With clubs likely to call for a reduced tour to South Africa in 2021, winning second Test in Wellington is key to the British & Irish Lions’ relevance and future.
New Zealand can wrap up a series win against the British & Irish Lions when the sides meet in the second Test in Wellington on Saturday.
For the All Blacks, the Test is the latest in their search for perfection. For the tourists, it might be a case of attempting to remain relevant.
Everything to lose
Good luck, Lions. No pressure. There is just the entire future of the Lions concept riding on this Test match. Or so they say, anyway.
Yes, it has always been the case that the four-yearly Lions series have been regarded as endangered since the game went professional in the mid-1990s.
But now it really does feel as though it is under genuine threat, at least of becoming a pared-down, diluted version of its current self.
English clubs think the strain on the assets they loan out for this window is becoming too great, and are pushing for the trip to South Africa in 2021 to be cut from 10 to eight games, played over five weeks rather than six.
A series whitewash against the All Blacks will do little for the case for retaining the Lions in its current form.
So, again, no pressure.
Warring Warren
There is a fair bit riding on it for the Lions coach, too. Warren Gatland exhibited a trait seldom seen from him before this week: weakness.
The coach admitted the hue and cry over his selection of the "Geography Six" – players recruited as injury cover based on proximity rather than merit – meant he was unwilling to actually field any of them for any significant time against the Hurricanes on Tuesday.
As a result, his best laid plans have unravelled. Players who might have earned a shot at the Test side, such as Iain Henderson, were spent, after playing most of the 80 minutes.
All will be forgiven, of course, if the Lions salvage the Test series. That looks like a big "if" at present.
Making of Maro
There was much to talk about the Lions team selection for the win-or-bust match in Wellington.
Alun Wyn Jones retaining his place in the second row, despite a lukewarm first Test. Peter O’Mahony losing the captaincy, and his place in the squad altogether. Ben Te’o, one of the revelations of the tour, being dropped for a combination of Owen Farrell and Johnny Sexton.
All of which has broadly distracted from the fact Maro Itoje has made the starting XV. Shortlisted for World Player of the Year last season, the England lock will be keen to make up for lost time against Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock.
Wet Wellington
Picking two ball-players in Sexton and Farrell next to each other, instead of the power of Te’o, has been taken by many to mean the Lions plan to play a more expansive game.
It is likely to mean the exact opposite, though. Now the Lions will have three players regarded as among the world’s best tactical kickers next to each other: Conor Murray, Sexton and Farrell.
Given the weather forecasts for heavy rain, it seems certain the ball will be kicked more and run less than in the opener in Auckland.
Concussion care
By most people’s reckoning, Dane Coles is the world’s best hooker, while Ben Smith has a similar claim in the fullback position.
Handy additions, then, for any side, let alone one wanting to win a series as high profile as the Lions one, which only comes around once every 12 years for the host nation.
Each have been removed from the reckoning, however, because of concern over their welfare because of concussion. All involved should be applauded for their good sense.
"You’ve only got one brain," Israel Dagg pointed out, after taking over Smith’s No 15 shirt following his head knock in the first Test.
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Teaching your child to save
Pre-school (three - five years)
You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.
Early childhood (six - eight years)
Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.
Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)
Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.
Young teens (12 - 14 years)
Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.
Teenage (15 - 18 years)
Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.
Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)
Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.
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Abdul Jabar Qahraman was meeting supporters in his campaign office in the southern Afghan province of Helmand when a bomb hidden under a sofa exploded on Wednesday.
The blast in the provincial capital Lashkar Gah killed the Afghan election candidate and at least another three people, Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak told reporters. Another three were wounded, while three suspects were detained, he said.
The Taliban – which controls much of Helmand and has vowed to disrupt the October 20 parliamentary elections – claimed responsibility for the attack.
Mr Qahraman was at least the 10th candidate killed so far during the campaign season, and the second from Lashkar Gah this month. Another candidate, Saleh Mohammad Asikzai, was among eight people killed in a suicide attack last week. Most of the slain candidates were murdered in targeted assassinations, including Avtar Singh Khalsa, the first Afghan Sikh to run for the lower house of the parliament.
The same week the Taliban warned candidates to withdraw from the elections. On Wednesday the group issued fresh warnings, calling on educational workers to stop schools from being used as polling centres.
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
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Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE results
Lost to Oman by eight runs
Beat Namibia by three wickets
Lost to Oman by 12 runs
Beat Namibia by 43 runs
UAE fixtures
Free admission. All fixtures broadcast live on icc.tv
Tuesday March 15, v PNG at Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Friday March 18, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium
Saturday March 19, v PNG at Dubai International Stadium
Monday March 21, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium
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