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This match, though billed as springbok vs lion, was almost a classic tale of hare vs tortoise.
Rugby Union is a deeply technical game, especially in the forwards. Those guys aren’t just brutes who grab onto each other whenever they get the chance; they need to know each other’s game and have an instinctive awareness where their teammates are going to be and what they’re going to do.
And as George Hook rightly pointed out as the tour began (forgive me!), this Lions squad has had fewer games to prepare for the Test series than any of its predecessors.
As for their hosts, well they only play either with or against each other every week in the Super14. They’ve only grown up together right through the vast South African academy system. They’re only the bloody World Champions!
Paul O’Connell walked straight off the pitch after fulltime and told the first interviewer that his pack would have been more competitive had they a better idea what the ref was looking for. Clearly asking him on the way to the dressing room at halftime didn’t do the trick, since the Boks came out after the break and drove us back half the length of the pitch for what proved to be the decisive score.
So as the Springboks pulled further and further ahead on the scoreboard, all of us back here in the northern hemisphere who gave a damn were cringing at the thought that the hare was so far ahead of its opponent that the game would have been worth stopping ten to fifteen minutes early to show some semblance of mercy.
But as much as the older generation like to hark back to the squads of ‘74 and ‘97 ad nauseum, the game today is oh so very different. To succeed in modern day world rugby you must have 22 players ready to give maximum effort for the full 80 minutes.
So don’t let the South African press fool you into thinking about the “folly” of de Villiers & co making substitutions too early. The Lions had subs on as well from even the first half and they applied themselves extremely well (not least Rob Kearney) so if the Boks have a weak bench then that’s their lookout.
And as time crept on, the red-clad tortoises crept ever closer to their quarry and we’re left looking back over all the missed opportunities throughout the afternoon which should make us realise that we were more than capable of winning despite all the hometown bravado (surely I’m not alone in wishing the likes of du Plessis and Botha to get taken down a peg or six?).
In the backs, I am far more concerned with Monye’s two missed tries than I am of Jones’ missed place-kicks, though of course ROG would have probably done much better as well. Luke Fitzgerald would have DEFINITELY converted one if not both chances Ugo spurned. Also why did Mike Phillips feel compelled to stretch for the try line from so far out when clearly there were more phases to be gotten from the situation to get them nearer?
As for these so-called perils of playing at altitude for the next two matches, I think they’re absolute nonsense. We are talking about a full-time professional outfit here so they have plenty of time to make sure the squad gets themselves fully acclimatized and it can’t be used as an excuse in my book.
But when it comes to the team selection, that’s another story. Clearly Vickery must and will be replaced by Adam “Hair Bear” Jones to face “The Beast” next week. But will Geech make the other changes that need to be made?
ROG for Jones and Fitzgerald for Monye are obvious moves not only to Irish supporters but also to anyone else who makes a point of reviewing form rather than birthplace. I won’t hold my breath for these to happen, though.
Still, despite the way the scoreline transpired, this series is far from over. We seem to have infinite backline moves with the world-class combo of BOD & Roberts to make try-production always possible - don't forget we out-tried the Boks 3-2 on the day.
And as this game plus the two-Test series between the All Blacks and France (the second Test yesterday morning was easily the most entertaining, intense game of rugby I have seen in a long time, and that INCLUDES Ireland’s Grand Slam campaign) showed, the gap between the north and south hemispheres is closing by the day, which can only be good for the world game.
