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The British and Irish Lions will bid to go 2-0 up in a Test series for the first time since 1997 on Saturday, but Rassie Erasmus took the limelight in the game’s build-up.
Original source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/58027772
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South Africa captain Siya Kolisi says Australian referee Nic Berry didn’t give him as much respect as he showed to British and Irish Lions counterpart Alun Wyn Jones in the first Test last weekend in Cape Town.
The World Cup-winning skipper’s comment on Friday backed up the initial claim by South Africa director of rugby Rassie Erasmus on Thursday that Berry had treated Kolisi differently from Jones.
Kolisi’s comments came after Rugby Australia had jumped to the defence of its referee Berry, calling the comments from Erasmus in a long video full of grievances “unacceptable and against the spirit and values of the game.”
Speaking on the eve of Saturday’s second Test at Cape Town Stadium, Kolisi said: “I didn’t feel respected and I feel I wasn’t given a fair opportunity.”
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The Springboks lost the first Test 22-17, and the performance of Berry and his fellow match officials has overshadowed the build-up all week.
The persistent attacks of Erasmus, including his extraordinary 62-minute video, have drawn adverse reaction from World Rugby and Rugby Australia.
The match officials rotate this week, with Berry running the touchline to assist New Zealand referee Ben O’Keeffe. Mathieu Raynal, of France, is the other assistant, and South African official Marius Jonker the TMO again.
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
“I’m looking forward to a new game and a new referee,” Kolisi said.
“I think Ben will give a fair opportunity for both captains, and that’s all we’re asking.”
Kolisi was further pressed by a journalist as to how he felt disrespected but replied that he “didn’t want to get into it.”
Springboks assistant coach Mzwandile Stick, sitting beside Kolisi, defended the captain, insisting the discussion around the officials’ performance should have been nipped in the bud by World Rugby before the series when the Lions last week were reportedly angered by Jonker’s appointment as the television match official.
The South African was a late replacement for New Zealand’s Brendon Pickerill, who could not travel because of the pandemic.
Stick suggested that calling out Erasmus for his social media analysis of the first Test defeat was a double standard, as Lions coach Warren Gatland had fumed at the lack of a neutral alternative to Pickering.
“World Rugby’s integrity was challenged by another human being when Marius Jonker was appointed as the TMO,” Stick said.
“That appointment was publicly challenged by the coach of the other team and until today, I haven’t heard any statement about him apologising for that.
“If Rassie gets into trouble for what he said on social media, the gentleman who challenged the integrity of the game when he challenged the appointment of the TMO destroyed the dignity of the series and challenged World Rugby’s integrity.”
The exchanges between the sides have only added spice to a series that the Lions could clinch on Saturday.
Earlier, Lions’ assistant coach Robin McBryde dismissed the Erasmus complaints as nothing more than a “sideshow.”
“The officials have got a tough job to do, but we were really happy with Nic Berry last Saturday. I don’t think it will be any different this week either,” said McBryde.
World Rugby said on Thursday it was asking SA Rugby about Erasmus.
Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/07/31/kolisi-joins-criticism-of-aussie-ref-berry/
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Rassie Erasmus has offered to stand down from South Africa’s series against the British and Irish Lions after posting online an hour-long video in which he launches an unprecedented attack on Australian referee Nic Berry.
Erasmus’ extraordinary monologue lasts 62 minutes and includes 26 clips from Saturday’s 22-17 first Test defeat by the Lions at Cape Town Stadium, with Berry’s performance repeatedly in the crosshairs.
South Africa’s director of rugby is addressing World Rugby’s head of referees Joel Jutge and director of rugby Joe Schmidt during the video, in which he says he’s willing to quit for the second and third matches of the series.
GOT A SPARE 62 MINUTES? WATCH THE ERASMUS VIDEO HERE
World Rugby is understood to be concerned and disappointed by comments that pile pressure on the officials for Saturday’s second Test and is seeking an explanation from SA Rugby.
“World Rugby notes the comments made by Rassie Erasmus. The nature of these will be raised with the union via the usual official channels and no further comment will be made at this stage,” a statement from World Rugby read on Thursday.
The rant sees Erasmus, dressed in a Springbok training top and cap, provide detailed analysis of every decision he believes Berry got wrong.
The most sensitive of many criticisms is that the Aussie official treated South Africa captain Siya Kolisi and Alun Wyn Jones, the Lions skipper, differently.
“There is a vast difference between who he was taking seriously and who he wasn’t taking seriously,” Erasmus said.
“The way they listened to Siya compared to the way they listened to Alun Wyn was definitely not with the same respect. It shows the difference in attitude towards the Springboks and the Lions.”
Erasmus defends his own bizarre and controversial role as a water carrier, accuses the Lions’ illegal scrummaging of inflicting a neck injury to his prop Ox Nche and blasts Warren Gatland’s objection to Marius Jonker being appointed TMO.
Berry, who is replaced by Ben O’Keeffe for the second Test but will still run the touchline, is the real target as Erasmus highlights perceived inconsistencies and rails at the length of time it took to receive officiating feedback from World Rugby.
“We definitely felt that the way things unfolded on the field, didn’t benefit us by staying quiet,” said Erasmus, the mastermind of South Africa’s 2019 World Cup triumph.
“In my position as director of rugby, if this means I step away from being water carrier, that is fine.
“If this means I get a fine I will step away from the management team. If this means the Springboks will be in trouble I will say I did this in isolation.
“If you think this was going over the top and it shouldn’t go out to the media, I did this in a personal capacity and not as part of the Springboks.
“It is me personally that did this because I believe in fairness. I believe two teams must have equal chance of competing in a match.
“I am not saying the referee was a cheat at all. I am saying we just wanted clarity on a Sunday night which we have now got on a Tuesday.
“I am not very convinced with the clarity with what we got from Nic Berry in this match.
“Let the Springboks and the Lions have equal chance on the field when it comes to laws, respect and the way players get treated.”
Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/07/30/erasmus-offers-to-step-down-after-hour-long-rant-at-aussie-ref/
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South Africa boss Rassie Erasmus records an hour-long video monologue railing against the refereeing in his side’s first-Test defeat by the British and Irish Lions.
Original source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/58012090
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Well then, the Lions Series is on! Despite plenty of commentary about the first Test lacking in the aesthetics department, this was proper old fashioned Test rugby, and the Lions deserved win has well and truly breathed new life into a series that way too many expected would be a comfortable Springboks clean sweep.
No doubt, there will be plenty of soul-searching in the Boks camp. A search for inspiration, no doubt. And of self-reflection, I’m sure. Let me, then, offer up the haunting words of Toto’s 1982 cult classic, Africa…
The wild dogs cry out in the night
As they grow restless, longing for some solitary company
I know that I must do what’s right
As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti
I seek to cure what’s deep inside, frightened of this thing that I’ve become
I can certainly picture Kwagga Smith rocking and crying himself to sleep now. “You can’t really see Kilimanjaro from the Serengeti,” he’d be saying.
“But I can still see Courtney Lawes’ thighs, thundering toward me…”
Oh, what a series we now have!
But what of the second Test this week? And are SANZAAR looking at the Tournament Hub pt.2?
Question 1: Did South Africa get out-Springbok’d by the British and Irish Lions in the first Test? And who is now under the most pressure heading into the second Test this weekend?
Harry
The Boks forgot to Bok.
Rassie morphed into Heyneke. Nienaber was more nie than ja. Willie couldn’t find a Lion to tackle.
Kolbe looked small. So did Kwagga.
The midfield was the only good thing, besides the locks who are always good, and the bad front row, which was better than the good front row. The Lions played Scottish until oranges, at which time they played a Welsh-Bok style, and came roaring back.
Pressure is on the coaches. They’ve selected a proper 8. I’d keep props on if they’re still playing well, and hush any chatter of unfair TMOs.
It was a good, well-won Lions victory. Test 2 is going to be a fitting bookend for the 2009 series. Does Gatland become the Dean of coaches? Or does Nienaber show he is the coach, and can learn?
South Africa’s coach Rassie Erasmus. (AP Photo/John Cowpland)
Geoff
I’m not sure the Lions did anything special to win the first Test, which may well be the very point of the question!
What they did do was execute more efficiently, muscle-up in the trenches, kick from and to better positions, and have a few more avenues to victory than their opponent.
The Boks have had a long time off – more than eighteen months – and chose not to come up with new personnel or new tactics. So even though they are now under pressure, it’s hard to envisage them panicking and changing their approach too much in just a week. Going bigger, with a 6/2 bench split, also tells a story.
Off field, things have got a bit weird, with Rassie still pretending not to be coach when he is, and running commentary on referees via Twitter.
The game itself will come as a relief. Even more so if we see a bit more rugby played this week.
Brett
Yep, they did. But the bigger problem right here, right now, is that I evidently forgot I’d asked this question of the guys when I sat down to write my column for Tuesday. There’s 900+ words on this very subject just back down the page a bit!
The pressure question is a good one though, if I do say so myself.
The easy answer would be to say it’s all on South Africa, who now are playing to save the series, on home soil, and after creating for themselves a 21-month preparation period.
They played very bog-standard 2019-Springbok game, which was handy given they’d run the 2019 Springboks out on the park. But the game has moved on a bit since the Boks won the Cup, and there is certainly now pressure on them to show – in a week – that they can tweak their game as they needed. They can’t be outmuscled at set piece again, they can’t concede the breakdown contest again, and they certainly can’t forget about the blokes in jerseys 11, and 13 to 15.
But, I also think there’s a bit of pressure – not as much – on the Lions to prove that the first Test wasn’t just a team coming good on the night. Warren Gatland emerged on top with whatever he said at halftime last week, but it will be every bit as challenging to take his side to another level this week.
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Digger
I do not believe the Lions out-Bokked the Boks at all, I believe the Boks out-Bokked themselves.
It is no surprise to see a South African side play conservatively but that was quite mad really. I wanted to reach through the screen and grab Faf by the scruff and strangle him if he box kicked again.
That was a Lions backline to be tested with ball in hand, and with the pace the Boks boasted out wide it was quite infuriating to watch their approach, even more so as they slowly succumbed in the middle of the park.
I still believe the Springboks can get up in this series, but it will take some turnaround tactically in the second outing. It would appear Gatland and co have the upper hand on that front over their rivals, Rassie or no burner accounts, I mean Rassie.
As for the question about pressure, no doubt in my mind it is all on the Springboks. Their rugby public is just as demanding and expectant of their national side as New Zealanders are of the All Blacks and a response will be expected, indeed demanded of their charges and they will be feeling that weight.
They were outplayed up front in an area South Africa prides themselves upon and when you can arguably boast one of the, if not the best player in the world at blindside in the number the rest of the world calls openside, yeah, pressure is well on to front lads.
Question 2: Does the worsening COVID situation in Australia and especially in Sydney shorten the odds of another hub version of The Rugby Championship? And if so, where would make the most sense to play it?
Harry
I don’t think we can know yet what will happen.
Covid has a couple of excellent vaccines, but resistance to the best vaccine response in history is absurdly high.
That’s the key: overcoming decliners and shortage of vaccines.
Geoff
I don’t envy the administrators one little bit.
NSW is almost certainly out of business and the New Zealand bubble restrictions severely curtail options.
Just like with the 2032 Olympics, it’s beginning to look like all roads lead to Queensland, even if, just like the Olympics, nobody else is willing or able to host.
There’s a lot to play out yet, however. Just getting the Bledisloe Cup played will be an achievement, and South Africa obviously has their focus elsewhere.
And if it is to be a Queensland hub, I doubt the Bokke and Puma’s players will be looking on at images of NRL players being banished from their balconies, with those sliding doors gaffer-taped shut, and wishing it was them.
Brett
Yep, looks that way, doesn’t it.
And, taking into account concessions from New Zealand Rugby this week, I think it might end up back in Australia again. Or at least, it will quite likely start in Australia.
Elliot Daly is a surprise Lions selection for some. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Obviously, all stops are currently being pulled out to get the first two Bledisloe Tests played in New Zealand before the All Blacks and Wallabies make their way to a near sold-out Perth Stadium for Game 3.
By that point, South Africa and Argentina will also be playing each other, and I suspect sooner rather than later we’ll find out where those games are to be played. I think everyone thinks Australia, I just don’t think it’s been said yet.
“At this stage we would be planning on remaining in Australia and the two All Blacks-Argentina Tests which were scheduled in New Zealand will be played in Australia,” NZR general manager professional rugby and performance Chris Lendrum told New Zealand media earlier in the week.
“That’s our expectation at the moment. We don’t see any way we would be able to bring Argentina into New Zealand for those two games.”
As to the ‘where’ part of the question, I suppose the answer is “anywhere but Sydney” and almost certainly not New South Wales at all, with the other states’ current stance on New South Welsh types.
Melbourne quite likely becomes an option soon, and you would have to think Perth and Brisbane would be in line for extra games too. Probably the Gold Coast and Townsville, too.
Canberra? Doubtful. It was a surprise to get one Test this year; I’d be stunned if there was a second.
Digger
As I consider this question, Sydney is extending their lockdown and increasing the areas to a further eight suburban areas I believe, so those odds look very short indeed.
It would make sense to my mind to shift the matches over to New Zealand in this instance as we seem to be more in control of the virus at present (touch wood) and simply because it was in Australia last year, assuming everyone can get their heads (and New Zealand Govt) around quarantine for a couple of weeks.
Warren Gatland outfoxed the Boks in the opening Test of the 2021 Lions tour. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Seems reasonable to me in that respect, and given the local NRL comp has been shifted up to Queensland and then that fumble ball also, there doesn’t seem to be much room in Australia anyway when you take away NSW.
Come on over boys!
OVER TO YOU: Who wins the second Test of the Lions Series in Cape Town?
And is the Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship heading for Tournament Hub pt.2?
Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/07/29/the-thursday-rugby-two-up-i-bless-the-rains-down-in-africa/
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Great Britain sevens star Dan Bibby describes a planned future sevens programme as “a joke” after the team miss out on a medal in Tokyo.
Original source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/57995446
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British and Irish Lions name squad for second South Africa test – with Mako Vunipola, Conor Murray and Chris Harris starting.
Original source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57983305
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Isolation is a breeding ground for uncertainty and anxiety. If there is one lesson to be learned from the last 18 months, that is it.
Wind back the clock 47 years to South Africa in 1974, and it was not so very different. With apartheid still dictating the social and political mores of the country, South Africa was a nation divided, and an international pariah.
Sport in the republic was isolated from the rest of the world: the Springboks did not play a single international match between their game against England at Ellis Park on June 3, 1972, and the first Test against the touring British and Irish Lions at Newlands a full two years and five days later.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had much the same impact as the political disease. Almost 21 months elapsed between South Africa’s win at the World Cup in November 2019, and the first Test against a new pride of Lions in Cape Town last Saturday.
Without constant testing and exposure to challenges from without, you can never be sure of the legitimacy of your values. It is as true in sport as it is in politics.
In 1974, the Lions went to South Africa confident in the knowledge that their big men – Gordon Brown and Willie-John McBride in the second row, with Mervyn Davies behind them – were able to handle all the slings and arrows that outrageous fortune could throw at them. They had proved it by winning a series in New Zealand for the first time three years earlier.
Those three, with Roger Uttley on the blindside flank, were a quartet South Africa never matched. They went through John G. Williams, Keven de Klerk, ‘Moaner’ van Heerden, Dugald MacDonald, Morné Du Plessis, ‘Boland’ Coetzee, ‘Klippies’ Kritzinger and Polla Fourie in the course of the first three Tests, without finding an answer.
They even picked Johan de Bruyn and his one glass eye, and that didn’t work either.
The Lions have been helped, not hindered, by the other impacts of isolation. They have not had to travel outside Cape Town since July 10 and the third match of the tour. There have been no flinty hard grounds, none of the lung-wrenching thin air on the high veld.
They have not had to visit the unyielding rugby heartlands of South Africa: the Bloemfonteins and Potchefstrooms, where the sight of a red jacket or jersey still summons an echo of deep, ancestral grievances.
The cloudless ferocity of the Afrikaner has largely gone missing from the provincial games, which the Lions have won by an average score of 58 points to 14. It will now be sea level, and the lush grass of Cape Town stadium, for the remainder of the tour.
Beating the Bokke big men is as close to a mortal blow to South African rugby pride as you can get, and that is what happened in the first Test last Saturday.
South Africa thought they would have the power to dominate through the likes of Eben Etzebeth, Pieter-Steph Du Toit and Franco Mostert, but it was Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes and ‘the resurrection man’ – captain Alun Wyn Jones – who held sway and dictated terms.
Alun Wyn Jones. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
At number 8, Leinster’s Jack Conan eclipsed the diminutive ‘Kwagga’ Smith.
Such was their influence, that the Lions even had the luxury of riding over a fair few selection bumps of their own making. Mako Vunipola was not in the original 23-man matchday group and Kyle Sinckler was not even selected in the touring squad, but both played key roles in the Lions’ scrum resurgence in the second half.
Elliot Daly predictably found the going tough in contact at centre, coughing up a stream of turnovers and penalties. Courtney Lawes admitted that he had not received a ‘save the date’ email from the Lions’ coaches in the lead-up to the tour.
“I was pretty surprised , I just didn’t really have any clue. Some players got emails and things like that, but I didn’t get an email.
“I didn’t last time either, so I was pretty much in the dark and waiting to see if I would get a shot basically.
“And obviously not being fit at the minute I thought my chances were quite slim.”
In the event, Lawes edged ahead of Tadhg Beirne and made an outstanding contribution at Cape Town, along with fellow England forward Maro Itoje. As Head Coach Warren Gatland commented after the game;
“I thought Courtney Lawes was brilliant. His lineout was good, great carries and footwork.
“Maro has had one turnover on the carry where he’s gone in too high, but he’s worked incredibly hard. They put in a really big shift, and then I thought the bench was great for us. In fact, our bench was more significant than theirs was.
“Both of them had outstanding games and that was key for us.”
The roles of the two were interlinked and complementary. Maro Itoje ran the Lions’ lineout, and called most of the throw (six in all) to Lawes. This provided the best ball for the Lions’ drive.
Lawes catches, Alun Wyn Jones and Itoje lead the drive through, and the only way the Springbok big men (Du Toit and Etzebeth) can reach the ball is by swimming around the side of the maul illegally.
The ability of the Lions big men to seal their Bokke counterparts away from the ball and shift the point of attack was key to the first try on the comeback trail, at the start of the second half.
Any time the lineout receiver can turn around from his position ‘on point’ and face towards the opposition goal-line, it is a sure sign of success for the attacking side, and of failure for the defenders.
Despite the presence of an extra second row on the field for South Africa (Lood de Jager had replaced Siya Kolisi), Lawes has shed Etzebeth and spun in the direction of the drive, and he is at the sharp end of a triangle of power which makes the drive unstoppable.
Along with Jack Conan, Courtney Lawes was the Lions’ most potent forward ball-carrier. He carried eight times for 33 metres and seven of those carries were positive; one clean break, two defenders beaten and two offloads just for good measure.
Lawes’ footwork is so good that he nearly always takes an arm tackle and is able to fall forward in contact. That sets up an easy target for his support, and reduces the potential line-speed of the defence on next phase.
Seven of Lawes’ eight carries occurred in the second half, when the men in red enjoyed the Lion’s share of possession. In the first period with the Lions on defence, it was Maro Itoje’s turn to shine in the sun. He topped the forward tackle count with ten and dominated the post-tackle with four turnovers.
In the second example, Pieter-Steph Du Toit cannot handle Itoje one-on-one at the cleanout over the prone Kwagga Smith.
When it came Itoje’s turn to clean out one of the Springbok big men mano-a-mano, he did not miss.
Even though he initially has to go back to re-ruck over the top of Dan Biggar and there is a real opportunity for s Springbok turnover, there is no doubt about who wins the physical contest between Itoje and Etzebeth after they lock horns over the tackle ball. On the day, there was only one winner in the power stakes.
As the 1974 Springboks discovered, it is not easy to return from two years in the international wilderness and hit your straps as if you had never been away. Their successors in 2021 experienced something of the same bitter aftertaste in Cape Town on Saturday.
The Springboks thought they had two front rows who could provide an upward spiral of scrum dominance, but the flow of penalties went in the opposite direction.
They probably also counted on winning the battle of the big men in the second row and on the blindside flank, but found themselves on the wrong end of domination in the physical exchanges.
As in 1974, the British and Irish Lions were even able to survive a number of selection errors in comfort. On that tour, they had passed on the likes of Mike Gibson in the backs, and Derek Quinnell and Ray McLoughlin up front. It was not an issue on tour, because they had a much stronger core group of big men in the area of the team where it really mattered.
Likewise in 2021, they were able to overcome some obvious missteps in selection – the absence of Mako Vunipola and Kyle Sinckler in the front row, the pick of Elliot Daly at centre – because their choices at lock and blindside flanker performed so well.
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Maro Itoje, Alun Wyn Jones and Courtney Lawes stood up to be counted, and if they can repeat the same quality of effort this weekend, South Africa will have a real problem on its hands.
If the Springboks cannot win the physical battle at scrum-time or in the lineout drive, they do not have too many other ways of winning the game.
It wasn’t pretty. Games with an average interval of one minute and 15 seconds between kicks out of hand rarely are. If they can kick and drive their way into the history books like their forebears 47 years ago, the 2021 Lions won’t be too worried about that.
If the Springboks lose again, Danie Craven’s fore-finger will be gesturing just a little more accusingly from his bronze perch in the grounds at Stellenbosch. Some of the 2021 Springboks may be glad that he is not still around to deliver a final judgement.
Without constant testing and exposure to challenges from without, you can never be sure of your values. It is as true in sport as it is in politics.
It happened to Australia in Super Rugby Trans-Tasman and in the series versus France, and now it is happening to South Africa on their home soil.
Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/07/28/how-the-lions-won-the-battle-of-the-big-men-in-cape-town/
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Prop Mako Vunipola rejects Rassie Erasmus’ suggestion that he was “dangerous” and “reckless” during the British and Irish Lions’ 22-17 first Test victory in South Africa.
Original source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57967792
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At the time, it seemed like such an innocuous run, but the more the British and Irish Lions came back in the first Test against South Africa, the more I kept thinking about it.
And not thinking of it as a turning point per se, but rather the best indication of just how much momentum had swung the Lions’ way in the second half in Cape Town.
From an Ali Price box kick inside the Lions’ 22, winger Duhan van der Merwe had chased through superbly to the point of being able to contest the catch with Springboks number eight Kwagga Smith, so much so that van der Merwe was able to bunt the ball backwards toward his chasing supports.
Back-rower Tom Curry had also got through to the contest to pressure Smith, but alongside fresh try-scorer Luke Cowan-Dickie was barnstorming blindsider Courtney Lawes, who pulled the ball in cleanly with his outstretched right hand and set off.
From the ten-metre line, Lawes suddenly looked up to see no defenders in front of him, and it was near halfway when his big left hand made short work of Springboks fullback Willie le Roux.
Five or six metres into South African territory, Pieter-Steph du Toit got a hand on a Lawes boot to somewhat slow him down, but it wouldn’t be until several metres beyond the Springboks’ ten-metre line before Siya Kolisi was able to bring him to ground.
The Lions went wide to the right and found space, with fullback Stuart Hogg getting the ball to the Boks’ 22, and the Lions would play another dozen phases to the left and back right before winning the penalty advantage, from which Dan Biggar would ultimately bring them back to within a point with around 24 minutes on the clock.
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
They would take the lead in the 63rd minute, and the rest of the match is history.
Lawes ran for 33 metres for the match, with that one run easily accounting for 25 of those. He and number eight Jack Conan were the Lions’ standout ball carriers, with Lawes getting a couple of offloads away as well. Defensively they got through a mountain of work between them, and were right up there with the best red jerseys on the field.
The Lions’ fortunes seemed to change from the second-half restart and after a couple of excellent mauls, Cowan-Dickie bagged the first try of the Test series in the 44th minute.
By the time of Lawes’ aforementioned run, the Lions were carrying with purpose, had the breakdown in control, and were already determining where the game was being played and on whose terms, courtesy of a kick-chase that was already producing results.
It felt at this stage – to me, at least – that a Lions lead was inevitable.
(Photo by Getty Sports)
And by this stage, the Lions were already playing the most rugby. The Springboks’ attacking raids were really only coming from play breaking down. In the case of Faf de Klerk’s try, a Handre Pollard pass flew a long way behind the intended recipient and another 25 metres back downfield before du Toit picked it up and somehow found space.
The Lions, by contrast, were playing to a plan and to a structure that was creating opportunities for both penalties and points.
Many of you have made comment around the match being tough to watch, and it’s true that this match was a throwback to old-fashioned ten-man rugby.
The 65 kicks for the game underlines this, with the Boks kicking the ball roughly every third time they got their hands on it, while the Lions kicked a bit less than one in every five possessions.
But not in the kick-for-corners way, with both teams preferring the box kick and chase approach and the midfield bomb method. Perhaps if the game was up on the Highveld things might have been different.
But it created a real test of patience for viewers and outside backs alike.
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
South Africa carried the ball 83 times, but only 13 times combined by the back three and outside centre Lukhanyo Am.
The Lions were only marginally better: 85 carries for a combined 20 carries from the outside backs. None of them on either side made more ground than le Roux’s 39 metres, and old ‘Spiders’ made two clean breaks in his.
In fact, depending on your stats sheets of choice, Am either carried twice for 18 metres or not once at all. Elliot Daly managed six carries that couldn’t even be rounded up to one collective metre gained. I’m not totally convinced he didn’t put his hand up for that long-range penalty attempt in the second half just to spend some quality time with the ball.
Both Damian de Allende and Robbie Henshaw played the battering-ram role at inside centre when a pass was thrown their way, otherwise the ball was sent airborne with regularity.
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The Lions targeted their high balls at Cheslin Kolbe and away from le Roux, and their chase made it work. And the more it worked, the more influence they were having at the breakdown. Hamish Watson was incredible from the minute he came off the bench.
From 12-3 down at halftime, the Lions enjoyed 60 per cent of second-half possession and 64 per cent of second-half territory. They dominated the possession in the opposition half 17-6.
Warren Gatland might not be the most adventurous coach, but he’s found a way to outsmart South Africa at their own game and on their own turf.
And now he’s one win away from a significant slice of British and Irish Lions history.
Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/07/27/how-gatland-outsmarted-the-boks-at-their-own-game-on-their-own-turf/
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