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yesterday hopefully means he’ll be excluded next Saturday, one could see some optimism in Luke Fitzgerald’s being withdrawn early, though it has to be said Shane Williams finally looked up for it, and surely the coaching staff would look for any excuse going to pick him over the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
