a Phillips clone. Murray has had a quietly effective tour, scoring two tries himself and completing the most try assist passes (4) in the squad. On the debit side of the ledger are his five turnovers conceded, more than double that of either Youngs or Phillips. 

Youngs’ electric pace is a complete contrast from the powerhouse running of Phillips and will provide a distinctly different defensive challenge for Robbie Deans and the Wallabies. Gatland has decided that attack is the best form of defence, trusting blind-side Dan Lydiate to pick up any defensive slack.

Between their 2012/13 club outings and the Six Nations championship both Phillips and Murray put in between two and three extra tackle attempts per 80 minutes than Youngs, and at a far superior success rate. Youngs, while making fewer tackles, was successful just 72% of the time compared to 90% for both Murray and Phillips. That defensive difference is almost exactly replicated in their stats on tour so far:

Murray – 8.7 attempts/80 – 92%
Phillips – 8.0 attempts/80 – 95%
Youngs – 5.3 attempts/80 – 71%

The selection of Youngs is very obviously an attacking gambit by Warren Gatland but when facing someone of the calibre of Will Genia picking the squad’s weakest defensive halfback is a gamble.