Springboks-28 LIONS-25

DEAR OH DEAR OH DEAR

It would be very easy for a Leinster blogger to blame Ronan O’Gara for this loss, wouldn’t it?

Well, the facts are there…the score was tied 25-25, and if he had only allowed du Preez to try and catch the ball unimpeded, the chances are the Springboks wouldn’t have been able to get close enough for an easy drop goal in the remaining 90 seconds. But he didn’t.

So we’ve established that ultimately his boo-boo caused the defeat, and as you can see by the pic above, he knows all about it himself.

But let’s look at what else went against us on the day, for we surely can’t point the finger at ROG for the fact that we let a 19-8 advantage slip in the last 20 minutes.

For the entire week between the First and Second Tests, debate was raging about what went wrong and how we should fix it, and the general consensus was simple – fix the front row, and with a tighter more disciplined scrum, we could surely count on our backs to score some points, particularly our powerful centre duo of BOD and Roberts.

So what happens? First, just 5 mins into the second period, we lose BOTH props to injury. And then the killer blow – BOD and Roberts BOTH succumb to injury within a matter of minutes.

And the Lions are left with a completely patchwork formation to try and hold the lead going into the last quarter, as if dealing with the altitude wasn’t going to be enough for them anyway.

O’Gara was actually playing centre. Ronan O’Gara. Centre. Not his fault he was there, but he was there. And what’s more, he had been flat on his back moments Fourie scored his try towards the end so was hardly in a position to make a tackle. So even with a makeshift defence virtually minus a centre, it took an incredible outstretched touchdown right in the corner coupled with an out-of-this world place kick to drag the home side back into this match.

My point is, there’s plenty of reasons for the Lions to feel proud about their display on the day, and I’d better not hear anyone trying to dampen the Irish contribution because despite the slip at the end there was plenty for us to shout about.

Most of all, what about Rob Kearney? Bloody hell, he’d have caught the damn ball if it was on fire and STILL ran for ten/twenty metres afterwards! Not to mention the strength he showed in crossing for our only try! It was a full-back’s performance that had us going “Who was wearing number 15 last week again?” The only reason we didn’t hear so much from him in the second half was that the Boks finally worked out that kicking to him wasn’t such a good idea.

And spare a thought as well for Paul O’Connell. “Was he playing?” you may ask. Well he most certainly was, and Sky’s commentators didn’t give him a single iota of credit for the hard work he was doing. He had clearly made up his mind to forget the ball and police the breakdown himself, making sure South African hands weren’t doing anything they shouldn’t.

Not that he could have stopped Burger’s “cite for sore eyes” on Luke Fitzgerald in the first minute. Should it have been a sending-off? If the ref had the benefit of a replay, absolutely.  I’d even consider throwing the book at Pierre Spies because it looks like he’s holding Luke’s hand down while it’s happening.  Just what is it about these tours and incidents like this from the home side?

So that’s it, folks. Another defeat for this composite touring side, and I wonder what that means for the future of these occasions.

Just one thing I ask of the press coverage of the Lions between now and next week … PLEASE don’t give in to the temptation to use the worn-out pun “Playing For Pride” (I used it way back before the tour even started!)……

LIONS-13 Emerging Springboks-13

THE EMERGENCY

Much like the Ireland A performance last Sunday, these young Springboks gave their home fans a lot to look forward to in the future.

They thoroughly deserved their late try and outstanding conversion to draw level with the tourists, who can have no complaints. Well done to the young Paduans indeed.

For those of us more concerned with the Lions, however, I think we would have learned more about the squad’s ability to bounce back from the 1st Test if the players stood in a line across the pitch and performed Riverdance.

First, can we discount this notion that we were hampered by the conditions. Two points knocking that on the head – one, it was the same for both sides, and two, remember we’re the British and Irish Lions. With the possible exception of Messrs Hines and Flutey, these guys grew up in a place where it rains in the womb!

As for Ronan O’Gara, I’m afraid that when we take off our green-coloured glasses while reviewing his performance, we see he didn’t really do enough to show he can contribute to the last two tests.

Yes, he put in some good kicks, but remember – he was the captain, so the preparation and playbook would have been designed around him, which are conditions he is used to for both club and country. We couldn’t really expect things to work that way in Pretoria next Saturday.

In fact, though it angers me to agree with Stu Barnes, he does have a point when he says that there’s a serious argument for leaving ROG out altogether and having Hook on the bench, for the Welsh factor, the fact that he’s proven on tour he can nail pressure kicks, but most of all because he brings a different style of offence should the Geech need to mix things up late on.

I mean look at O’Gara’s outing. For all his kicking into corners and what have you, how many tries did we actually score? One. And how did that come about? From an “E-Bok” kicking straight into the arms of Martyn Williams.

But things were not totally bleak for the Irish. DOC did more than enough to keep his spot on the bench, if not actually start. Heaslip will hardly be troubled by Powell, who since losing the goatee looks about two stone heavier, by the way.

And as for the conundrum of the left wing…while Monye’s late appearance yesterday hopefully means he’ll be excluded next Saturday, one could see some optimism in Luke Fitzgerald’s being withdrawn early, though it has to be said Shane Williams finally looked up for it, and surely the coaching staff would look for any excuse going to pick him over the Leinster star.

Also Barnes did piss me off at one point when Luke missed a tackle and he said “Oh, now THAT’S a mark against Fitzgerald”. Bloody hell, man – how many marks have been against Monye even BEFORE he got picked to start in Durban?

So…how do I see things going on Saturday? Hmmm. Not too well I’m afraid.

My head is telling me it will be a series whitewash, while my heart is still clinging onto the hope that we can make the right tweaks to the scrum to keep the scoring low, which will give our backs enough time to exhaust their playbook and not only create openings, but exploit them.

One “if” too many in that fictional scenario, I fear.

And as Hooky suggested in his video blog at the weekend, if there is another whitewash, will some of these Emerging Springboks will be involved in a Lions tour in 12 years time or is the concept itself headed for the emergency ward? JLP

Ireland A-49 England Saxons-22

THE KIDNEY PUNCH

Naturally the Sunday papers were jam-packed with exhaustive analysis trying to work out why the Lions fell short in the First Test in Durban, but I put it to you that not one of them got to the crux of the tourist’s problems.

It wasn’t so much about anything anyone did who IS in involved in the squad, more about someone who ISN’T.

Put Declan Kidney on a plane to South Africa, get him on the coaching staff, and hey presto, tests number 2 & 3 are in the bag. It’s that simple.

I mean, since when have you seen anyone have such an instant midas touch with a squad of players in any sport?

When his influence was just at Munster, sure all he did was bring home a couple of Heineken Cups. But as soon as he sat in the big chair of Irish rugby, well, let’s see…Grand Slam, Magners League, Heineken Cup, Lions captain/over one-third of the squad, and now this.

What IS “this”, you may ask? Some might say the Churchill Cup an end-of-season piss-up for nearly-men to the USA which doesn’t really matter in the Grand Scheme of World Rugby. And it could be argued that perhaps that’s exactly how the England Saxons approached the final in Denver.

But not so the Irish, not one of whom was involved in the Six Nations campaign, but who put in an all-round display of rugby union which even surely the All Blacks would have to admire.

I suppose I should credit the Leinster contingent first, and the biggest contribution there came from Fergus McFadden, who took “tournament MVP” honours. But there were also sterling displays from Sexton, nigh-on flawless with the boot when it mattered, Healy and Toner.

And I have to tell you about Felix Jones at full-back. What is it about Irish Number 15’s? This guy is world-class! AND we’re letting him go to Munster!!! I have a feeling that could come back to haunt us. He was the integral part in the game’s best try (though there were many contenders) when on his own ten metre line he leapt high in the air for a catch, took it, hit the ground running, surged forward a good 50m before a perfectly-timed offload which eventually led to Johne Murphy crossing for the decisive score.

I think I safely speak for every Irish rugby fan out there when I extend my thanks to Declan Kidney and his team for what has been an absolutely unbelievable season of rugby union football right at a time when the country needs something to shout about.

The only question remaining is – how much further can the man bring us? Dare I mention New Zealand 2011???