New Rugby Media meets traditional media

TalkingRugbyUnion will be following the TV & Press pundits in New Zealand over the next 6 weeks; as the British & Irish Lions look to make the history books.

Recently we asked Wade Cox and Lewis Hughes to assess what's available from the pundits. during the tour we'll be linking with those pundits to add flavour to our unique view of the tour. Here's what the well established English broadsheet The Daily Telegraph has announced so far:

The Telegraph has unveiled All Blacks World Cup winner and former British and Irish Lions coach Sir Graham Henry as part of its punditry line-up for the upcoming Lions tour of New Zealand.

The announcement comes as The Telegraph continues to bolster its squad ahead of planned extensive coverage of the Lions Tour;including Brian Moore’s Full Contact and Lions’ Reunionpodcasts, a 12-page preview supplement, match-day programme specials and a dedicated hub on Telegraph.co.uk.

Henry has experienced both success and failure as part of the All Blacks and Lions set-ups, leading the Lions to a narrow series defeat in Australia in 2001, before returning to home soil and ending the All Blacks’ 24-year wait to lift the Webb Ellis Cup in 2011.

Alphonsi is the most recognisable woman in rugby, a seven-time Six Nations champion and World Cup winner with 74 caps for England. She became the first female winner of the Pat Marshall Award from the Rugby Union Writers’ Club in its 50-year history in 2011.

Harlequins’ prop Adam Jones also joins The Telegraph’s impressive roster of journalists and columnists for the Tour of New Zealand. The 95-cap Welshman was involved in the 2013 Lions tour, when the tourists beat Australia 2-1 and earned five caps over two tours with the Lions.

Sir Graham Henry commented, “I’m delighted to join The Telegraph and hopefully, through my experience of coaching both teams, will add insight into the most demanding tour in the history of the game. In rugby it does not get better than The British and Irish Lions and the All Blacks, the two most powerful rugby teams in the world, battling for rugby supremacy. I’m excited and stimulated by the prospect of writing about how each team handles the expectation and develops and perfects a game to achieve that supremacy."

Maggie Alphonsi said, “I am delighted to be working with The Telegraph as a rugby columnist. It is a paper I have grown up reading and to now be joining their team of superb rugby writers is a real honour. As a Rugby World Cup winner, and a media commentator, I have a deep understanding of the game and a lot to say on the sport. I am looking forward to sharing my experiences and unique insights with The Telegraph’s readers during the British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand.”

Adam Jones added, “I’m delighted that I will be sharing my knowledge and experience of what it takes to win a Lions Tour exclusively with Telegraph readers this summer. The Telegraph is a newspaper with great heritage in rugby and their writers and columnists hold huge respect amongst both fans and players.”

Henry, Alphonsi and Jones join a line-up with immense first-hand experience of Lions tours, including four-time head coach Sir Ian McGeechan, former hooker Brian Moore, World Cup winner Will Greenwood, former utility back Austin Healey and record-holding former referee Jonathan Kaplan:

• Sir Ian McGeechan is one of the most important figures in the Lions’ illustrious history having been on seven tours, twice as a player in 1974 and 1977, and five times as a coach, leading the coaching staff on four occasions

• Brian Moore was twice a Lions tourist in 1989 and 1993, and won three Grand Slams with England between 1991 and 1995. He is now one of the most recognisable voices in rugby as a broadcaster and hosts The Telegraph’s Full Contact

• English World Cup winner Will Greenwood was selected for three Lions tours in 1997, 2001 and 2005, the last time the Lions toured New Zealand, playing in two tests

• Austin Healey made his Lions debut on the 1997 tour to South Africa, beating the world champions 2-1.

• Former international referee Jonathan Kaplan holds the record for the most international matches as a referee and will offer key insight having refereed on two previous Lions’ tours

Each columnist’s wealth of coaching and playing experience will be complemented by the informed analysis of The Telegraphwriters, including Sports Writer of the Year, Paul Hayward, Mick Cleary and Gavin Mairs who have covered numerous Lions Tours between them, and will be in New Zealand, close to the action.

Further details of The Telegraph’s extensive Lions coverage:

• Full Contact podcast at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/brian-moores-full-contact/

• Lions Reunion podcast – A look back at key Lions matches from tours in 1989, 1993 and 1997

• Lions tour 12-page preview supplement – Out on 31st May

• Match day programmes for first two matches – 8-page specials out on 23rd and 30th June

• Dedicated hub online at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/british-and-irish-lions

• Regular content on The Telegraph App – available from iTunes Store and Google Play

To find out more and start reading exclusive Telegraph contentfrom the Lions Tour today, visit:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/british-and-irish-lions